Over Periscope Pond : $b Letters from two American girls in Paris October 1916-January 1918Root, Esther Sayles
History
Over Periscope Pond : $b Letters from two American girls in Paris October 1916-January 1918
Root, Esther Sayles
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
There were tons of stuff--it was like moving R. H. Macy and Company, but
I can't tell you what fun it was. Dr. Shurtleff and each one of our
workers, who usually work at their own special jobs, pitched in to sort
out bundles of clothes, or carry yards and yards of worsted, or do
whatever turned up. Dr. Shurtleff started us singing "Tipperary" as we
worked, and we had a splendid time and accomplished wonders.
This morning when work began, there were the two front rooms all neatly
arranged, with plenty of space and everybody happy.
Well, I must close, but I shall have enough to tell you when I come home
to outlast many a wood fire, and I am looking forward to the day when we
can sit down together and talk, with the clock faced toward the wall!
Much love to you always.
Your niece,
ESTHER.
XV
FROM MARJORIE
Sunday.
DEAREST FAMILY:--
Here I go again in one of these cahier affairs. It seems to be the best
and only way to write you. I am this minute out at Saint-Germain--an
hour outside of Paris. It is the place where Ibby Coolidge nurses. Her
hospital is closed down now, so she is in at the "Invalides" for a few
months. Although she lives in Paris, I don't see much of her, for she
works from eight to eight, and is too tired to dine out after that.
Rootie has been out here for ten days resting. The air is wonderful--so
different from Paris, although so near. It has been getting warmer, and
to-day we are sitting out under the trees writing. I can hardly believe
it. If spring has only come, it will make so much difference. I have
been working fairly hard these last two weeks, for Agathe, the maid, has
been off on a vacation, and I have had to open the four vestiaires in
the mornings--open the shutters, dust a little, arrange the chairs and
such, build the fires in the offices, and generally start things. This,
combined with doing Rootie's work,--at least certain parts that could
not be allowed to wait,--has made life fairly complicated. Mrs.
Shurtleff is letting me have my Monday off this week, so I have two
whole glorious days out here with Rootie. We do nothing but sleep, eat,
and walk. We have sticks, and so feel very safe, and wander far into the
woods. The youngest class is being trained out here,--at least, part of
it,--and they come home from their lessons every night at about
half-past six,--about five hundred of them, in every sort and
description of uniform, all out of step, four abreast, except when they
want to run ahead and speak to a friend a few rows in front; all singing
"poilu" songs like regular soldiers. They are such a bright-faced crew,
we love to go out to the terrace and watch them march to the center
court, and there line up, be counted more or less--and mostly
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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