The Red Cross Girls with Pershing to VictoryVandercook, Margaret
General
The Red Cross Girls with Pershing to Victory
Vandercook, Margaret
Nursing -- Juvenile fiction; Red Cross and Red Crescent -- Juvenile fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
"When I arrived in Paris three days before the signing of the armistice
I was kept waiting there until the day after the celebration. Then I was
told that if I preferred I could stay on in Paris a week or more and go
back home, since now that the war was over, there would be less need for
Red Cross nurses. Yet somehow I managed to plead my cause and the
morning after the armistice I was ordered to report to Dr. Clark at his
hospital near Chateau-Thierry. Probably there would be nurses who were
tired and would now wish to be discharged and sent home. I was told that
a letter had been written Dr. Clark to expect me. There was a very
especial reason why I wished to come to this neighborhood which I would
like to tell you later. Well, I had a fairly difficult journey from
Paris. I was alone and know almost no French. But there was no one to
send with me and even the Red Cross organization relaxed just a little
with the prospect of peace. Nevertheless nothing happened to me of any
importance until I reached the station where I was told some one would
be waiting to drive me to the hospital. There was no one. But the
mistake was mine, because I thought an old Frenchman told me the Red
Cross hospital was only five miles away. At present, knowing my own
failure to understand French I think that he probably said fifteen
miles. However, I feel I must have walked nearer fifty, if I may
exaggerate the actual facts. I kept asking in my best French to be told
the proper direction and thinking I understood and then getting lost.
When I started out from the little French station it was early in the
morning and really not very cold; you must not think I am altogether
without judgment. But now that I am safely here, you will take me with
you to Germany? Just think how far I have traveled for this chance! Your
other nurses have had their opportunity."
Two bright spots of color were at this moment glowing on the girl's
cheeks, her lips and eyes were eager as a child.
Nevertheless Sonya shook her head.
"I am sorry, Miss Jamison, but I'm afraid I can't promise anything. In
the first place, my husband has already made the choice of the Red Cross
nurses who are to form his unit. He selected his staff of nurses and
physicians last night. There is no time for delay. The division of
troops we are to serve leaves before dawn Sunday morning. The Red Cross
units will bring up the rear. We will probably move later on the same
morning. Don't think I am not sympathetic; why you must feel like the
last of our American troops who reached Chateau-Thierry the morning of
the armistice. Major Hersey told me it was difficult to keep them from
fighting, armistice, or no armistice. But you will be able to remain
here at the hospital for a time. We still have a number of the wounded
to be cared for and more than half the staff will stay behind."
The new nurse covered her eyes for a moment with her hands, they were
beautiful nurse's hands, with long slender, firm fingers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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