On the Edge of the War Zone: From the Battle of the Marne to the Entrance of the Stars and StripesAldrich, Mildred
History
On the Edge of the War Zone: From the Battle of the Marne to the Entrance of the Stars and Stripes
Aldrich, Mildred
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
Then he turned to his comrade and explained, "J'ai dit à la dame,
'Mon Dieu, Madame,'" etc., and in the same breath he turned back to
me and continued:
"My God, lady, when I saw them Stars and Stripes floating out there, I
said to my comrade, 'If there is an American man or an American
lady here, my God, I am going to look at them,' and my God, lady, I'm
glad I did. Well, how do you do, anyway?"
I told him that I was very well, and asked him if he wouldn't like to
come in.
"My God, lady, you bet your life I do," and he shook my hand again,
and came in, remarking, "I'm an American myself--from New York--
great city, New York--can't be beat. I wish all my comrades could see
Broadway--that would amaze them," and then he turned to his
companion to explain, "J'ai dit à Madame que je voudrais bien que
tous les copains pouvaient voir Broadway--c'est la plus belle rue de
New York--ils seront épatés--tous," and he turned to me to ask
"N'est-ce pas, Madame?"
I laughed. I had to. I had a vivid picture of his comrades seeing New
York for the first time--you know it takes time to get used to the Great
White Way, and I remembered the last distinguished Frenchman
whom the propaganda took on to the great thoroughfare, and who, at
the first sight and sound and feel of it, wanted to lay his head up
against Times Square and sob like a baby with fright and
amazement. This was one of those flash thoughts. My caller did not
give me time for more than that, for he began to cross-examine me--
he wanted to know where I lived in America.
It did not seem worth while to tell him I did not live there, so I said
"Boston," and he declared it a "nice, pretty slow town," he knew it,
and, of course, he added, "But my God, lady, give me New York
every time. I've lived there sixteen years--got a nice little wife there--
here's her picture--and see here, this is my name," and he laid an
envelope before me with a New York postmark.
"Well," I said, "if you are an American citizen, what are you doing
here, in a French uniform? The States are not in the war."
His eyes simply snapped.
"My God, lady, I'm a Frenchman just the same. My God, lady, you
don't think I'd see France attacked by Germany and not take a hand
in the fight, do you? Not on your life!"
Here is your naturalization business again.
I could not help laughing, but I ventured to ask: "Well, my lad, what
would you have done if it had been France and the States?" He
curled his lip, and brushed the question aside with:
"My God, lady! Don't be stupid. That could never be, never, on your
life."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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