Show y T Gertr i vide cihi ai tt PS J OWN upon a beautiful brench uty descended a foreign military force capturing the place by storm occupying it for eight days and then away leaving the inhabitants cheering and waving friendly for the foreign force was the first party of american permit Islon alres soldiers on leave and the city vi as aa ILS baans the first american leave center in france here the french saw the americans at ploy and were satisfied alx les beans the american boys pronounce it at the imminent risk of the name being short ened to the beans aix a jewel clear cut with brilliant facets set in a frame of gorgeous moonlight and of wonderful opaline sunsets and sunrises this Is the beauty spot to which are sent the boys in collve drab wearied by months in trench mud under bursting shells and this Is the story of the first to arrive in alx the american soldiers blighty on a certain bright saturday a cosmopolitan crowd gathered at the railroad all in a high state of anticipation one could easily pick out the persons of prominence the mavor the doctors lawyers and others of small but as incomes and it might be noticed that the older women kept watchful eyes on the jeanne falles who tense with expectancy gazed up the iron road along which the first were to come for who aoud tell what romance might not be on the way romance excusing the flattering of eyelids and lie extra nicety of dress As a effort to make the incoming amer leans feel right at home the crowd featured a negro band and the local baseball nine composed of small bivs in scarlet jerseys and linen trousers with legs bare as only a french boy ever dares wear them the lads had small american flags tied around their arms and their teeth were rattling with the cold for the snow lay on the mountain sides and a refrigerated wind blew down from there in the also were american officers and visitors Y M C A secretaries canteen workers and spectators before the amerl cans arrived a dozen british aviators on their way to italy changed trains and seeing the throng asked the reason on being informed they exclaimed wath heartfelt approval wash tte were american I 1 and well they might for air which u the happy days before A bad attracted the discriminating visitors of all nations was in more than gala dress this lay painting the illy while military and civil representatives had assembled there to give welcome to the boys who had come from the west shores of the atlantic to fight shoulder to shoulder with the french these are the early arrivals of the american force which landed in france last summer regulars and volunteers they had come from the trenches with scarcely an hour to pre pare they wore their trench helmets their packs were on their backs their clatl es and boots covered alth mud their faces filmy their hair als ordered train was two hours late but the crowd has been waiting that time and the cold winds have not chilled the enthusiasm which greeted the appe arance of the yankees it certainly did make an impression said one old regular of this e know what kind of n place it was and some of us were sore because we coulden couldn t go to paris while halt of us have the money to see it through or the right outfit but I 1 guess uncle sam had an idea it would be just as well to let the french people know the american trompa kept in bandboxes band boxes and tissue piper but were in the fight there avas no doubt in the minds ot those who watched the boys getting out of the cars that they had been at the front they were hungry and tired having been SO hours on the way with only one stopover stop over where the cited cross unit had breakfast ready for them but they were too accustomed cus tomed to discipline to resist speech making and so they listened patiently to the provost marshals friendly admonitions to shun wine and women 0 o ban was placed on song then on with the welcome I 1 the negro band erupted into jazz and noises taking alie americana back home in spirit at least following which a french orchestra swung gracefully into the strains of a suite de Ma and the were escorted to their temporary homes they were led through streets by flag draped balconies from which pretty girls cried with familiar greeting alve ave la france lve ancle sam I 1 and that Is how the first american perets slon aries came to the A E F s blighty with a blare of trumpets a waving of flags cheers emiles byca and welcoming speech before them lay eight days of clean delightful recreation amid beautiful scenes and probably best of all unlimited baths weve fed on mud said one happy Blon alre the rats come and bit on the edges of our ethaw and rsvp use morning salute we had n apal wash for fco long that wove almost forgotten how it feels to have that sense of self respect that comes ith the morning tub alx with its famous lifters baths and casinos needs na introduction to ganv men in the amer lean expeditionary force in alie days before the war it attract d thousands of americans each among them the late 3 mor VS cers showed discretion by not being obtrusive the military police were equally wise the yan kee was on his honor and responded nobly by request of the military authorities the Y M C A has had charge of the entertainment of the men tills it was understood der stood tacitly nut interfere with the mens own ideas on the sub eject to further program the Y M C A had leased the beau casino a erl tabe house of recreation its roof covering o caya gaa ft ho spent bis birthday april 17 there year nr pictures and descriptions of alx have been printed often enough for those who never have been there but the picture which lives in the memory of the first party of american jerrols Is more vivid and alluring than any other it you take n collection of clean bright well built allas with broad sidewalks and asphalted streets such as are constructed in pros berous american mountain and lake resorts deck them with charming french or italian gardens place them on the slopes of hills and the edge of an emerald lake frame the picture in ranges of snow capped mountains through which run zag zag roads and you have an idea of the vista awaiting the american bivs Sever alof the americans were housed in the hotel lamartine lne on alio edge of the lamartine Lamart lne woods where the celebrated author wrote raphael the philosophic intellectual fighter will be sure to find on the outskirts of chambery Ch anbery a suburb of alx les baans les Char that delightfully located home where jean jacques Il lived a romance with madame received royalty as his friends and wrote books the cannot escape history in alx for he passes a crumbling roman arch when he takes his way to the great bath establishment in which special rates had been made for his plunge and shower it he docs not seek to elude but to study the past our soldier may find plenty of roman relics in the museums there also are relics of an era when a mountain top pled over burning 10 hamlets and partly filling lake bourget from whose depths the treasures leave been retrieved he can row across the lake to Haute combe abbey which stands on the sole bit of ground in this province still controlled by italy it con bains marble statues and the mausoleums of the dukes of savoy lie will see where han albal B 0 started his passage of the alps lie will walk where walked charlemagne henry of Isa varre the of egypt of austria marie pla of portugal kings of great brit aln sweden norway belgium spain and the of high finance so much for the historic and scenic features the however may be seeking less classic relaxation on his leave and it Is in aban dance in alx leave does not mean license to him and among the many good things that may be said to his credit loyalty amiability good looks let us not forget to give him a good mark for this and we have it on the word of the in of alx temptation may follow dose and not always can the boy ellei from home resist but to bis eternal glory be it eald that he does not seek it also to the credit of alx and the department of savoy be it added that all possible alons are taken to safeguard him A few gam blang houses there will be a few women will follow an army anywhere there will in a word be lawbreakers ready to lure him and in spite of warnings there were grocers who surreptitiously sold bottles of liquor not much because the customer rendered loquacious confessed the place of sale and the vendors were baled haled to the bar of justice jt ts not the intention of to represent the as sunday school boys but they anre alive ath health quickened by the sense of and the paths of this lead n it aurally to sane recreation few of them cared to seek entertainment in dreary gambling places or illicit resorts when they could enjoy the hem bics tics of nature and the wealth of healthy entertainment tain ment made the bivs did not have to be herded into ahe straight and narrow path either A few second lieutenants were sent with the mm but the boffl a theater a motion pic ture hall reading writing lecture and vesper rooms with a canteen where little articles can be bought at low prices all entertainments excepting the theater re free and for a franc a soldier may reserve a theater seat in the orchestra which Is reserved tor th military the first of his arrival the american Is admitted free to the theater and the canteen privileges when the american staff selected alx as the leave center this vear the Y M C A officials went to the resort and by vigorous work in deuced the proprietors of five of the largest hotels to open their places in preparation for the american soldiers arrival despite the protests that it was not the season and that they might suffer financial loss one prodigal son among the first permission alres voiced a sentiment which had supporters among those tired car cramped boys to the ef feet that he did not intend to be led around by the hand while on leave before he left this protestor paid a handsome tribute to the Y M C As arrangements the truth Is that before many hours had passed the had metaphorically speaking come and put their hands to be taken willing to be led anywhere it was deemed best this development showed not only alon but practical sense for all the arrangements had been made by the association and whatever there was to be done in the way of entertain beut could be done with less trouble and expense by taking advantage of the preliminary I 1 SI C A program every pleasant morning squads of bicyclers start out automobiles are requisitioned to make vats to Ch anbery and challes les eaux the aux allary leave centers boating on lake bouret attracts many the negro band plays twice a week in the public square and in company with the happy villagers resembling those in musical comedy who alays are ready to drop work and assist at the dramatic moments the soldiers sits and suns himself listening to his favorite melodies after in addition to the program mentioned he gives some of Ms own wonderful nights costume balls and amateur theatricals atri cals then there ire diversions which never could be put on any set program because they are spontaneous springing from the generosity of big hearts listen to bits of conversation in the casino and you will get a sample A smiling lad in olive drab Is felling what he bad been doing I 1 ve been having the time of my life he ex three of us fellows went down into alie village and we bought up a little shop of canda and truck and took it up to the schoolhouse wish vou could have seen those kids when e als trl buted the stuff have thought we were giving them something and vou ought to hear cm y one hears stories of dugouts dug outs of communicating trenches of lonely outposts of sallies into aso man s land but most of all one heard among the first violent references to that illel which faces the sector into which they first w ere sent and their promise was we are going to get it it it takes every one of us soft beds baths meals one ordered personally theaters concerts rides climbs a general alon of the mental and physical strain so went the gloriod glo riou eight days of the first american per missionaries then came the day to leave and the words of appreciation were voiced by the men whose business Is fighting we came here with n grouch because we thought le ought to have been allowed to go to peris cald an old regular its been the great et experience we ever had not n dull moment you treated i like home foil s weve lived like kings this ts the most beautiful place god ever made I 1 guess has it been a good time echoed n younger one whose j ears betray that he has not been long front the parental roof too darn goedl it s just like having home again I 1 there are speeches of farewell delivered in subdued tonu louic suro that youre engaged if you find you aint will you let me know A shrill whistle put an end to the farewells A shouted all aboard I 1 which was better understood the men crowded nto the cars and waved furiously from the window to th hoppl able townspeople as the whirled awn carrying them back back to fight will rens strength after a in americas tf W t 1 as i A |