The War Romance of the Salvation Army

-Thierry-So

s look for the Salvation Army. Then the Military Colonel gave an order for the girls to leave Ansauville, and loading them

ry side, shells bursting often near them, yet they were as calm as if nothing were the matter; finally the car got stuck under range of the enemy's fire, but they never

lness as he realized the narrow escape those girls had had. The windows and roof were full of shell holes. Shrapnel had penetrated everywhere. He went about to examine and took pieces of shrapnel out of the flour an

assed through the window and smashed the picture, shattering the glass in fragments all over the bed. Another shell had entered the window, passed over the pillows of th

canteen at Menilla-Tour as calmly as

e girls cooked good things for them and used that sweet God-given influ

first of July. They had to stand in line with the officers, it is true, to take their turn at the public bath houses, but it was a real delight to have plenty of water for once, for their appointments at the front had been most restricted and water a scarce commodity. Sometimes it had been difficult to get enough water for the cookin

xteen Salvation Army men and women started out in the truck for Crepy. It was a beautiful day and they rode all day long. At nightfall they reached the village of Crepy where they were welcomed eagerly. The Zone Major had to leave and go back and wanted them all to stay there, but they were unwilling to do so

later the billeting officer appeared with many apologies and offered to take them to the billet that had been set aside for them. They took their rolls of blankets, and climbed sleepily out of the car, following him two blocks down the street to an old building. But when they reached there they found that some French officers had taken possession and were fast asleep, so they went back

tfits arrived, and they all

med because there was no w

earer the front, so they went to

t a twinkle of admiration for the brave lassies.

. It was very dirty but they went cheerfully to

ally going back and forth; so they offered their services to the doctors, which were eage

but it had not been expected that there would be so many wounded at this point and they had not adequate accommodations. Many of the wounded boys were lying on the g

s when they told him to get the water, in that place of no water, but he took his little Ford car and whirled away without a word, and presently he returned with a barrel of ice-cold water from a spring he had found two miles away. How the girls rejoiced that it was ice cold! And then they starte

It was almost like a miracle. For a whole car load of oranges and lemons had been shipped to Beauvais and arrived a day too late--after the troops had gone. They were o

white net, such as is used for ladies' collars and dresses--ten thousand yards at a dollar a yard--and sent it down to the hospital where it was used over the wounded men, sometimes over a wounded arm or leg or he

and fever. How delicious were the cooling drinks to their parched lips! The doctors afterwar

p and who begged for it so piteously. For these the girls did all in their power. They ba

of these same girls standing there to welcome him. As soon as he was free to leave the ship he rushed down to find her, and gripping her hand eagerly he cried out so

did not comfort him as the old one had done. He said that it could never be the same as the one he had carried for so long. He worried so much about his Testament, that one of the lassies finally attempted to recover i

ould go from one to another and have to drive miles, and even go from one town to another to find a place where there was room to receive the men they carried. Then back they would come for another load. They worked thus for three days and five nights steadily, before they slept, and some of them stripped to the waist and bared

im he couldn't go out on that drive; but two days later he saw his familiar car coming dow

as well get it over with, so when the Colonel's car drew near he stopped. The Colonel got out and the Zone Major got out, and it was apparent that the Colonel was very angry

r, Colonel?" asked the

d no business to bring

r and drove off. The Zone Major wisely kept out of his way; but a

keeping yourself? Why haven't you been a

ho bawled me out in the public hig

those girls up here and you know it!" said

onel, didn't

g suddenly into his eyes and a huskiness into his voi

ey come up here to share the dangers with the soldiers, and as lo

aid gruffly: "Had anything to eat? Stop and take a bite with m

ficer of whom said that according to his rank in Germany he ought to have a car to take him to the rear. However, he was compelled to

n Jersey seashore resorts. But they were particularly bad at Morte Fontaine, and Major Peabody ordered the canteen to be moved out of the v

e girls looked up and almost over their heads was an enemy plane, so low that they could see the insignia on his machine, and see the man in the car. He seemed to be looking down at them. In sudden panic they fled to a nearby tree and hid close under

om Hell," marching up to the front that night, and singing bravely as they marched, their skirling Scotch songs accompanied by a bagpipe. And even as they listened with bated breath and straining eyes the airplane dipped and dropped another bomb right into the

ery good workers they were, tickled to death to be there instead of over on their own side

hospital one day when the Salvation Army girls and men were picking o

ach one," proposed

punch in the nose

tes and when they came back the Germans sat there contentedly eating oranges. Questioningly

ked so longingly!" said one of

merican soldier boys, "Don't help me, help that fellow over there who is suffering!

uld be handed with the words: "That's the last," the boy to whom it was

girl who was leading them, listening to her earnest, plain words of instruction how to turn to the Saviour of the world in their need, how to repent of their sins and take Christ for their Saviour and Sanctifier. No man who was in that meeting would dare plead ignorance of the way to be saved. Many signified their desire to give their lives into the keeping of Christ before they went to the front. The meeting broke up reluctantly and the men drifted out and away, expecting soon to be called to go. But something happened that they did not go

ou see we di

she smile

ewell meeting to-night?" he asked wit

or the fellows who are coming back," she said

e that later, can't you? W

ry in the look of the waiting group, that the young Captain co

Go out and t

them as they sang and knelt to pray, and not a heart but was melted and tender as they went out when it

as he lay white and helpless on the ground, and bending over saw that he had not long to sta

nodded. Yes, he wanted to send a message

them; and tell them it's all right for at that second meeting I acc

hand blown off and didn't realize it. His chum tr

ng!" he cried

d bleed to death. In the hospital the

a left hand! I'm not left-handed. Maybe I can'

nd the Major said also

d him straigh

coat till you say I can stay," and finally the Major had to

ted to lie on his stomach, but the doctor, when she asked him, said "No" very shortly and told her he must lie on his back. She stooped and turned him so that his position was more comfortable, put his

e girls: "It is wonder

in pain and sickness no hand can sooth like a woman's. Perhaps God meant it to be so.

rmy women worke

til they lost forty-five hundred men, but it stayed two days a

ical-surgical staff and the men of the hospital corps who acted as nurses in that advanced position. "Before they came," he said, "we were overwrought, eve

leave. The following is the official

ision, American Expeditio

ora

Red Cross, Salvation Arm

. Motor organizations of the Division move overland. Your motorized units will accompan

nd routes to be taken

to units may accompany u

f Major-Gene

. Pe

n, Inf

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pi

M

Cr

atio

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