| Show ff X W KA YN POTH MYS YORK X BANKE R E E GRI E WAY I 1 A AMERI c ED HOSPI L fl N july 1914 I 1 left america aw to travel abroad on pleasure bent I 1 had as little idea ot of the coming war as anyone else and even when the clouds swept dark across the horizon I 1 did not really believe the storm would break we arrived in bad His hissinger singen on the day before tho the troops were mobilized people stood in excited groups germans were preparing to leave for their homes while russians and other foreigners were wondering what would become of them ifft if it came to war the mobilization proclamation came the following day and suddenly on a sunday war was declared dismay and consternation were written upon every face the strange tales of other wars came fleeting to our minds and wo we conjured up a thousand thoughts of hunger and discomfort we were sure that within a few days not an able bodied man would bo be left at home quito naturally we did not anticipate the systematic regulation which eliminated all danger of famine in spite or of the proclaimed food blockade nor did wo we know that an army Is so BO organized that millions of strong young men are not called into the service until absolutely needed bad Kis kissinger kissingen singen was the gathering place for the reservists from all tho the surrounding countryside early sunday morning the tha troops came pouring in they assembled in the famous Kur Nur garten and in place of the usual gayly dressed throng there wore were now thousands of stern looking men in rough clothes here they were wera soldiers in name only for their uniform uniforms fas guns and other equipment awa awaited its them at damberg bamberg an hour distant in the larger cities where fully equipped soldiers leave for the front it is a most inspiring sight bight to see ode them march away to the strains of military music their caps and lapels be decked with flowers here in this little country town the sight was not thus inspiring it was only inexpressibly sad most alost of the men were accompanied by their wives and sweethearts and had bad come to bid a farewell which per chance would be the last nothing has impressed me quite so much as aa the spartan way in which these german women say goodby good by to their men I 1 have seen the tha soldiers leaving tor for tho the front from town and city in companies or by twos and threes and I 1 have never seen a woman shed a 4 single tear until her husband son or lover had vanished from sight it Is not that they do not realize to the fullest extent the danger their men go 90 off to face alas they know that full well but they seem to feel it their duty to make the parting as cheerful as tos possible sible so dry eyed and smiling they wave their handkerchiefs until they can see no longer for two weeks Kis kissinger kissingen singen assumed quite a military character the men came straggling in and their short abor t stay was made as comfortable as possible by liberal portions of hot coffee cigars and chocolate then the mobilization ended and the town settled down to a strange quiet t r quiet that seemed more uncanny because we realized so BO acutely that in france belgium and russia the cannons were thundering and men were falling by the thousand I 1 shall never forget the sultry quiet weeks I 1 spent in Kis kissinger kissingen singen during the summer of 1914 the days dragged by ono one like the other except for the preparations which were being made to are oafs c tor for the wounded when they should come some of the hotels were turned into hospitals and everyone I 1 as well ais the rest sewed all day long on garments and bandages malls camo came irregularly and pera too arrived at odd intervals because tha trains wre being used for the transportation of troops even when news camo came or of the tall fall ot of liege and brussels thoro there was little excitement it was only wilen when the bavarian crown prince won a victory ry near metz aletz that the people forgot their calm and cheered and copt tor for loy joy on september I 1 I 1 arrived la in munich the Ua varlan capital the life here was as different as could bo be from that in Kis kissinger kissingen singen the streets and cates cafes were crowded the theaters and museums all open orchestras played popular music singers sang aang comic songs one would never have realized that a war was going on had it not been for the yellow telegrams pasted on the bulletin boards and for the throngs of soldiers the city swarmed with men in gray and the remarkable part of it all Is that one sees just as many soldiers now as ono one did a year ago last september thero there are soldiers ov everywhere ery I 1 in the Bt streets at the theater in the cafes cafcas strong healthy looking men some come of them already decorated with the iron cross after a week or so of aimless sightseeing my conscience began to trouble me I 1 felt it was wrong to stay idle in these earnest times so BO I 1 set about to ond some occupation I 1 started in service at a day nursery where poor children were wera taken care of while their mothers were at work all the children are delightful and these were no less so than the average but sad to relate they spoke a bavarian dialect that was impossible tor for me to understand they in turn did not recognize as german the language I 1 spoke so we decided that I 1 was no success as a disciple of froebel and I 1 started to search for a now new field of activity I 1 found what I 1 sought at the american lied cross hospital and soon began my work there I 1 should like to be able to say aay that at once I 1 attained the dignity of a cap and apron but I 1 did not because I 1 had bad even less than the average age knowledge ot of nursing I 1 really started as an errand girl I 1 shopped Ped carried out propaganda and made mada vis ltd in order to interest people in the good work I 1 chatted with geraldine Gorald lne farrar was respectful to countess von Dern bernstorff and visited enough titled people to set my democratic head awhirl the next stepto step in my hospital career was when I 1 began to do a little sec i ret arial lal work and soon afterwards I 1 received my uniform and came more in contact with the work of the hospital proper my aly special department was the provision room where the jollies jellies and other luxl luxuries ries that the regular commissariat did not carry were kept I 1 was the mistress of the key to the wine cellar and also looked after the clothing with which WO we supplied the men there was nothing too mental menial tor for me to do and I 1 was waa glad ot of every opportunity tor for service I 1 still have a mental photograph of myself scrubbing the floor and cleaning windows not to speak of darning the biggest holes that I 1 ever saw in socks in december we received a huge shipment from the american red lied cross crops society and we had bad so BO m many i any boxes and bales of clothing comforts and cotton that we decided to give the surplus to the german red lied cross the bavarian queen as its official head came to inspect our supplies she was a little wrinkled old lady who smiled most moat amiably when we made our court curtsies and who was very grateful tor for our timely gift I 1 christmas came and went we thought of the men in the trenches tren dies and prayed for peace but in ili spite of the war I 1 enjoyed every hour in munich alinich and a large share of my pleasure I 1 owe to the musical advantages the city offers performances of the opera and concerts are being given at reduced rates on account of the war arz M N I 1 K a but tho the talent re maints up tip to its ol 01 old d standards and ono one can hoar hear a truly line production of an opera for say BOV enty Uvo cents or a dollar towards the end ot of january I 1 left munich and made a journey to italy though italy was not involved at tho the time one noticed the war more here than in ili germany people were poor and discontented banks failed one utter after the other a declaration of war against austria was expected dally and everyone was in a troubled frame of mind it tools took twenty days for letters from germany to roach reach me I 1 could not stand the uncertainty and hastened back to munich after a scant two weeks absence after my return 1 worked harder than ever at the hospital none of the cases under our care was serious and as several of the men desired to 9 learn english the superintendent superintend envoy 01 nurses asked me to take charge ot of some items 61 classes asses I 1 had bad ono one class of beginners and one of more advanced pupils and I 1 can truthfully eay siy I 1 never enjoyed anything more than those english lessons I 1 gave at tho the american red lied cross hospital I 1 a very dignified beacher le achor one cant expect a n I 1 note on year old girt irl to put on spectacles but my pupils od liked me and they learned 6 a bit too however even the me english Englis fi lessons did not furnish enough canough work to satisfy me so after much coaxing I 1 received my official red cross armband and became what Is called in german a heifer 11 or assistant nurse I 1 worked early and lato late among these wounded soldiers and found a great deal of pleasure in the work it was a revelation to note how bow much tine feeling these men possess the most of them are ignorant and uncultured they were so grateful for every bit 0 of f care and at times when I 1 found myself downcast they always seemed to know the right thing to do and say after almost a year of this work I 1 took a rest and went first to vienna and then to Marlen Marien bad I 1 found the latter resort in strange contrast to the hissinger His singen of the year before marten marlen bad wai was full of people and almost gay there was no dancing of course but there were social affairs concerts and bombolas tom bolas where a gamo game similar to our lotto Is played in addition one saw women as beautifully gowned as aa the Parl at her best and here also as aa well as in munich we found tho the same astonishingly I 1 largo a 1 g 0 number of men I 1 used to wonder vonder where they all camo came from we got back to munich just in time to t 0 a see e e a parade in honor of t the h 0 king and if I 1 had not beert it 11 with my own o eyes I 1 should never have believed it possible that so many good soldiers could bo be left after more than a year of war As tho the time for our departure drew near my heart grew heavy I 1 was happy at the prospect ot of seeing america and my american friends again but bui I 1 had grown to love munich and its people |
