French Soldiers' Letters 
 
 AMERICAN OUVROIR FUND 
 
 ^ME*t**fc T ^ENUE NEW YORK 
 
 681-5TH AVE. 
 
LEGION D'HONNEUR 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 THE American Ouvroir, occupying the Holophane Building, 
 156 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, has since the war started 
 received over 3,000 letters from soldiers. Some of these are 
 published in this book, not as specimens of literature, but be- 
 cause it is thought that the publication of these letters may in a 
 measure convey to Americans some of the s'pirit and atmosphere 
 of the great war in Europe. Where soldiers are forbidden by 
 military regulation to give any particulars regarding their where- 
 abouts or what is taking place, it is of course difficult for them 
 to make their letters interesting or exciting in the ordinary sense. 
 Therefore, this collection of letters may to some appear to be 
 somewhat monotonous, because on the surface there seems to be 
 so little difference in the various letters received. We think, 
 however, that anyone who reads them from the standpoint of the 
 heart and not of the head will, in many of them, see lives of 
 great courage, self-sacrifice, and especially showing wonderful 
 patience. Amongst the 3,000 letters received from soldiers, those 
 of a complaining nature were practically non-existent. 
 
 If the letters received by the American Ouvroir in Paris may 
 be taken as types representing the average state of mind of the 
 French soldier, then it would appear that the French soldier does 
 not look upon himself in any sense as a hero, but merely as a 
 man who in the simplest way possible is doing his* duty. The 
 courageous way in which most of these men take their hard lives 
 at the front, surrounded as they are continually by danger and 
 discomforts, with death or maiming a daily possibility, is in itself 
 worthy of admiration. When considered in conjunction with the 
 fact that their homes are in the invaded portions of France, that 
 these soldiers have not heard from their wives, children or par- 
 ents since the war started, these otherwise simple letters should 
 increase our respect for a nation which produces such men by the 
 million. When one gets to personally know these men on their 
 short leaves and sees how they take what would appear to us a 
 great tragedy in such a simple and unaffected manner, one feels 
 that it is a rare privilege to be able to help them. 
 
 "I would be grateful if you could send me a pair of socks," 
 a soldier will write, and then adds that he has not heard from 
 his wife and three children since the war started and does not 
 know whether they are starving, or even alive. The smallness 
 and humbleness of the request, coupled with the real tragic posi- 
 tion in which the man is placed, constitutes something that one 
 
 •3 
 
has to have actually lived with to appreciate. And then the vast 
 majority of these French soldiers are such a gentle lot, so kindly 
 and genial, that it seems almost impossible to realize that they 
 have just come on leave from the first line of trenches, where 
 they have been engaged in throwing bombs and hand grenades 
 at the enemy and engaging in fierce night attacks with the 
 bayonet. I remember seeing one such gentle creature — perhaps I 
 might say gentle-man — lying in a bed in one of the French hospitals 
 with a very pale, delicate face and a long beard, while on the lapel 
 of his bed jacket was pinned the cross of the Legion of Honor. 
 This man, who was small in stature and delicate in build, had held 
 up a German armor-plate automobile, armed with a rapid-firing 
 gun and a crew of several Germans. The result of this hold- 
 up was that the armor-plated automobile was captured, although 
 the man in question almost lost his life in doing so, and will 
 probably be a human wreck for the remainder of his life. This 
 man's face was almost ascetic in its spirituality, and yet back 
 of all this gentleness lay the moral courage which makes the 
 French soldier one of the best in the world. 
 
 On an automobile trip from Paris to the south of France and 
 back, occupying several weeks, during which time a stop was 
 made at many of the small garrison towns, during the second 
 month of the war, when these towns were packed with tens of 
 thousands of French soldiers preparing to go to the front, I 
 never saw a single French soldier under the influence of drink, 
 and yet all the wine shops were open all day, as usual, excepting 
 that they were closed at eight o'clock at night. 
 
 I can even say more. Since the beginning of the war until I 
 left France, the end of October, 1915, that is, for a period of 
 fifteen months, I have never seen a single French soldier under 
 the influence of drink and I have seen tens of thousands of them 
 within a few days at a time. I have never had a woman or a 
 man beg from me on the streets, either in Paris or in any of the 
 towns I have been in. Perhaps you may say that this would 
 prove that the poverty is not very great, but this is not so ; the 
 poverty, in fact the misery and want, are tremendous, but the self- 
 respect of the French men and French women is too great to 
 allow them to become beggars. 
 
 This war to a French man, and even more to a French woman, 
 is a religion. They are convinced that they are fighting for the 
 liberty of the individual all over the world as against the slavery 
 of any form of dominating organization. Inspired by this ideal 
 
 4 
 
(and I believe it to be a true one) French men and French 
 women do not consider that their lives, bodies or properties be- 
 long to them any more, but that they belong to a just cause and 
 must be, if necessary, given not resigned, but joyfully. 
 
 The manner in which French women bear the loss of hus- 
 bands or sons in this war is something marvellous. It would 
 appear as if they were sustained by some spiritual power and 
 it cannot be owing to the fact that they believe their cause is a 
 just and noble one, but that it is such a one in fact. 
 
 For various good reasons we do not give either the name or 
 the address of the writers of these letters, but we have all these 
 facts, and if any one of these letters interests a reader sufficiently 
 so that he or she would like to help the man or woman who wrote 
 it, the American Ouvroir will be glad to be used as the inter- 
 mediary for sending to such soldier clothing or comforts and also 
 for forwarding to him any letters and translating these into French 
 before doing so. Under the heading "Correspondence" we pub- 
 lish a few of the many letters received from soldiers who write 
 to us because they know we take a loving interest in them and 
 they consider that we in a measure, temporarily at least, replace 
 the families of whom they have no news. 
 
 Any American desiring to become Godmother or Godfather 
 to a soldier at the front who is deprived of all family ties and 
 has had no news of his wife or children since the war began, 
 can, by writing to the American Ouvroir, 20 Fifth Avenue, New 
 York City, obtain the name and address of a soldier whose case 
 is worthy of such kind personal interest. The American Ouvroir 
 will be glad to translate all such correspondence, both going and 
 coming, in order to facilitate Americans showing a personal 
 interest in these unfortunate soldiers and so assure their receiv- 
 ing from time to time encouraging letters. 
 
 It is immaterial that the ocean separates the correspondents, 
 for the right touch of feeling will always do away with the draw- 
 backs of distance. 
 
 If Americans only knew the mental suffering that tens of 
 thousands of these French soldiers, deprived of all news of their 
 families, go through, and how grateful they are for the smallest 
 exhibition of personal interest and human sympathy, I am sure 
 that there would be thousands of Americans who would each one 
 write to some French soldier, sending from time to time small 
 sums of money to the American Ouvroir, which would then send, 
 in the name of the donor, a pair of woolen socks at one time or 
 
 5 
 
a warm shirt or other article another time, and so on, as needed, 
 and so give to the man the hope that comes with the conviction 
 that there is some one individual, even if he is across the Atlantic, 
 who takes a little personal, loving interest in his misfortune. 
 
 Many of the letters given are addressed to us almost as if 
 we were members of their own family, calling us their bene- 
 factress, dear Godmother, second mother, etc., and frequently 
 they terminate with the most touching and sometimes even piti- 
 ful gratitude; but we have thought best in this collection to, as 
 a rule, omit these personal parts of the letter and merely transmit 
 the substance of the letter itself, and its spirit, as far as a transla- 
 tion permitted. O. M. 
 
 IF 
 
 If you can keep your head when all about you 
 
 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; 
 If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, 
 
 But make allowance for their doubting, too; 
 If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, 
 
 Or being lied about don't deal in lies, 
 Or being hated don't give way to hating, 
 
 And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise. 
 
 If you can dream — and not make dreams your master; 
 
 If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim, 
 If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, 
 
 And treat those two impostors just the same, 
 If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken 
 
 Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, 
 Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, 
 
 And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools. 
 
 If you can make one heap of all your winnings N 
 
 And risk it on one turn of pitch and toss, 
 And lose, and start again at your beginnings 
 
 And never breathe a word about your loss; 
 If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew 
 
 To serve your turn long after they are gone, 
 And so hold on when there is nothing in you 
 
 Except the Will which says to them, "Hold on!" 
 
 If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, 
 
 Or walk with Kings, nor lose the common touch, 
 If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, 
 
 If all men count with you; but none too much; 
 If you can fill the unforgiving minute 
 
 With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, 
 Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, 
 
 And — which is more — you'll be a Man, my son! 
 
 — Rudyard Kipling. 
 [The French are a living example of this.] 
 
 6 
 
THE SPIRIT OF FRANCE 
 
 By the Rev. 8. N. Watson, D.D. 
 Rector of the American Church in Paris 
 (Extracts from The Churchman, N. Y., Jan. 22, 1915) 
 
 There is a town called Niort, in the Deux-Sevres, which does not seem 
 to be noted for anything much before now; but in recent days, from a 
 little printery in the Place du Temple, there has come a touching tes- 
 timony of the heart utterance of France, in the form of a little book 
 which sells for two sous, of which at last reports 69,000 had been 
 printed; and which is called "Prieres et Chants, pour le temps de la 
 Guerre," "Songs and Prayers, for the Time of War." No one knows who 
 is the author of this little book, whether a priest in some little village 
 who has time to think deeply in his hours of leisure between the altar 
 and the people; or some aumonier at the front who knows how the 
 soldiers think and live; but of a certainty it is someone who knows 
 well the France of the country villages, and the France battling so 
 bravely for its life against the invader; the France of the Government 
 councils, and the France of the people whose only politics is that they 
 love their country with a devotion not equalled, it seems to me, by any 
 other nation, and that, because France is one people, in blood and in 
 origin and in tradition of race; and above all the man who is the author 
 of this book knows France as a warrior following the lead of Jeanne 
 d'Arc, whose trust is in God. 
 
 One of the most appealing testimonies of this little book is a 
 "Prayer for Our Soldiers, and for Those Who Love Them": "O God, pro- 
 tect those who are at the front, officers and soldiers. Give to them all 
 courage, and the willing spirit of self-sacrifice; May they keep in their 
 hearts an unshakable faith in the justice of the cause for which we 
 are fighting, in its certain triumph, and in the eternal recompense 
 which awaits them. To the Commander-in-chief, give, we pray Thee, 
 the Genius of Victory. May he be nobly seconded by officers whose cau- 
 tion equals their bravery; who have a courage which never yields, yet 
 with a respect for the lives of the men such as will spare them useless 
 sacrifices. Guide the steps of the men who watch the highways of the 
 country, as night and day they march their beats. Keep the sentries 
 from danger and surprise; sustain them in their watchful vigilance 
 during the hours which run by so slowly. To our brave fellows in the 
 trenches, who must stay there 'immobiles,' always in danger of attack, 
 always with death at their side, give, we pray Thee, unyielding devo- 
 tion, that the tragic monotony of their life do not weary them out. To 
 the wounded on the field of battle, in the ambulances and in the hos- 
 pitals, give soul-strength, that they may accept the suffering, counting 
 it all as new grace to living. To the dead, whose bodies lie in unknown 
 graves; to those who fell in the thick of the fight and whose resting- 
 place is the trench of the battle-field; to those whose bodies lie in the 
 fertile fields or by the wayside, marked with but a little cross on which 
 the name is scarcely visible; to all the dead who lie in village ceme- 
 teries, or on the frontiere; let peace be theirs; and may Light Eternal 
 shine upon them. 
 
 "To those who wait at home, O God, heart-broken ; mothers who 
 wait their children; women who wait their husbands; girls who wait 
 their fiances; little ones who wait their fathers; give them all, O God, 
 sure faith that their own will come again, here or in heaven. Keep 
 
 7 
 
them faithful, all of them, to their absent ones; remembering their 
 pledges of affection; and finding in prayer their refuge and consolation. 
 And to us all, O God, to us all who pray, and to our loved ones for whom 
 we pray, give Peace, and Courage, and Patience, and Hope. Amen." 
 
 What a litany of faith and devotion these words contain! Here is 
 the cry of the whole heart of a suffering people. Here is the whole 
 creed of the everlasting Church. Here is the whole spirit of prophecy, 
 and the whole hope of the glorious Gospel of a suffering Saviour of 
 mankind. It is the cry of France; it is the heart of France which is 
 speaking; communion with the Everlasting Father, with the Christ- 
 Saviour who knew a human mother, with the ever-abiding Spirit of 
 God. 
 
 I do not know a more faithful vision, a greater prayer of faith, 
 than comes from the heart of France to-day; and it is possible of utter- 
 ance, this cry of faith, because the faith exists, in the heart of France. 
 
 Now I want by this evidence to make plain what it all means — this 
 pure and primitive Christian teaching and aspiration which is moving 
 France to-day; for it is everywhere in France! I have talked with 
 peasants by the roadside; with old women keeping the little shop, 
 whose men were at the front, and whose daughters were working in 
 the fields; I have talked with soldiers from the trenches, and with 
 priests from country villages, and with people in the towns and cities; 
 and there is no question about it. France is sustained in this struggle 
 by a superb faith; France has laid hold of the spiritual, and it beats 
 in the air; it vibrates in men's souls, it lifts them up till they hold to 
 "the Rock that is higher than they." 
 
 It is a lesson to us all, what we see about us here in France, in 
 these days of war. This little book of Prieres et Chants, pour le temps 
 de la Guerre, sold at two sous, interprets it to us aright. It is the lesson 
 of worship and reverence, from childhood up, never forgotten, which 
 makes it possible now for the human heart of a nation in need easily 
 to find its refuge in God. 
 
 France has the vision; and where there is the vision the people 
 cannot perish. (End of extracts from Rev. S. N. Watson's article.) 
 
 NOTICE 
 
 It is not generally known in the United States that the Germans do not permit 
 any letters to be sent to or from Belgium, or the invaded districts of France. 
 After several vain attempts through various embassies to get news of the families 
 of certain French soldiers, an appeal was sent by us to the head offices in London 
 of the Commission for Relief in Belgium, in answer to which we received a letter 
 dated London, Sept. 6, 1915, from which we quote the following: 
 
 "IT IS NEITHER POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET ANY NEWS TO OR FROM 
 BELGIUM OR THE NORTHERN PART OF FRANCE, AS OUR UNDERTAKINGS 
 WITH THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES DO NOT ALLOW US TO CARRY ANY 
 MESSAGES WHATEVER, EITHER WRITTEN OR VERBAL." 
 
 Again it is sometimes asked why the French Government does not supply suffi- 
 cient clothing, for all the soldiers. With most of its important coal mines and 
 factories either destroyed or in the hands of the enemy, and with five millions of 
 soldiers to look after, France has accomplished miracles in supplying her soldiers 
 with clothing ; she has almost accomplished the impossible. But imports of im- 
 mense quantities of clothing either come irregularly or are sunk and destroyed in 
 transit ; therefore soldiers frequently, especially the poor and needy ones, need 
 individual help to keep themselves supplied with socks, underclothing and small 
 necessities and comforts. 
 
 S 
 
On September 5, 1914, on the eve of the battle of the Marne, General 
 Joffre issued the following army order which was read to the soldiers 
 of all the French armies about to be engaged: 
 
 "officers, soldiers: — 
 
 "at a moment when a battle is about to begin on which depends 
 the salvation of the country, it is important that all should be) 
 reminded 1hat the time has passed for looking backward and that 
 all our efforts must be given to attacking and throwing back the 
 enemy. a troop which is unable to advance shall at all costs hold 
 the ground conquered and be killed on the spot rather than retreat. 
 
 "under present circumstances no weakness can be tolerated. 
 
 (Signed) "The Commander-in-Chief of the French Armies, 
 
 "JOFFRE." 
 
 9 
 
WAIT ! 
 
LETTERS OF APPEAL 
 
 1548 — Having heard that you help those soldiers who are in need, I take 
 the liberty of writing to you on behalf of my father. This is, in a few 
 words, my, or rather our condition. We are two brothers, both in the 
 same regiment, and as we are from a town occupied by the enemy, it is 
 impossible for us to receive anything from our parents. But what 
 troubles us the most is that we are unable to help our poor father, 
 prisoner in Germany since October. We have been searching for him 
 since the beginning of the war and we discovered his whereabouts only 
 -a few days ago. His letter has caused us great distress, as it is im- 
 possible for us to send him anything, especially eatables for which he 
 asks, and we realize what privation he must be enduring, to have to 
 ask us for things he has not had for nine long months of captivity. 
 We should be infinitely grateful if you would include our father in the 
 list of your proteges. 
 
 2742 — Having learned that you were kind enough to interest yourself 
 in convalescent soldiers who were returning from the front, I am ask- 
 ing if you can help me with a little package. I have just come out of 
 the hospital, where I have been since August 24th. Am now returning 
 to my base, from which I expect shortly to leave. I am from St. 
 Quentin and without news of my wife since December 5, 1914, the date 
 on which I was made prisoner. I escaped on May 26th, and after pass- 
 ing through Belgium I reached Holland, with the help of Miss Cavell. 
 Having succeeded in returning to France on June 22d, I hope you will 
 interest yourself in me, and assure you in advance of my profound 
 gratitude. 
 
 2236 — I learned from a comrade who was visiting in Paris that you send 
 gifts to soldiers at the front. Therefore I ask if you will come to my 
 help. I have been at the front since the beginning of the war, but have 
 never been wounded; am of the regular army of the class of 1913. 
 Again, I never had any news of my family. My father is a prisoner 
 and my mother stayed in the invaded districts. You can see, Madame, 
 that it is not gay for me. Nevertheless, I fight energetically, for some 
 day we must drive them out of our country. We must do it at no 
 matter what cost. B. V. 
 
 11 
 
2605 — Having learned your address from Madame deB., whose 
 acquaintance I made in the hospital, I learned that you interested your- 
 self in the unfortunate soldiers from the invaded districts; and as 1 
 belong to that class, I am writing you to obtain a little package of warm 
 clothing for this winter, which promises to be severe. If you could 
 send me some flannels, a shirt, a muffler, a pair of socks, you would 
 give me great pleasure. I cannot address myself to my family, because 
 I have had no news of them since August 23, 1914, for the Germans 
 arrived at our place on the night of August 24th. I am married, the 
 father of one child, a little boy three years old. I left my home August 
 2d, and shared in the retreat from Belgium and at the battle of the 
 Marne, was wounded at Reils; cared for ten days at the hospital Notre 
 Dame a Epernay; the rest of the time until February 5, 1915, at the 
 Sisters of the Visitation; at the Lyc§e Michelet a Vanves until March 
 5th, when I obtained a two-months permission for convalescence, which 
 I passed at Madame P's. My permission ending May 4th, I returned to 
 the base at Mantes and on June 23d I returned to the front, going into 
 the trenches, where I still am. I cannot as yet see the beautiful day 
 when I will be able to have news of my own, who must also be anxious 
 on my account. My home is at Denin. A. S. 
 
 2608 — Having heard that you gave clothing to soldiers from invaded 
 districts, I am from Auancy (Meuse) and at the time of the mobiliza- 
 tion, I left a wife and children, and since that time I have not had any 
 news. I am without resources and without help. Therefore I come to 
 beg from your kindness that you may send me some warm clothing for 
 the winter season. A. H. 
 
 2627 — Having learned that you send to soldiers worthy of interest 
 warm clothing in view of the winter campaign which is commencing, I 
 have the honor to solicit from your kindness a small help. A native of 
 Arras, the home of my parents was burned on October 6, 1915. They 
 had to fly from their home without money and without any resources; 
 moreover, my father is ill; he cannot come to my help; also my brother 
 is at the front. I am entirely without warm clothing. Anything 
 that you send me will be received with joy. B. H. 
 
 2766 — I am taking the liberty of writing you this. It is now sixteen 
 months that I have been at the front. I am from Boulzicourt (Ardennes). 
 As it is very cold now and we have not much to put on, I am appealing 
 to your generosity to send me a little package. I will be very grateful, 
 for, watching these Germans, one must have endurance and not be cold, 
 and it is hard passing the nights in the trenches. I am married and 
 the father of two children, the oldest eight years, all of whom are in the 
 invaded districts. 
 
 2223 — Have just returned to my base after being healed of my wounds 
 and I expect soon to leave for the front. A comrade gave me your ad- 
 dress. I am coming to you to ask if you will take an interest in my mis- 
 fortune. I am from the invaded districts, from Lille, without news of 
 my family for a year. I am still without resources. Nevertheless, I am 
 resigned. I have not even socks to put on my feet; also I hope you 
 will come to my help. P. C. 
 
 12 
 
2850 — I have learned from one of my comrades that you send gifts to 
 soldiers from the invaded districts who are without news of their 
 family. I would like to find a godmother who would from time to time 
 send me some comforts, which would give me great pleasure, for 
 1 lost my wife before the war and have been left with four children. I 
 am from Raimbeau Court. F. M. 
 
 2776 — Please excuse the liberty I am taking in writing you, having 
 had your address from a comrade. I would be most grateful to you 
 if you could give some occupation to my wife, who knows how to sew. I 
 have been at the front since the start of the war and we have two 
 little children. They have nothing to put on and my poor wife is with- 
 out work. My worst suffering is to think that they will be cold and 
 perhaps hungry. Madame, you cannot believe how happy I would be if 
 you would interest yourself in them. L. 
 
 2734 — I am sending you these few words to tell you that I have just 
 been wounded for the second time on October 26th by a piece of shell 
 on the hips. I was wounded at Champagne. It is beginning to be very 
 cold and I receive nothing from anybody, for I am from Sens in the 
 invaded districts. You would be very kind in sending me a sweater. I 
 had the bad luck to be wounded since I arrived at the front. On Octo- 
 ber 12th we left St. Denis; on the 21st we arrived in Champagne and on 
 the 26th I was wounded. The first time I was wounded was after nine 
 months, but the second time I was wounded in five days. Please re- 
 ceive, Madame, my most sincere salutations and my most affectionate 
 and sincere friendship. F. S. 
 
 A prisoner of war for the last fifteen months, of the second regi- 
 ment of territorials, coming from Lille, and the father of six children, 
 it is impossible for me to receive from my family anything to help me 
 in my captivity. I take the liberty to appeal to your generosity and 
 inscribe me on the list of those obliged to you. In the hopes that you 
 will favorably consider my request, please receive, Madame, with my 
 best wishes for 1916, the assurance of my gratitude and my thanks. 
 
 H. F. 
 
 An inhabitant of Lille, a town occupied by the Germans, a prisoner 
 of war since September, 1914, I do not hesitate to address myself to you, 
 believing that it will give you pleasure to help a needy prisoner. I dare 
 to hope that you will meet favorably my request and while waiting to 
 hear from you I send you, Madame, with my thanks, the expression of 
 my deep respect. A. H. 
 
 Two words to ask you to have the kindness to send me a little help, 
 for it is now seventeen months that I am without news of my family. 
 I am from Tourcing, and if you could send me a little help you would 
 render me happy. I need a shirt and a pair of socks and I thank you in 
 advance. Dear Madame, before ending my letter I wish you a good and 
 happy new year and good health. Receive the best salutations of a 
 little Chasseur Alpin. E. C. 
 
 13 
 
2323 — From the bottom of my heart I send you my thanks for the pair 
 of socks that you sent by A. B. In these terrible times, where we are 
 deprived of all family relations by reason of our homes being in the 
 invaded districts, the help we receive takes huge proportions and is 
 most comforting to our heart. I wish to say that one will never for- 
 get it and that it will be our duty to repeat this when we return to 
 our families. Madame, I permit myself to ask you if you have for the 
 winter campaign a woolen shirt and drawers. I am afraid my request 
 is somewhat large. Nevertheless, if you cannot give me satisfaction, 
 I will know that it is not your kind heart that is lacking. B. H. 
 
 2268 — Your little soldier sends his best wishes for your health. As 
 for me I am always as resolute as ever. For eleven months I have 
 been awaiting news of my wife and little boy, who must now be 
 fifteen years old and perhaps never expects to see his father again. 
 So I would be Very grateful if you could let my wife and son have 
 news to say that I am in good health and always resolved to do my 
 duty, notwithstanding I am over forty. My wife must have left her 
 district with her child about August 2 6, 1914. Where are they now? 
 Have they come back? If I only knew how they were I would be at 
 peace. I rely on your kindness to give me news. C. D. 
 
 2250 — Through my comrade, A. GL, I learned that you are a second 
 mother to our dear soldiers from the invaded districts. Like my 
 comrade, I am from Sedan, deprived of all correspondence with my 
 beloved parents. I left Sedan, July 3, 1914, and since that time I 
 have never seen a member of my family. I have defended our dear 
 country with courage. I was wounded at the battle of the Marne, 
 where I was abandoned for four days between the two lines; I had 
 received several pieces of shell in my two hips. For the moment 
 everything is going all right, and in a little while I shall have the 
 happiness of returning once more to defend our native soil so loved 
 by Frenchmen. For the moment I am in a very painful situation, 
 my resources being exhausted. I am without underclothing or 
 money — without anything. Also I was very glad to find my com- 
 rade and get a pair of socks, for I had none. E. L. 
 
 I would be most grateful to you if you would occupy yourself with 
 me, for I am without parents or family. I am an orphan mobilized since 
 the beginning of the war and I never receive anything from anybody, 
 not even a consoling letter. I am from Paris. I have always worked 
 and led a straight life. Please, Madame, take my letter into considera- 
 tion. I count on your good heart, and receive, Madame, my sincerest 
 greetings. A. Z. 
 
 You will excuse the liberty I am taking in writing you, but as you 
 told me to do so,, I am taking advantage of it. I would be very happy 
 if you would send me a shirt, preferably red or dark, a pair of drawers 
 and a pair of socks. Here the nights are very cold, we are in the water 
 and mud to our knees and it is very hard. It seems long, as there is not 
 much to do this winter. If I ask you for these things it is because I 
 need them. The 105 CM. Boches destroyed all my things. I only have 
 left the shirt, drawers and pair of socks that you gave me. A. M. 
 
 14 
 
2272 — Just received your address from a comrade. Before the war, I 
 was employed at the railway station of Douai. I am married and have 
 two children. My daughter is six years old and my boy four years. It 
 is now a year since I am without news of my wife or parents. At this 
 moment I am alone, not knowing what the future has in reserve for me. 
 Nevertheless, I am full of courage and I have a sentiment that Provi- 
 dence will protect me as it always has. I have been through the en- 
 tire war and I am very proud, as I am full of energy and I wish to an- 
 nounce to you that I have been proposed for the war medal as a recom- 
 pense for my work. Please answer me, Madame, as that will cheer me 
 up very much. E. B. 
 
 1551 — One of my best friends has given me your address and tells me 
 that you do all you can to help those unfortunate soldiers who are at 
 present without support. I wish therefore to show you most respect- 
 fully the situation in which I am placed, feeling assured that you will 
 give it your kind attention. I thank you in advance for the response 
 you make to my present appeal. 
 
 Living in the Ardennes, I was called up on the second day of the 
 mobilization. Father of five children, I exercised the humble profes- 
 sion of blacksmith. Unfortunately for me, and for reasons I cannot 
 understand, my wife and four of my children remained among those 
 who did not leave, and since August 25, 1914, I am without news from 
 them. Not only am I suffering anxiety on their account, but I have 
 also a son in the Zouaves, who, although he has been twice wounded, is 
 leturning to the front; I have also a son-in-law, father of a child and at 
 present in the Dardanelles. 
 
 All these moral sufferings are not sufficient, for in addition to them, 
 I endure other privations, as up to the present I have had no help from 
 anyone. Once again, thank you for all, if you come to my help, and 
 please receive, with my humble congratulations on the patriotic work 
 you are doing, my most respectful salutations. 
 
 15 
 
ill"' — I have just heard that you take an interest in the wounded 
 
 from the invaded regions. Now I left all my family in and I 
 
 nave had no news from them since October 6. 1914. 
 
 I should be eternally grateful to you if you could get me some 
 
 news of them, especially of my wife. I was editor of the . I 
 
 arrived here this morning only, and there are no nurses nor stretcher 
 bearers. My situation is all the more painful that I am obliged by 
 the treatment to walk a great deal without crutches, on the arm of 
 someone who keeps me from falling. 1 had both knees broken eight 
 months ago. I am convalescent now and going on very well and 
 shall do even better if I walk a great deal. Not being able to have 
 any money from my family, I cannot pay anyone for accompany- 
 ing me. 
 
 Do you not perhaps know someone who would, accompany me? 
 1 am not very heavy, but I am very tall. 
 
 With anticipated thanks, receive, Madame, the assurance of my 
 entire devotion. 
 
 2307 — I have just received from the Abbe a pair of socks, due to 
 your generosity. I thank you all the more as it is the first time that 
 
 1 received anything since the war began. Permit me to give some 
 details about myself. I am from Orchies, a little town between Lille 
 and Valenciennes. The Germans arrived in our place on August 
 
 2 4, 1914. They began to bombard it on September 2 5th, and set 
 fire to the town. Of 1,500 houses only ninety remain standing. All 
 my family stayed there and I have no news since my departure, so, 
 Madame, you can understand that I am touched with your good 
 heart. The Abbe has asked me to tell you what I most needed in cloth- 
 ing. If it is not abusing your kindness, I will tell you: a pair of 
 drawers, pair of socks, and if you have an old sweater, for I have 
 none. I beg that you will not deprive yourself for me. If you wish 
 information concerning myself, you can address yourself to the 
 following. O. D. 
 
 1686 — I have heard from one of my comrades that you help soldiers at 
 the front. I am from the North. My father is in the hands of the Ger- 
 mans; my mother succeeded in escaping in time with my three little 
 brothers and sisters. Since then I have had no news of my father. I 
 ask myself, with a sob, if he is still alive or dead. My poor mother has 
 great difficulty in keeping and bringing up her children on her very 
 small salary and living is so dear, too dear, alas! And as I do not wish 
 her to rob herself for me, I tell her I need nothing, and yet I am in 
 want of everything. 
 
 1831— Having been at the front for thirteen months without corre- 
 spondence from T , and as I have just heard that my father-in-law and 
 
 my brother-in-law were made prisoners when the Germans entered T , 
 
 J ask you if you could not help them a little, or if you know anyone 
 who would be so kind as to put me into correspondence with them and 
 send them what they need? In the letter they sent me, they tell me 
 that they are wanting for everything and they ask me to send them a 
 parcel with food and tobacco, biscuits, chocolate; they say also that 
 that they have no more shoes nor clothes. See how unhappy they are, 
 and how impossible it is for me, without money and without news from 
 home, to send them what they need. 
 
 I hope you will not refuse my request, for these poor prisoners are 
 very unhappy. 
 
 16 
 
1428 — I have heard from my comrades that you could send some 
 help to the soldiers from the invaded regions, so, being of the num- 
 ber, I do not hesitate to have recourse to your kindness. Since Au- 
 gust 2, 1914, I am without news of my family, of my wife and chil- 
 dren whom I left at M. in the North. As reference I may tell you 
 that I have worked for twenty-two years for Monsieur H. of M., of 
 whom I am also without news; that is why I have no means like 
 my comrades. 
 
 I will tell you that I have been at the front since the beginning 
 and I passed three months in Belgium. 
 
 1563 — In great trouble, I wish to tell you of the situation in which 
 1 am placed. I must tell you that I have been at the front since the 
 first day of the mobilization and have been all the time without 
 any news of my family, left in the North. It is needless to tell you 
 how sad it is for a young man of twenty-two, accustomed to earning 
 his living without having to ask help of anyone, to be now forced to 
 beg. But I think you will understand how I am placed and will do 
 all in your power to help me a little. I close my letter in the firm 
 conviction that you will help me, assuring you of my devotion and 
 of my confidence in our final victory. 
 
 1556 — You will excuse my sending this letter asking for a little help, 
 for, dear sir, believe me, I belong to the invaded country and have 
 had no news for a year from my parents, who remained behind in 
 their home in the North. And to think I was married six months 
 only before the war broke out. I do not know if I have a child or 
 not, for, unfortunately for me, I left home on August 3d, and im- 
 mediately after my arrival at my post I was sent to the front, and 
 
 1 have not received any news from home. I was wounded in Ar- 
 gonne on October 16th. I was shot through the body. I was sent 
 back to my depot, and as they were asking for volunteers for the 
 Zouaves, I offered myself, and as soon as I was well again I re- 
 turned to the front. I am still without news or consolation or 
 bodily comforts. 
 
 2310 — The Abbe, our corporal, has just given me a fine pair of socks 
 from a package that came from you. Let me thank you most sin- 
 cerely for having thought of us. Being without news of my family 
 since August, 1914, I inhabited Lefarest Douai. Not only do we suffer 
 from anxiety on this account, but we are deprived of all necessaries, 
 owing to the impossibility of receiving help. If you could procure 
 for me, if not a woolen waistcoat, an undershirt with sleeves if pos- 
 sible, it would give me great pleasure. I wish I could get along with- 
 out them, but unfortunately we must count on going through the winter 
 before a decision takes place which will put an end to the horrible 
 carnage which is covering Europe. R. H. 
 
 2 313 — Being in Alsace for the last twelve months, and as winter is 
 coming, I am asking if you could send me some warm underclothes. 
 My wife is at Neuilly in a house of charity, where they take care of 
 the refugees from the north. She has two children, and as she only 
 has her military allowance she cannot do anything for me. That is 
 why I appeal to your generosity and if possible you could send me 
 a waterproof as on my carriage in the rain it is not very comfortable. 
 I would also like a blanket. C. B. 
 
 18 
 
2237 — I have just learned your 
 address from a friend, who tells 
 me that you very kindly look 
 after soldiers at the front from 
 the invaded districts. I am mar- 
 ried, the father of two children, 
 and my little family is in the 
 power of the Germans. You can 
 imagine how hard it is for me 
 not to receive a letter from any- 
 body, but I am not discouraged 
 and I have always done my duty 
 as a Frenchman and will do it 
 until the end. L. D. 
 
 2608 — Having heard that you 
 gave clothing to soldiers from 
 invaded districts, I am from 
 Auancy (Meuse) and at the time 
 of the mobilization I left a wife 
 and children, and since that 
 time I have not had any news. 
 I am without resources and with- 
 out help. Therefore I come to 
 beg from your kindness that you 
 may send me some warm cloth- 
 ing for the winter season. A. H. 
 
 2833 — Being from the invaded zone, I am completely deprived of all 
 help since August, 1914. If you could come to my help a little, I could 
 not thank you enough, for I have neither undershirt nor socks. Please 
 accept my thanks in advance and the assurance of my devotion. E. C. 
 
 I have been told of your great kindness. I come to recommend 
 myself to you, having been at the front since the beginning of the war. 
 1 have not received any help from anybody, my country being invaded. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 I would be most grateful for some warm clothing for the winter. 
 I am the eldest of seven children. My parents have not the means to 
 give me little things and this is the reason, dear Madame, that I write 
 to ask you to take an interest in my situation. I assure you that it is 
 not warm here. I am of the class of 1915. I was wounded on July 27th 
 by a piece of shell near the spine. I assure you I suffered enough, but 
 now I am fairly well. Let us hope these Germans will never have our 
 old Alsace-Lorraine, and we are fighting for our beautiful France and 
 our mothers who are so devoted to us. I think you will do all you can 
 for us little soldiers. At the present moment there is snow and mud in 
 our trenches but we are not badly lodged. I terminate in saluting you 
 and I hope you will occupy yourself to meet a little Chasseur. H. D. 
 
 Being from the invaded districts and on the front since the start of 
 the war, could you give me a little help? My home is in Doring, near 
 Perione, invaded since September, 1914, so that I have been without 
 news of my family. I would be very happy if you could send me in- 
 formation regarding my family. L. P. 
 
 19 
 
I have been informed that you are the Providence of the sol- 
 diers at the front. Permit a priest who is a nurse to inscribe him- 
 self on your list. Thanks to your generosity, it may be permitted 
 of me to do a little more good amongst our "poilus" and amongst 
 our dear wounded. There is no lack of patriotism in our wandering 
 life. It is one's lot to be almost anywhere; sometimes in the hos- 
 pitals in the rear, more often at night in the fields within the sound 
 of cannon. It is thus that we had the honor to bring back our glori- 
 ous wounded from N6tre-Dame-de-Lorette, from Champagne; thus 
 the train leaves with 3 40 wounded to deposit these in different cor- 
 ners of France, on the shores of the Atlantic or near the blue waters 
 of the Mediterranean. The trip is a long one at twenty miles an 
 nour. The nights are passed awake, the days in taking nourish- 
 ment, and when there is a rush, as at present, those who help have 
 but a few hours of rest during the period of disinfecting before re- 
 turning to the front. The one regret that one feels is that one can do 
 so little in the wav of comforts for these poor suffering bodies. The 
 purse is very empty and our heart bleeds very often at being re- 
 duced to give only comforting words. Also, you will permit me, 
 Madame, to shelter myself behind the name of our dear Catholic 
 poet, Francois Coppee, in order to express my request: "Give with- 
 out knowing who asks; give without asking who receives, for the 
 most noble gesture there is, is to present the hand wide open." 
 
 I hope you will excuse my boldness, but the renown of your work 
 has not a little encouraged me to take this step. Believe me, 
 Madame, I will never forget your name as long as I am alive each 
 time that I may be able to say Mass from our wagon. I beg you, 
 Madame, to accept my deepest and most respectful thanks. J. P. 
 
 1610 — I have just heard from a comrade that you give assistance to 
 soldiers without a family, so I beg you to be so kind as to help me, as 
 I am without parents and have no news from anyone since September, 
 1914. I was born on April 4, 1896, in the North, and I had a brother 
 w r ho was killed at Maubeuge in August, 1914. I joined the army 
 as a volunteer and have been at the front since November 11th. 
 
 Dear Madame, we had to leave our home one night, all the in- 
 habitants of the place from eighteen to forty years of age, and as it was 
 night, I had not time to take much away with me. 
 
 My father died three years ago and my mother died a week before 
 the mobilization. 
 
 There are four brothers and sisters besides me, but my sister looks 
 after them. One of my brothers is fifteen, the other ten; one sister is 
 four, and my youngest brother is seven. My oldest sister looks after 
 them and when I went away she was very sad, because her husband 
 was already a prisoner in Germany, and so she had no one to help her. 
 
 You will excuse the liberty I am taking in writing you, but as you 
 told me to do so, I am taking advantage of it. I would be very happy if 
 you would send me a shirt, preferably red or dark, a pair of drawers 
 and a pair of socks. Here the nights are very cold; we are in the water 
 and mud to our knees and it is very hard. It seems long as there is 
 not much to do this winter. If I ask you for these things it is because 
 I need them. The 105 C.M. Boches destroyed all my things. I only have 
 left the shirt, drawers and pair of socks that you gave me. A. M. 
 
 20 
 
2776 — Please excuse the liberty I 
 am taking in writing you, hav- 
 ing had your address from a 
 comrade. I would be most grate- 
 ful to you if you could give some 
 occupation to my wife who 
 knows how to sew. I have been 
 at the front since the start of 
 the war and we have two little 
 children. They have nothing to 
 put on and my poor wife is with- 
 out work. My worst suffering 
 is to think that they will be cold 
 and perhaps hungry. Madame, 
 you cannot believe how happy I 
 would be if you would interest 
 yourself in them. L. 
 
 2324 — Having received your ad- 
 dress from the Abbe, I take the 
 liberty to write, to ask if you will 
 have the kindness to send me a 
 flannel shirt and a sweater. Being from Orchies, of the district invaded 
 by the Germans since August 24, 1914, and the Germans having set fire 
 to the town on September 27, 1914, I am since without any news of my 
 family. May Providence protect them and afford me the happiness of 
 finding them in good health. H. M. 
 
 2 346 — I have the honor to inform you that I have not heard from 
 my wife and children since the first days of mobilization, my district 
 being invaded since the end of August, 1914. I am from Solesmes, 
 near Combua. I am married and the father of four children and 
 without any resources. Could you give me a little help? I will be 
 most grateful. A. L. 
 
 29 54 — F. D., living at Mazier, in invaded district, married, father 
 of three children, miner, and without news of his family and with- 
 out resources, is actually a drummer since the beginning of the 
 campaign, has the honor to solicit your kindness for a little help. 
 
 F. D. 
 
 2810 — I am writing you to say that I am well. When I was on leave, 
 1 went to see you in Paris and you took my address. My wife and three 
 children are in Belgium, which is still invaded. When I went to see 
 you, a lady took my address in order to try to get news, for since four- 
 teen months I have had no news. I hope you will do all you possibly 
 can. You told me that if I needed anything, that I was to write you. 
 1 would be very glad to have a sweater, as it is getting very cold. I 
 would also be glad to have a pair of woolen socks, as I suffer a great deal 
 from cold in my feet. 
 
 2302 — The Abbe gave me your address. I am writing to ask if you will 
 please send me a pair of drawers and a sweater. I am from Orchies, 
 a district invaded by the Germans since August 24, 1914, when they 
 set fire to the town on September 27, 1914, and since that time I am 
 without news of my wife and two children. I pray God that He will 
 protect my family and that I may find them in good health. J. B. D. 
 
 21 
 
2909 — A friendly soul has given me your address and I beg to recom- 
 mend myself to you, for I am without resources and have in the world 
 only my mother, who is very aged and who manages with much dif- 
 ficulty to make her daily bread and pay her rent. I was brought up at 
 the Orphanage St. Louis until the age of thirteen. Then I learned cook- 
 ing, after which my brother had me come to London, where I found a 
 good place in a large hotel. I lived very soberly and with good prin- 
 ciples I sent a little money to my mother to help her along. I stayed six 
 years in England and when I was twenty-one, I became a soldier in the 
 Paris garrison. I had just about done my two years, when war was 
 declared and my regiment fought for the first time in Belgium and 
 afterward in many battles, until that of the Marne, where in three days 
 we advanced eighty kilometers. Since then I was at Berry-au-Bac last 
 winter and since at the battles of Aix Moulette and also September 25th 
 at Souchez. I tell you of my campaign in my sixteen months of war, 
 although I could write a volume. I was never wounded, but I suffered 
 a great deal last winter, as I never had anybody to come to my help; 
 but, nevertheless, I overcame all my fatigues and adversities and am 
 in excellent health. Since the last few days I am with the campaign 
 kitchen which gives me some rest, although I have 250 men to feed. 
 The rain and the mud attack daily my clothes, and I would be very 
 happy to have a change of clothing. Therefore, I recommend myself to 
 your generosity for two overalls and a pair of trousers, medium size, 
 and for socks and tobacco, after which I will need nothing and shall be 
 content to go to the end of the war. I recommend myself therefore to 
 your woman's heart and I will write you often to thank you. A. L. 
 
 2917 — Being about to leave for the front for the third time, a comrade 
 tells me that you help soldiers who have nobody to help them, and that 
 is my case. I have a mother, five brothers and two sisters, three of 
 whom are still young. One of my brothers was killed in Argonne. My 
 mother has not enough for her own needs and for those of my young 
 brothers, so that they can send me but very little. Therefore, Madame, 
 J recommend myself to you, that you may have the kindness to interest 
 yourself in me. M. D. 
 
 2921 — Having come lately on leave to Paris, I went to see a friend at 
 the Automobile Club of France and from there I was sent to you to 
 get some clothing. I am from Lille and never received anything from 
 my home, as my country is invaded. I even had to pass my leave at 
 St. Sulpice, as I had nobody to receive me. It was too late to go and 
 see you that night. I returned early the next morning to your Ouvroir, 
 but it was not open and as 1 was leaving the same day at one o'clock, 
 I did not see any one at your place and for that reason I have decided 
 to write you, for they told me at the Automobile Club to write. I have 
 so far not needed anything from anybody, for last winter I was 
 wounded in Belgium at the attack of Dixmunde, so I spent all the cold 
 weather in a good bed and during the summer, things were not so bad; 
 but now that the second winter is coming we begin to feel its effects, 
 and when one has no mother to help one, one must resign one's self to 
 beg. Excuse the expression. We have so little of the habit of asking 
 for anything, that I do not know how to express myself. However, I 
 believe I have expressed my condition and I hope you will have the 
 kindness to tell me whether I was right in addressing myself to you or 
 whether I should have addressed myself to the Automobile Club 
 of France. M. D. 
 
 22 
 
2966 — I am from Sallaumines, married and the father of four children, 
 with my family actually in the invaded districts and therefore deprived 
 of all resources since August 14th. I have the honor to recommend my- 
 self to your kindness in case you could come to my help. P. H. 
 
 2968 — Excuse the liberty I am taking in writing you. I have not for- 
 gotten that in last March you had the kindness to give me what I then 
 needed. For that I am very grateful. Until now I have not had need 
 of your help. Being from Roubaix, I have unfortunately nobody who is 
 interested in me and 1 need to pass the winter a sweater and flannel 
 stomach bands, so I thought of you, Madame; I thought you would not 
 refuse me this help. I will be most grateful. I will make it a duty, if 
 Providence protects me, to come and thank you in person. A. R. 
 
 2970 — Having been at the front since August 3, 1914, and without news 
 of my family, I left at home my wife and three children who stayed in 
 the invaded districts. I am therefore without any resources. I would 
 be very much obliged if you could send me some help. I would be 
 very grateful. I am from Longueville. V. B. 
 
 2959 — I find myself obliged to write you, having nobody to come to my 
 help, and I am from the invaded districts. I am from Monmedy. At 
 times when I see my comrades receive packages I have a heavy heart. 
 I hope, Madame, that you will not forget and I thank you in advance. 
 
 E. F. 
 
 Leading a very lonely existence, I desire to correspond with 
 someone who understands my situation. Will you permit me to solicit 
 your kindness to be an interpreter amongst your friends and acquaint- 
 ances in the hopes that you will give attention to my request? Receive, 
 Madame, with my best greetings and good wishes for a happy new year, 
 the assurance of my deep respect. F. C. 
 
LETTERS ASKING FOR GODMOTHERS 
 
 1719 — I thank your Society for their kind reception and for the parcel 
 given to me. Now I should be very happy if you could get me some 
 news of my family, of whom I have heard nothing for more than a year. 
 I should be very grateful if you could find some kind person to take an 
 interest in me, for I receive no letters and no help from anyone, as I 
 belong to the invaded regions. 
 
 1779 — Excuse the great liberty I take in writing to you. Being from 
 the invaded regions, I have recourse to your charitable work. As win- 
 ter is approaching, I shall need underclothing. It would be a charity 
 on your part if you could send me some. Having no godmother, 
 I take the liberty of asking you to find one for me, if that is not abusing 
 your kindness. 
 
 For eleven months, my parents have been under the domination 
 of the Boches and it is impossible to send them anything. They live at 
 L ., in the arrondissement of Lille. 
 
 1792 — I take the liberty of writing to you to ask you to come to my 
 help, by finding a charitable lady who would take an interest in me, for, 
 being an inhabitant of Douai (Nord), my country is invaded by the Ger- 
 mans, and I have no news of my wife and my children since last year. 
 I assure you that is very sad for the father of a family not to have any 
 news of the family, who must suffer in silence. I have made myself 
 ill with thinking of them. I have just had a brother killed, and another 
 was taken prisoner at the battle of the Marne. You see, Madame, my 
 situation. Also, I hope, Madame, you will do your best possible to find me 
 a marraine who will take interest in me, for I see the winter approaches, 
 and last year I had my feet frozen. At the present moment I have no 
 socks to put on my feet, so I should be happy if you could send me a 
 pair of socks. 
 
 I passed six days on leave in our beautiful country. I had the 
 chance to come and see you and ask you for a Godmother. I have come 
 back under good conditions, and ever since my return to my comrades 
 I have tried in every way to encourage them. On my side my morale is 
 excellent and my courage full of devotion. I send the following par- 
 ticulars to see if you can learn of what has become of my family. I am 
 married and the father of a child. (Here follows name and address.) I 
 count on your endeavors and your good help to get me some small, little 
 information and to soften my lot. Receive, Madame, my most dis- 
 tinguished salutations and my best wishes for a good and happy new 
 year. M. L. 
 
 I take the liberty of writing you, for while I was a convalescent in 
 Paris you told me that as soon as I returned to my regiment I was to 
 write you and that you would give me a Godmother with whom I could 
 correspond and who would help to encourage me in the trenches where 
 I am alone, having no family with whom I can correspond. It is such a 
 bore to be alone, especially at the front. I hope to have you grant this, 
 Madame, if it is possible. I profit by the occasion to send you my wishes 
 for a happy new year and good health and my best thanks. J. M. 
 
 P-S. — I forgot to tell you that I was twice wounded in the Dar- 
 danelles and that I expect to leave for Servia in March. 
 
 25 
 
2713 — Deprived of all correspondence, I am desirous of being put in com- 
 munication with some devoted person who would be willing to accept 
 me as a correspondent. Not knowing the price of an insertion in the 
 paper, please let me know what it is and I shall make it a duty to reim- 
 burse you. Please have pity on an abandoned child. R. R. 
 
 2772 — Having been at the front since the beginning of the war and hav- 
 ing wandered along the entire front, I have not had. the time to be 
 bored, but now comes winter and long nights, and I would like to have 
 some one to whom I could write; but here is the hitch, to whom? I 
 thought that, notwithstanding the large number of soldiers you look 
 after, there might be left a little Godmother who would have the time 
 to scribble me a line from time to time. L. L. 
 
 2818 — Having learned that you procured Godmothers for several of 
 my comrades, I am coming to solicit the same favor from you. I am an 
 accountant from Lille, a widower with two children, of the class of 
 1892. I was mobilized September 2, 1914, and have no parents who can 
 come to my help. J. B. 
 
 2842 — Being without resources, excuse me for writing you these words 
 to ask you for some things, as I am from the invaded districts. I have 
 come to you to ask you to have the kindness to find me a Godmother 
 who will send me some comforts. I never receive anything and as a 
 comrade has advised me, I am writing you these words. For the 
 moment I am being treated at the hospital for typhoid fever. I was 
 born at Tourcoing, where I still have my mother. I have no father and 
 am not married. I have three brothers in the army. L. M. 
 
 2630 — Having learned your address, I hurry to write asking you, 
 Madame, for a little help. I am a poor Belgian boy and I am at the 
 front without news of my parents who have stayed with Germans — 
 not the smallest letter in all these days. I see letters coming to my 
 comrades, but I never get anything. Knowing your kindness for my 
 comrades, I am coming to you to ask if you cannot give me a God- 
 mother. I am getting jealous of my comrades who have kind souls 
 with whom they can correspond and I never get anything. C. D. 
 
 2635 — I am writing you a few lines as I have learned from one of my 
 friends that you have the kindness to find Godmothers. At this moment, 
 I am in great need of one, as I have not a single piece of underclothing 
 for the winter and for the last thirteen months I am without any news 
 cf my wife and family, and have not received anything from anybody. 
 
 A. D. 
 
 2700 — I am writing to ask if you can come to my help for the bad 
 weather. As I form part of the class of 1912, I have been in the war 
 since the first days of mobilization. I have been twice wounded and 
 am now for the third time at the front, always with the same courage 
 as at the start and with the will to conquer the invaders and throw them 
 out forever. I am from the invaded districts and have not received any 
 news of my dear parents since the beginning of the war. I have not 
 the pleasure to be able to write them a word. I have to suffer in silence 
 and see my comrades more happy than me who have news and letters. 
 I ask you, dear Madame, if you could possibly find me a Godmother 
 who would send me some warm clothing. A. V. 
 
 26 
 
2217 — I have just learned your address from soldiers who say that you 
 are very kind to the soldiers of the invaded districts without help. 
 This is my history. Since the beginning of the campaign I have been 
 at the front and I never have received anything from anybody, for I 
 am an orphan. Before the war I lived at Fumay (Ardennes). I lived 
 with my uncle who was eighty-eight years old and my aunt who was 
 seventy-seven. Unfortunately, they stayed behind and since the war 
 I have had no. news. I would be happy if you could find a Godmother 
 for me. That would render me a great service, for it is very hard never 
 to receive any news from anybody. L. G. 
 
 2229 — As I came to see you while on leave in Paris, for that reason 
 permit me to ask you whether you could find me a Godmother, as I 
 never get any news from my family. I left my wife and two children 
 at St. Armand. I would like very much to have a Godmother with 
 whom I could correspond and ask for some comforts, for I am without 
 resources and always without letters. 
 
 2859 — I have just received your letter of the 22d in which you ask me 
 if I am satisfied with my Godmother. I wish to tell you that I have not 
 been so happy, for since the beginning of the war I have been alone 
 and nobody took any interest in me. Now the time seems less long 
 and less hard. My Godmother sends me from time to time a little 
 package. I have just received one as I am writing you. I write quite 
 frequently, sometimes twice a week. She is a very kind, charitable per- 
 son who is proving of great help to me and I wish to thank you for hav- 
 ing found me a Godmother. A. W. 
 
 2961 — The soldier H. P. of the first foreign regiment, typesetter, would 
 like to have a Godmother. (Algeria.) 
 
 2913 — I am writing you a few lines to ask if you could not find me a 
 Godmother. I am from the invaded districts, from Pas-de-Calais and 
 since August 18, 1914, I have had no news from my parents and I re- 
 gret to say that we still have another winter campaign, and that my 
 poor district is not yet free of the enemy. I would be very happy if you 
 could render me a small service. A. W. 
 
 The soldier T. C, colored, from the Martinique, at present a con- 
 valescent at 56 Rue St. Lazare, would like to have a Godmother. 
 
 2278 — Excuse me for writing you these lines, for I hope that you will 
 have the kindness to take an interest in me. I have been at the front 
 since the mobilization and since August 15, 1914, I have no news of 
 my family left at Wignelheis, where I believe my family still are. I 
 have never been ill or wounded in the fourteen months of campaign. 
 I am without resources or money and it is only one of my brothers, a 
 soldier like me, who has been willing to divide with me the little, he 
 had. Until to-day I managed to get along, but at present all economies 
 are exhausted and I do not know to whom to address myself for help. 
 Therefore I am addressing myself to your generosity to ask if you will 
 kindly send me some help and give me a Godmother who will come to 
 my help. This Godmother would replace parents who are absent and 
 cannot come to my help for the moment. A. G. 
 
 27 
 
LETTERS OF THANKS 
 
 Thanks for having so well dressed papa. His little daughter, M. L. 
 
 1433 — Please excuse this humble sheet, it comes from the depth of the 
 trenches. I do not know how to thank you enough for your precious 
 parcel. My gratitude towards you is infinite. You have a beautiful 
 soul, Madame, to think with so much solicitude of the soldiers of Right 
 and Justice. But you are American; that is saying everything. And 
 from the little clearing where my post is situated, shaken at every 
 instant by the earthquakes of the mines which explode, or the 
 torpedoes which burst with an infernal crash, I bless your name and 
 I beg you to believe in my most respectful sentiments and gratitude. 
 
 1875 — Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your gift. America 
 does not forget the soldiers of Right and Liberty, and that touches me 
 profoundly. 
 
 I thank you infinitely for the good things and the useful you had 
 the kindness to send us. 
 
 I came from America to go to the war, I hope afterwards to re- 
 turn there. 
 
 I thank the American Holophane Society for the aid they give to 
 the soldiers from the invaded country. 
 
 Receive my sincere thanks. We will go to the end to defend our 
 dear country. 
 
 I thank you with all my heart, and all the American ladies who 
 have been so good to me and my comrades, for the packet of under- 
 clothing which has been given me. 
 
 My thanks and my deepest gratitude for all the gifts sent to me 
 from you and the ladies of the Ouvroir. We see how everyone thinks of 
 the brave soldiers who shed their blood in the defence of their dear 
 country. 
 
 Long live France! Long live our Allies and all our friends who do 
 not forget us in our distress! Long live our friends, the Americans! 
 
 1962 — I am back again in the trenches, and I take the opportunity of a 
 little moment of quiet to thank you for the little parcel and for the kind 
 welcome you gave us. I hope that the gentleman we saw at your 
 Ouvroir will go and tell his friends that in spite of our twelve months 
 of campaign we are in good spirits and decided to go on to the end to 
 deliver our dear country and our beloved families, who are so sorely 
 tried. Awaiting this day of victory and deliverance, I am your devoted 
 and grateful soldier. 
 
 Be kind enough to excuse my delay, but as I hoped to get a leave 
 for New Year's, and as I see the permission does not come very fast, 
 I take the liberty to send you these words to offer you my best wishes 
 for a Happy New Year, health and prosperity, and hoping that 1916 will 
 bring victory and peace and also quiet forever. I also wish to thank 
 you for your kindness in continuing to give work to my wife and help- 
 ing her to be patient in awaiting my final return home. Will you have 
 the kindness, Madame, to present to Miss J. all my best wishes for the 
 new year? F. J. 
 
 28 
 
I am writing you a few words to thank you for sending me the 
 package. I cannot describe to you the joy that I felt in opening it. I 
 am sending you a list of its contents, as you asked me to do: one shirt, 
 one drawers, one towel, one pair of socks, two handkerchiefs, one piece 
 of soap, one bottle of milk, some sugar, one flint lighter, one penholder, 
 some cigarette paper, a pipe, a package of tobacco, one box of preserved 
 peas, a tube of tincture of iodine, a tube for purifying water against 
 typhoid fever. 
 
 Nothing of importance to tell you, except that I continue in good 
 health, which I hope is the case with you. 
 
 I thank you very much for the package that you had the kindness 
 to send me. I received it about three days ago and am very pleased 
 with it. 
 
 This is what it contained: one shirt, one drawers, one pair of socks, 
 one towel, one piece of soap, a mirror, two handkerchiefs, a box of 
 peas, package of tobacco, cigarette paper, a pipe, flint lighter, penholder 
 and letter writing paper. You see, Madame, that nothing was missing, 
 and also I repeat it I was most pleased with it. 
 
 If you will send me the size of your finger, I will send you one of 
 the rings which we make in the trenches in our rabbit holes, and please 
 give me your name, so that I can engrave it on the ring. 
 
 173 — We showed your lovely package to the mother of the soldier be- 
 fore sending it to him. She was quite overcome by your kindness and 
 the quality of the articles you gave him. I hope you will hear directly 
 from the soldier himself. 
 
 Thanking you very much indeed for your most kind help. 
 
 I am happy to offer you my most sincere thanks for the kindness 
 you have shown me. I cannot tell you what joy I had on receiving the 
 splendid sleeping-bag — joy shared by all my comrades, for we use it in 
 turn, as each one needs. Thank you therefore, Madame, from the bot- 
 tom of my heart, for myself and for all my comrades. 
 
 I can never thank you enough for what you have done for me. 
 The character and the spirit of my friends, the English and the Ameri- 
 cans, are unequalled. 
 
 Once more thank you, and I shall be proud to fight again 
 alongside the British army. 
 
 617 — I have received your package and with what joy! It has been 
 such a long time since I have had a change of socks on my feet and 
 heaven knows in what state they were, as well as my shirt and drawers, 
 and so I lost no time in changing^ into these good warm things. I say 
 warm, for I have so suffered from this terrible cold; but if I have any 
 gratitude for anybody, know that you are of the number and that I do 
 not regret giving my blood to avenge kind people like yourself. In 
 offering my body as a rampart I avenge our dear France. If God will 
 watch over me until the end of these hard trials, as He has up to the 
 present, I will have one desire, and that is to come and thank you in 
 person. In the meanwhile, please accept from a real Frenchman and 
 defender of the flag my best thanks. 
 
 1459 — It is with pleasure that I have just received your parcel, for 
 it arrived after I had been having eighteen days on the first lines. 
 At least now I can change my shirt and wash the one I am wearing, 
 for I think we shall go to the second line for a few days. 
 
 29 
 
988 — I am very happy to inform you that I have arrived safely in port, 
 and I thank you for the underclothing you gave me. 
 
 May France have many Societies as useful as yours. 
 
 1717 — Letter from an Algerian who was cook in a well-known hotel in 
 New York. Original written in English. 
 
 I was very pleased to receive your letter this morning. I see that 
 you do not forget the unknown soldier that I am. I thank you kindly 
 for the American papers that you sent to me; all was here in time. 
 
 I have a bit of news to announce to you. I lost my brother, who 
 was a soldier in the Zouaves. A friend of his told me that he was 
 wounded mortally on February 17th, near Arras, where I was wounded 
 myself first time. He received five shrapnels in the right side at 
 7 a.m. and died at 5 p.m. after a horrible agony. 
 
 My poor mother believes him a prisoner, and I always assured her, 
 and I can't tell her he is dead now. She is old and will not survive 
 that misfortune. She is with my sister at . 
 
 I am leaving for Mudros, Friday next. . . . 
 
 I continue in French. It is very useful to write little letters in 
 English. I enclose some cards of Constantine. Also I thank you very 
 much and beg you to receive my respectful salutations. 
 
 1152 — I have just received the mask you have had sent to me. We 
 have not yet used them, but I think we shall be forced to do so. There- 
 fore I thank you most warmly, for you prevent the ill, and that is much 
 better than curing. I am not ignorant of your good heart, through my 
 wife, and I wish only one thing: to be able one day to renew to you my 
 best thanks by word of mouth for all I owe up to the present to your 
 benevolence. 
 
 1184 — I thank you infinitely for your generosity and your good heart. 
 I should be happy to be able to shake hands with you. I see also 
 that you feel pity for the soldiers who fight in defence of their country. 
 
 This morning the Superior came into our room with her arms 
 loaded with warm clothing, jerseys, flannels, chest protectors. "Who is 
 poorly dressed?" she said. At once, twelve pairs of eyes were fixed on 
 the big package; each one of us chose what he needed; in fifteen min- 
 utes, the Superior was cleaned out. 
 
 I have just arrived from Craonne, where we supported the shock 
 cf Bodies; in these last days we have taken back by successful assault 
 the few meters which they had taken away from us. Our clothes, which 
 were cut up by pieces of shell and used up with mud and perspiration, 
 were not worth much and we are very happy to have a new skin. 
 
 It does us good to realize that charitable souls are contributing tho 
 best in their power for the services of France and I think of the gen- 
 erous souls who each turned a spinning-wheel for ransom of 
 Duguesclin. L. 
 
 Please accept my most sincere thanks for the package that you had 
 the kindness to send me and which contained one shirt, one drawers, one 
 undershirt, one pair of socks, one head covering, one pair of mittens, 
 two handkerchiefs. Please, dear Madame, at the same time accept my 
 most sincere salutations. A. C. 
 
 30 
 
857 — I come to thank you for the little parcel you have sent me. I 
 needed all those things. Thanks to your great devotion, you help 
 our dear France to a sure victory, for all the convalescents who are 
 poor and without a family return to the front with a lighter heart, 
 knowing that while they are fighting, their hearths are protected by 
 you. Remember the large part you play in this great world-struggle 
 for the liberty of Europe, and through you we count on a peaceful 
 future, for your work is a fraternal work. 
 
 1277 — When I came from the "Ouvroir" Saturday afternoon, I was very 
 astonished to see that the paper which packed my parcel was an 
 American one. 
 
 Will you excuse me, but I came from America on August 12th, last 
 year, to rejoin the army. I was cook at the Knickerbocker and Plaza in 
 New York, and since that time I never have seen a paper from that 
 country. 
 
 I shall be very pleased to get some of those papers, no matter what 
 the date. 
 
 i I expect to go to the Dardanelles "Orient Expeditionary Force" 
 next week. 
 
 Can I come to Holophane Home before my departure? I thank you 
 very kindly for the shirt and socks that you gave to me. I was wounded 
 twice. Near Arras, December 10th, at Ypres, April 26th. 
 
 Excuse the bad English that I write, and I remain your very 
 obedient. 
 
 1065 — I beg you to be so kind as to accept all my thanks for the good- 
 ness you show me. Be sure that so long as I am on the earth, I shall 
 never forget your good deeds, in these moments which are so hard for 
 all of us, but which will soon bring us glory. 
 
 1884 — During my leave spent in Paris I came to see you and was very 
 well received. Now that I am in the trenches I hasten to send you these 
 few words to thank you for the little packet you were so kind as to give 
 me — poor soldier without news of his family. I hope Providence will 
 watch over my family, as it has watched over me since the beginning of 
 the war and that soon we shall be able to deliver our dear country, and 
 see our families again by thrusting the Germans out of France. ■ 
 
 I thank you very much and with all my heart for the kindness you 
 have shown me. Son of refugees from the Pas de Calais, without news 
 since September and not having, like my comrades, the pleasure of 
 going to embrace my people. So, Madame, as you replace my mother, I 
 embrace you with all my heart. 
 
 1208 — On coming away from your Ouvroir with my nice packet of 
 things you had made for me, I felt myself greatly moved by so much 
 kindness, therefore be persuaded that it is with a new provision of 
 ardor that we will, if need be, return to continue to thrust back the 
 invader from over there. We will think of the big generous souls who 
 are working so, that on our return, we should think no more of the 
 sufferings during this terrible period, and that finally we may inhabit 
 again our ruins. I terminate in thanking you again from my heart and 
 in crying: Long live France and the Allies! 
 
 1267 — Having received what you gave to my mother for me, I come to 
 thank you for ycur kindness to me and mother, because she has told me 
 what joy she had when you gave her your present. 
 
 31 
 
997 — I thank you for having given rne some underclothing; I am 
 greatly pleased with it, for one has not always time to wash one's 
 clothes; it is not so much the time for washing as the water that 
 lacks; and too, we sometimes have vermin; happily for me, I have 
 not yet got any. 
 
 I terminate, Madame, in thanking you and sending all my friend- 
 ship. I should be pleased to have news of you from time to tim.ejj 
 I, for my part, will write to you from time to time. Receive from a 
 young defender a good-day from his heart. 
 
 2 — I write to announce to you my departure and at the same time 
 to thank you with all my heart for the visits you paid me while I 
 was at the hospital. Being separated from my family, they could 
 not come to visit me, so I was very happy when you came to re- 
 place them, for without you I should have been rather isolated. 
 
 1261 — I have just received by surprise a charming packet which I 
 did not expect. T thank you for it very much. I hope you are still 
 well; as for me, it is always the same thing. 
 
 Yesterday, Mesdames, I had a narrow escape. I was on guard 
 with one of my comrades in the trenches, when, at midnight, there 
 arrived a dozen bombs in our direction. We lay down flat on our 
 faces and the point of a bomb fell just between us. Afterward we 
 laughed, for it is not worth while to worry; for us it is all the same. 
 
 A. C. 
 
 1664 — Before leaving my depot to return to my perilous post, I wish 
 to express my homage and my remembrances full of grateful admira- 
 tion. I shall never forget the charming way in which you and 
 Madame W held out a helping hand to me, by giving me warm un- 
 derclothing, and thus helping me to bear the changes of the weather. 
 Nor shall I forget the warm and natural benevolence which comforts. 
 I feel renewed ardor and, in my person, I realize that you have con- 
 tributed largely toward our final victory. 
 
 I add to my letter a little song which I composed with a patri- 
 otic object, and I beg you, Madame, to accept the assurances of ex- 
 treme gratitude from a little French soldier. 
 
 1365 — I have the honor to tell you that I have arrived safely at my 
 destination, and I hasten to repeat my thanks for all you have been 
 so kind as to do for me. 
 
 Please believe, Madame, that I shall never forget the charming 
 reception you gave me, and your great benevolence has touched me 
 profoundly and j^our generosity toward my comrade and myself. 
 I also have the best souvenir of your helpers. 
 
 1369 — Excuse me that I write these few lines, but I want to thank 
 you; you first and then the other workers at the Holophane Ouvroir, 
 for the kind reception given to the soldiers returning to the front. 
 I am very grateful to you, for I assure you that it is a great joy for 
 a soldier, father of a family, from the invaded country, who is at the 
 front for a year without a break, and without news or help, to have 
 such a kind reception as you gave me. I thank you with all my heart 
 like a real Frenchman. 
 
 32 
 
27T5 — I am sending you this to thank you for the gift yon made me 
 when I passed through Paris on my six days' holiday, for your work 
 of charity, of which you are the directress, is a great help to the un- 
 fortunates, who like myself are deprived of everything and deprived of 
 their families who stayed in the invaded districts like Lille. As winter 
 is coming in rapidly, your gift will render me great service, for in these 
 wet times one is not exactly at home and one has to shelter one's self 
 in carriages or stables the best one can. I do hope, Madame, that your 
 work will continue to do good and make many happy who, like myself, 
 pass by and come to you. It is for this that I write to thank you from 
 the bottom of my heart, for your charity and kindness. I shall always 
 be most grateful. F. M. 
 
 2783 — I am writing you a few words to let you know that I am in good 
 health and hope you are also. I want to thank you very much for the 
 package you sent, which gave me great pleasure, especially the ginger- 
 bread, as I had not eaten any since the start of the war. 
 
 2784 — I hasten to write you, to notify you that I received the package 
 that you have had the kindness to send me. I hope, Madame, you will 
 think of me from time to time, for I tell you that this is the first com- 
 fort that I have received since I have been fighting. I shall always 
 feel grateful to you. D. M. 
 
 2300 — Very happy to tell you that I received your package and thank 
 you for your kindness, for since I have been at the front, it is the first 
 that I have received. As there is nobody who can come to my help, I 
 hope that hereafter, thanks to you, it will not be the same. Also I 
 thank you most sincerely for all you have done for me which softens 
 my lot. 
 
 2318 — Permit me to thank you and to express my gratitude for the 
 kindness that you have shown towards our small ambulance since the 
 beginning of the war. Also wish to thank you for all the good things 
 you gave yesterday for our dear wounded — the pajamas, dressing gowns 
 and lovely capes — all that will be as comforting as useful. I add that 
 the shirts rejoiced our sister, who begs me to express her gratitude. It 
 is with all my heart that I thank you. M. R. 
 
 2311 — I hasten to thank you for the pair of socks given to me by the 
 Abbe. My condition is that of the many soldiers from the invaded dis- 
 tricts. Since more than a year, I have received no news of my wife and 
 children, and am in the impossibility of procuring anything. I would 
 be most grateful if you could send me a sweater, or, if you cannot, an- 
 other pair of socks. R. L. 
 
 293 8 — I do not wish to delay any longer in thanking you for the 
 kind service you have rendered in giving me a little package when 
 I came to see you before returning to the front. It keeps me at this 
 moment warm, for I do not know whether in Paris it is cold as it is 
 on our carriages. It rains night and day at the front, and so I thank 
 you from the bottom of my heart, as I am from Roubaix and have 
 no news and no help from anybody. I ask if you can send me a red 
 flannel shirt and a pair of socks, the same sort of red shirt American 
 style, because it keeps my body warm. F. B. 
 
 33 
 
2944 — I wish to thank the Ouvroir Holophane for the package that 
 they have been willing to give me. Luckily for us, there are kind 
 souls like yours who have taken the initiative to help the soldiers at 
 the front, especially those who are entirely separated from their 
 families for more than a year. A. D. 
 
 29 45 — I wish to thank you most sincerely and with all my heart and 
 also the kind benefactors and especially Madame M. for the reception 
 that was made to me at the Ouvroir Holophane before I returned to 
 the front. H. S. i 
 
 2947 — On leave and from the invaded districts, I received on my 
 passage through Paris a welcome of the warmest sort at the Ouvroir 
 Holophane. Once more at the front, I beg you to accept my sincere 
 thanks. D. B. 
 
 Please receive my most sincere thanks for the parcel you so 
 kindly sent me, in which I found a shirt, drawers, a waistcoat, a pair 
 of socks, a helmet, a belt, a pair of mittens and two handkerchiefs. 
 
 I take the liberty of writing to you to express my deep gratitude. 
 I thank you, Madame, for the superb present you sent me 
 through my wife. I received it just at the right time. As it is very 
 cold where I am, you have rendered me a very great service, and 
 your friendly sentiments will not be forgotten by us. 
 
 2204 — I was in the trenches and it was the fifteenth day that my 
 regiment was in this place where one only sees the sun shining on 
 one's head without bringing any warmth. As I was occupied in 
 cleaning my knapsack and my gun and bayonet a package was 
 brought to me. I was so happy I asked myself if really such luck 
 could have come, for I have never received one and I confess I had 
 forgotten the letter I had written. Each time that one of my com- 
 rades received some comfort from his family I looked on sadly and 
 I said, How happy he is; and often the comrade who knew I had noth- 
 ing, divided with me his things; also I cannot express to you the joy 
 that I had in opening your package. I do not know how to thank 
 you, for everything in it is most useful, and as I am a smoker and 
 was without tobacco, I was very happy to see the tobacco pouch, and 
 before I examined the package I had begun to light my pipe. There- 
 fore a thousand thanks, Madame. The day that I wrote you, I had the 
 sorrow to learn that my wife was dangerously ill, and fifteen days 
 afterward I learned of her death. I remain with two little girls, one 
 five and one-half years old and the other four. My next girl is at 
 Berch convalescing, for she also has been seriously ill, and my latest 
 prayers every day are that I may come back as soon as possible so that 
 they will not be orphans. A. B. 
 
 816 — I should like to find words to express to you my gratitude and 
 the sentiments of admiration I have for all those who do good to the 
 soldiers and prove to them by a thousand kindnesses that, without 
 knowing them, they think of them all the same. 
 
 Once more dear Madame, thank you. Be sure, I will not forget 
 what you have done for me and I will make it my duty, if you permit 
 me, to give you news of myself from time to time and to relate the ad- 
 ventures which may happen to me during the campaign. 
 
 34 
 
1736 — I write these few lines to show you that I am still in good 
 health and I hope you are the same. 
 
 Dear friend, I have just received with great pleasure your letter 
 in which you give me an address where I can go when on leave. 
 I have written, mentioning you, and I hope to get leave in a short 
 time. Now the day I do go on leave I will come and wish you 
 good-day. 
 
 In the meanwhile, I thank you a thousand times at a distance, 
 until I can do so personally. 
 
 I had great pleasure in reading your kind letter to see how 
 very warm an interest you take in our soldiers in the trenches. I 
 thank you for the underclothing you sent me, especially as winter is 
 drawing near. 
 
 I should like to bo able to give you, as you ask, some details 
 of our life, but the Censor . . . ! and we regret greatly having to weigh 
 our words. In spite of that, I will tell you that our soldiers at the 
 front are in excellent spirits, and at present we are doing excellent 
 things and hope that soon we shall be glorious victors. 
 
 Having just received the parcel you were so kind as to send me, 
 I wish to express on this card my gratitude and to tell you what very 
 charitable work you do every day among the unfortunate soldiers 
 from the invaded regions, and how happy we are when we receive 
 your parcels enclosing such useful things and so many treats, and 
 how glad we are to know that there are kind people who try to re- 
 place our poor parents. 
 
 825 — Since my letter acknowledging the receipt of the sleeping 
 sack, I have had the occasion of using your handsome present daily 
 and of appreciating its usefulness. We have passed a week in the 
 woods, by bad weather, and we had to sleep on the ground, with- 
 out shelter. You may think it was necessary to have something 
 v/aterproof under one. The weather seems still uncertain and the 
 rain and the wind succeed the sun. 
 
 We are not yet attacking from this side, but we hope the day is 
 near when we shall thrust the enemy from our midst. I wanted to 
 express to you once more my gratitude. 
 
 I make it a duty to write you this letter in order to send you 
 my most sincere thanks for your kind heart and for your great gen- 
 erosity in respect to us. My wife has given me the underclothes 
 which you gave her for me. Therefore I owe you all my thanks. I 
 am in the automobile corps as a motor-cyclist. It is a very hard 
 service and especially exposed to all weathers. 
 
 I also thank you in the name of my wife for the work that you 
 are giving her that enables her to earn a little while awaiting the 
 arrival of our child. As for me, I am prepared for all eventualities 
 that may occur in my service, like any good soldier. 
 
 Thanking you most sincerely, I beg that you will accept ray 
 respectful salutations. N. N. 
 
 I received your package all right yesterday. I am very grateful 
 and thank you sincerely. When we consider all the trenches by 
 which we soldiers are surrounded, it is impossible that we should 
 not be grateful because we must be worthy of those who are look- 
 ing after our comfort. R- F. 
 
 35 
 
1760 — I have the honor to thank you very humbly for your parcel, 
 which I can assure you, has given me great pleasure. At the same time 
 I must tell you that I had a good journey, and you may be sure that I 
 am of good courage and hope as soon as possible to deliver our dear 
 country from the Boches. For, for us life is not happy, as we have had 
 no news from our parents since the beginning of the war. You can 
 understand, Madame, that for us in the regiment, life is not very happy, 
 but also, I think, with our friends, the English, who are as devoted 
 as we are and most courageous, not to forget the unfortunate Belgians, 
 who are no happier than we are, that we shall soon get the better of 
 the enemy. 
 
 When you sent me the underclothing I had no change of shirt; that 
 is a sad thing to have to say. 
 
 I must tell you in this letter that we are returning to the firing 
 lines, but we are all united in the same thought — we soldiers: we only 
 wish one thing and that is to defeat the Boches. 
 
 A poilu who sends you his deepest respects and who cries: Long 
 live France! Long live England! 
 
 962 — I acknowledge the receipt of your parcel, which has given me 
 great pleasure, for, dear lady, I will tell you that for ten months I am 
 a soldier, and it is the first parcel I have received; my family being 
 in the North, I receive no news from anyone, except my two brothers. 
 
 Dear Madame, I will tell you that it is very sad to have no news 
 from one's family, without knowing how the Germans treat them; if 
 only one knew them to be in good health, one would be more contented. 
 
 Bui one must have patience, for it is to defend our country against 
 those who want to take it from us. 
 
 I thank the Americans of the Committee who have been so kind 
 as to make me a present. 
 
 334 — How can I thank you enough, dear Madame, for your splendid 
 generosity towards me in sending me the parcel of underclothing, which 
 will be most comfortable. 
 
 Beyond that, dear Madame, I am happy to see that there are many 
 truly kind-hearted people, such as one meets with in books, but who 
 are unfortunately rare in real life. 
 
 For my part, I was wounded last October. I am from the North, 
 and my country has been occupied by the Germans since October, so I 
 am without news of my family. I was married five months before the 
 war; so you see, Madame, how I am situated. With the best will in 
 the world, I can get nothing from home. 
 
 I seize the permission to write you to express my feelings of 
 gratitude. 
 
 I thank you very much, Madame, for the superb present that you 
 sent me through my wife. I just received it in time, as it is very cold 
 at the Grand Couronne. It is a real service that you are doing for me 
 and at the same time a sentiment of friendship for France, something 
 which is not forgotten amongst us. Please accept, Madame, my best 
 thanks and the expression of my best sentiments. H. M. 
 
 From the bottom of my heart I thank you. I have just received 
 the hospital bed wrap. I am extremely touched by the interest you 
 have shown, and I beg you to believe in my respectful and devoted 
 sentiments. 
 
 36 
 
CORRESPONDENCE FROM SOLDIERS 
 
 1666 — All my thanks and all my respects for the joy and happiness you 
 have given me to-day. I have received your kind letter containing such 
 kind and sweet thoughts. The hand-shake you send me; the permission 
 to call myself your "godson"; all that makes me very happy and goes 
 straight to my heart, and I cannot write further until, here in my hut, 
 on the front, 150 meters from the enemy whom we shall soon conquer, 
 I say one simple word, sincere, straight from my heart — Thank you. 
 
 I accept with great pleasure, Madame, the honor of becoming your 
 correspondent. To be able to say what he thinks, what he does, to re- 
 count his sorrows, his joys, his hopes, to know that someone is think- 
 ing of him, will write to him, that is the real happiness of the soldier. I 
 do not know what it means to receive letters. My parents are prisoners 
 in the hands of the enemy. All the steps taken to find them have so 
 far had the same result, although I have applied to the Red Cross, and the 
 Geneva Cross. When I am your godson, I can wait for the arrival of 
 the post, the post which will bring me moral comfort, because from my 
 godmother. I shall have the same thoughts and receive the same ad- 
 vice as my own mother would give me if she were there. 
 
 A godmother is for me my family, so I am strong to-day, for I 
 know that I can say: "Courage, your godmother is thinking of you. 
 Courage, you are no longer alone," and at night I will pray for my god- 
 mother. In the battle, I will fight thinking of you, Madame. My letter 
 does not give you much information; it is not as long as I wished to 
 make it; excuse me, but I do not want to take up your attention for 
 too long. I will often send you news and I will give you all the details 
 you ask of me, there is no fear of indiscretion. I hope to hear from you 
 at length before long. A letter from you will make me very happy. 
 
 1866 — Having received your charming card, which has given me the 
 greatest pleasure, I hasten to thank you infinitely for the praises you 
 give me; that gives me courage and resolution, for our sole desire is 
 to die on the field of honor, to save the world from the great danger 
 which menaces it, for our aggressor only wants barbarity and to sup- 
 press liberty and civilization. But I hope that we shall conquer, and 
 then he who has the happiness to survive this hecatomb, will be able 
 to enjoy peace and be no longer called to the frontiers to arrest these 
 frightful Teutons. Therefore we await with calm the hour of the of- 
 fensive; an hour which is near and which will, we hope, be favorable. 
 
 1747 — In answering the letter you wrote me and which gave me great 
 pleasure, I thank you with all my heart for your kindness towards 
 me and the trouble you took to write to Madame M., who is so good as 
 to accept me as godson. I am very grateful to you, for you cannot tell 
 how consoling it is to receive a little letter, after having been so long 
 without a word from anyone; how nice it is, when the post arrives, to 
 get a letter, to open it and find in it words which give strength and 
 courage. But in spite of all, I have never lost faith or courage, for we 
 need them and shall need them still more when the moment comes to 
 turn the wild beasts out of their lair. 
 
 1062 — I am deeply touched by the good you do to my wife and child. 
 I count it a great honor and my duty to write to you the present let- 
 ter and to send you all my thanks for your kindness toward them. 
 
 37 
 
850 — Permit the liberty I am taking in sending you these few words, 
 but by this present letter I wish to thank you, Madame, very much 
 for having been so kind as to employ my wife, for not being paid 
 by my employer and not being rich, the little she earns can help her 
 to live, with her allowance. For a household being deprived of the 
 husband's hands, it is very hard for a woman to get along all alone, 
 above all in a case like this, my wife not being very young and not 
 very well, also it gives me more courage to think that my wife can 
 earn a few sous during my absence, so as to be simply a little fur- 
 ther away from absolute misery. 
 
 In spite of the bad days, nights and hours I have passed through 
 and shall still pass through, it comforts and consoles me to think 
 that my wife will be able to get along during my so long absence, with- 
 out knowing when it will all be over. Also I thank you, Madame, very 
 much for being so kind as to take an interest in her. Up to the 
 present, in spite of the. great fatigues and the bad moments I have 
 passed in "hell," I am well, but last week there was one night which 
 I thought was going to be my last. I must believe that my hour has 
 not yet struck, and so I do not pay any more attention to all this fire 
 and noise, for now I am proof; one gets a little deaf. 
 
 I should like to give a few details to Madame, as to the situation 
 we are in in our '"'secteur," but it is absolutely forbidden to tell any- 
 thing whatever on this subject on pain of court martial, but all is 
 going on well. Up to the present hour we have the advantage and 
 little by little we progress; that encourages us, for we have confi- 
 dence in our chiefs. We are not too badly fed but we rarely get any 
 little supplement; in spite of that I am well. Madame will excuse 
 my scribble, for I have no pen, and it is very difficult to get even a 
 pencil. I send my respectful salutations. 
 
 1278 — I have just at this moment received a shirt, pair of socks, tobacco 
 and chocolate. I do not know how to express my gratitude, so I say sim- 
 ply, thank you. Thus in our life so rudimentary in the absence of all 
 leve of our own, any friendly letter, any assistance, anonymous or not, 
 any attention, even the simplest, takes in our eyes huge proportions 
 and it is then that we know how to appreciate a woman's kindness and 
 that we pronounce softly your name like a miser who hides a treasure. 
 
 1478 — To keep on thanking you would become monotonous. It would 
 mean repeating the same word. Since you only understand the one 
 word "giving," let me rather assure you of my lasting and infinite re- \ 
 spect, assuring you that if in these sad moments you so nobly do your 
 duty, I should rather say, Madame, your mission of woman, I on my 
 side will not be left behind and I will proudly do my duty as a man, 
 which I think is the best way of proving my gratitude. I have received 
 your mask against asphyxiating gases and your good package. I do 
 not wish to seem importunate, Madame, and I hesitate to formulate 
 a request, but it does rain so in our district and if by chance you had 
 some sort of a waterproof, it could be of use to me and my comrades 
 to whom I would lend it when on guard. Spoiled children, Madame, 
 are exacting and you have accustomed me to your kindness. So it is in 
 the most humble manner that I ask you to accept my entire devotion 
 and hope to be pardoned in advance. Please, Madame, receive the ex- 
 cuses of a soldier. 
 
 38 
 
g05 — Please excuse the pencil, for ink does not exist here and I 
 have always to write on my knees. I received your letter of April 
 28th, and waited for the arrival of your parcel to answer you, This 
 morning then, I received the splendid sleeping bag, accompanied by a 
 shirt, drawers, a pair of socks and a handkerchief. I am most grate- 
 ful to you for so much kindness. 
 
 As to the sleeping-bag, I have not yet made use of it, but I am sure 
 it will fulfil the required conditions — keep me warm in the night, in 
 the trench-shelters and when camping in the woods. At present we are 
 at the rear, but to-morrow we go to the first lines. 
 
 You ask me to speak of my life in the trenches; I do not know 
 what point would interest you the most. You must know that life is 
 not all roses; it sometimes happens to us to have to fast for 
 twenty-four hours, when the cooks cannot bring us the evening meal; 
 in the day-time, it is impossible for them to come, for fear of being 
 seen by the enemy (there is no underground communication trench). 
 They have to do four kilometers in the woods to get to us. Our fore- 
 posts are at the edge of a wood and face a wide plain, which will be 
 difficult to take. However, we do not lose courage, and hope soon to 
 see our efforts crowned with success. 
 
 It is sweet for us to think that so many friends, known and un- 
 known, do not forget us, but sympathize with us. There are some who 
 are more to be pitied than others, and we try amongst us to come to 
 the help of those who, being from the invaded country, have no news 
 from their families and have not the privilege of receiving from them 
 the little luxuries we appreciate so much. 
 
 1539 — I thank you sincerely for thinking of me; also thank the others at 
 the Ouvroir, but I will ask you not to send me any underclothing, for 
 we have what is needful both as regards food and clothing, and at pres- 
 ent it is not cold. As for me, I have a principle. Ever since the start 
 of the war, of this extraordinary movie show, when I lack a shirt I get 
 around the difficulty in a very simple way — I get along without it. If I 
 have no socks, then I can walk fairly well without, and so on, as long 
 as the trousers and the coat and the cap don't leave me; with a gun 
 and cartridges, that is the principal thing. Here life is monotonous; 
 not too much news. One passes one's time looking at aeroplanes get- 
 ting bombarded. On the other hand, our comrades nearby, principally 
 from my own company about 400 meters off, are being rained with tor- 
 pedoes. Fritz does not amuse us much; then you know if he gets too 
 turbulent we have got some sedative ready for him. So much for our 
 sorrows. My joys are limited to the letters I receive; it is the only 
 link with the family. However, I tell you that when I receive a letter 
 from my mother at times it makes me feel badly. I get thinking too 
 much about those I love; but in a half hour it is gone and I return to 
 work, that is to say, watching in the trenches. You ask me from what 
 district I am. From your own, at least I presume so. Born in Paris, I 
 will die there unless the pointed helmets do not leave me a chance to 
 do so. My life is simple. I work when it is time and I amuse myself 
 as I can. I am the oldest of five children. My mother is alone but not 
 unhappy. Two of my brothers are working and one of my sisters. My 
 third brother is a cripple and stays at home. I have a little illegitimate 
 girl four years old whom my mother is bringing up. She is growing 
 up without knowing her father, but is none the worse off for that. I am 
 not worrying about her, for if I do not come back she will always have 
 a name and family. 
 
 39 
 
1573 — As you see from the heading of this letter, I have changed my dis- 
 trict, which is the reason I have not answered you. We have a little 
 of the Bohemian and of the Apache, sleeping during the day and march- 
 ing at night. Finally we are stranded here between two waters on a 
 road between a canal and the river Aisne. In this river we have been 
 doing a little fishing and swimming and even yachting. We amuse our- 
 selves in making little boats just like children do in the Tuilleries 
 Gardens. Afterwards one has a bath, and then people pity soldiers! It 
 makes me laugh. If the unfortunate civilians who vegetate only knew 
 how one lives they would all enlist and would ask for war and nothing 
 but war. Here one awaits the postman like the Messiah, and a simple 
 postcard, even one word, makes one forget. If only you would be will- 
 ing to write me and it does not bore you to write me, it would give me 
 pleasure to answer you, especially as some day I may be breakfasting 
 with Pluto, but this is as late as possible. 
 
 1632 — I wrote you lately in reference to myself and I forgot to ask you 
 if you could put me in touch with a Godmother. Besides the joy of 
 corresponding, I am certain that the words of encouragement that I 
 would receive would give to me and my comrades who may have this 
 happiness the effect of the sun on a beautiful landscape. 
 
 1733 — I did not wish to write you for fear of sending you a scribble on a 
 "scrap of paper," but I hope you will excuse me, for my desk is the bot- 
 tom of the trench. The house of Maple & Company has not come around 
 this way yet. We have left the farm where we were so comfortably 
 fixed. We stayed there two days, and since that time we have been 
 digging trenches for those who may have the right to the cross of wood 
 or for those who will advance, and then it will be the cross of war 
 or something else. In short, melancholy is banished from our company. 
 The most unfortunate thing is that we have stopped all of our games in 
 order to make ramparts. We leave at four o'clock in the morning and 
 we return to our regiment at the fall of night, and as our lodging is 
 composed of a bit of corrugated iron on four poles you see that our 
 quarters are rather uncomfortable; but we are in the middle of woods, 
 and if it was not that the big cannons are spillings their pills one would 
 imagine himself at Mendon or at Clamart. The ground is clay, and so 
 when it rains we do skiing without wanting to. Fortunately the trees 
 prevent us from skiing, and in the middle of the night, with gas and 
 electricity cut off, it is really laughable. In the trenches you could 
 imagine yourself in Venice, but in a muddy Venice. But why complain? 
 That does not help any, and mud baths are fashionable and here you 
 don't have to pay for them. I thank you for interesting yourself in my 
 little girl. Perhaps she will receive you better than she did me when I 
 came back to Paris two months ago. She did not recognize me. I 
 hope to have leave at Christmas or New Years; only I do not know if it 
 will be in 1915, 1916, 1917 or 19—. 
 
 In any case the country air suits me. No auto busses; no taxis; 
 one thing I miss, the asphalt in the Rue de la Paix. In short, I hope to 
 again find everything, when William has had enough, unless your 
 servant forgets to breathe and makes a trip to the kingdom of moles. 
 
 1454 — Very touched by your kindness, I thank you very much for your 
 package. Knowing that one is interested in us and that those who are 
 far off do not forget us, that gives us courage and will bring to a good 
 finish the work begun. 
 
 40 
 
1536 — I have received your kind letter in which you asked me to tell 
 you about my home and my means. Madame, for the past four years I 
 have inhabited Dampremny. I left all my possessions, furniture and 
 little things which make up a home, in order to come back and defend 
 my country. After six months of captivity I had to cross Belgium to 
 get to Holland, England and then France. What I have done I would 
 do again with all my heart if it had to be redone. There you have what 
 I am and my whereabouts. I would never have told you, unless you 
 had asked me. 
 
 1573-B — You have expressed the wish to see my little girl. Here is the 
 address of my mother. The quarter is not very beautiful; it has noth- 
 ing of the Boulevard Haussmann. 
 
 2199 — Do not accuse me of negligence or ingratitude. Many things 
 have happened since you sent me your last letter. We were at that 
 
 moment at where during three nights we were digging trenches. 
 
 Every day we were bombarded with 105's and 150's, and every night 
 we dug with our pickaxes or we covered the ground in patrols. The 
 third night, the work being done, the order arrives to pack up and 
 move off fifteen kilometers in order to rest us from our work. Then a 
 halt in a field, rest for two hours and off again twelve kilometers, then 
 stop, auto-bus eighty kilometers and rest for a day. The next day we 
 leave at half-past five in the rain and arrive at eleven at the front 
 again, soaked to our bones, with mud in our mustaches and hair. We 
 were relieved three days before the time by order of the major, who 
 feared fatigue. I slept nine hours in seventy-six. Our departure took 
 place in the same conditions with rain. It is indeed a time to thank 
 you for your sleeping bag. It has been most useful. I do not wish to 
 cause you pain, dear Madame. I only wish to give you an idea of the 
 continual downpour that we suffer from. What would I become with- 
 out it, and I pity my poor comrades who have not got any. You say, 
 dear Madame, that you expect to receive news notwithstanding the 
 Godmother you have given me. Since yesterday I have been appointed 
 bicyclist of the brigade. 
 
 2200 — I to-day received your charming letter which I confess greatly 
 affected me. One cannot give in a more delicate fashion than you do 
 it and believe me, dear Madame, the way in which it is done cannot be 
 taught, so I am doubly grateful to you for the presents and the manner 
 in which they are given. When lately you sent me the newspaper arti- 
 cle prophesying the probable length of the war I was tempted to an- 
 swer this. Madame, we are doing and will continue to do our duty, be- 
 cause we are soldiers and Frenchmen, but you strengthen us by send- 
 ing us your hopes in helping us with your personal interest. We will 
 conquer, because in you we have kindness. I have answered you at 
 once, for we leave for the first lines to-night. I carry your letters on 
 my heart, because it is the best talisman. 
 
 2205 — I answer very late, Madame, and I ask your pardon, but we have 
 so little rest. We are working so hard and I feel pardoned in advance. 
 Since yesterday we have had several killed and wounded and by to- 
 night at all costs we must have the works ready. It is owing to the 
 kindness of a friend that I am able to write you this letter, as he has 
 given up his sleep in order to work in my place. You can count on me, 
 Madame; I will give you a large part of my thoughts, for you are good 
 to the soldiers. 
 
 41 
 
2203 — One day succeeds another. Fortunately the two first days in our 
 district have been favorable. The sun, although somewhat feeble, kept 
 company with us for some time. The nights on the other hand are cold 
 and it needs all my will power to react against five hours of watching 
 in the trenches. The body is stiff and the eyes look out into darkness. 
 Only the thought tries to guess the anguishing problem, is it for to- 
 night or for the dawn? And one looks out fascinated by the respon- 
 sibility that is confided to us to watch over your friends and to watch 
 over your country. Everybody is sleeping, except here and there the 
 outline of a gun. Every now and then a rocket of a friend or an enemy 
 lights the neighboring land. During these hours I try to guess the 
 thought of all married men, these sons and these men who also hold 
 watch over souls who also have families, children and old parents, 
 friends. Sometimes after a night or after a day I hear some complain, 
 but I am used to it all, for I know that all these suffering men are 
 Frenchmen. Let an alarm come and I will see them all rush to the 
 
 fight and the proof of this is that previous to the attack at H , 
 
 some of these chaps were growling. Well, Madame, the morning of 
 our departure yesterday, the day I wrote you, seven of these heroic 
 growlers received in front of the flag the war medal and it will always 
 be the same until the end, until victory. In case I should have the 
 right to a leave, and surely, dear Madame, I have the right to a leave, 
 it will be for me the happy chance to come and thank you in person for 
 your untiring kindness. 
 
 2207 — We have again been changing our district. My feet are bruised. 
 We made all the march on foot, the first day about twenty kilometers, 
 stopped in a village about eight o'clock at night. As this village only 
 had about forty houses and we were more than 2,000 men, it was neces- 
 sary for those who came last to find the best shelter they could. I chose 
 a dog kennel, which I had the sense to fill with hay. Unfortunately, 
 most of my legs were out under the skies; the result, cold and poor 
 sleep; the remedy against the cold, to walk up and down. That night 
 we left for the trenches, six hours' march. The work we are doing is 
 not very agreeable, although it is not the first time that we do it, but 
 it is the first time that we are executing them under such unfortunate 
 conditions, advancing trenches to eighty meters from the Germans on 
 a flat land with a clear moon with rapid-fire guns, hand grenades, gun 
 shots; some are wounded. We have been ordered to try sapping to- 
 night. To-night we will try it, for it goes quicker that way. I had 
 forgotten to mention an impression which left a deep memory in me. 
 It was on my last march. The night was falling; suddenly some houses 
 appear. It is a village. A few inhabitants, young women and children, 
 come out at the noise of the soldiers. Suddenly a door opens and two 
 old people appear, and the old lady (grandmother, no doubt) lifts up 
 her arms and says to us so softly, "Stay with us, my children," and 
 the old man shaking his head in acquiescence and in his eyes the flame 
 of pride and hope. That moment I thought that if the times permitted 
 this worthy old lady to give us this invitation and before this gesture 
 of love and pity, I understood that our cause could not become dis- 
 united and so* I turned aside my head with a cough and blew my nose 
 hard in order not to let tears appear, not that I was too old to cry, 
 seeing that it would have expressed my gratitude toward this old 
 peasant that I will never see again. I will stop for to-day, Madame. 
 Hope is with us. We are fighting for a good cause. Right gives 
 strength. 
 
 42 
 
2103 — I wish before all to thank you for having visited my little family. 
 That ray of sunshine is not for me, for the moment at least. Do not 
 think I am jealous of the happiness of those that see it every day. I 
 would give a great deal to see her for five minutes. The principle for 
 me is that she shall not lack anything, and in this respect I think I 
 am not mistaken in saying that she has the necessary, and perhaps 
 more. My brother looks like her papa. I will say that it is he who 
 brought her up since she was six months. You will see by that that 
 the child can love him and without boast perhaps, he has told you so. 
 It is he who kept her from dying, yet the little one is still in this world. 
 It is again thanks to him. He is her real mother. As for me, I am still 
 in the same place, but a very noisy place. All day long it rains, not 
 kisses, but shells with their noisy escort of hand grenades, bombs, etc., 
 not to forget torpedoes. These Germans are really people without 2 
 cents of tact, for in the morning at the very hour that Marie, that is, 
 the maid, brings our Mocha, bang! there you are. The 77's commence, 
 and at the sacred hour of the appetizer, the same total lack of educa- 
 tion. While it is their kultur, one thing pleases me, that is at night, 
 these gentlemen have a very powerful electric searchlight, and every 
 time that the spray of light travels ghosts of thick shrapnels come to 
 tell you the effect that this makes as regards noise and more as regards 
 appearance. Really, it is fairy-like. The smoke and explosion in the 
 middle of the night makes you think of the Chatelet Theatre, but it is 
 annoying, for the spectators sometimes are obliged to go to the hospital 
 or to Paradise; but what slipshod men these Germans are. This night 
 and this morning they presented us with at least 60 to 80 shells of 
 105 and 77, and for what purpose? It is enough to cry about. They 
 killed one unfortunate man and wounded four others; total, a terrific 
 noise for almost nothing. The skin of Frenchmen must cost them 
 dear. Fortunately, we will soon be going to dig them out of their holes. 
 I do not think it will be long before we attack. There are certain signs 
 about which I cannot be deceived, and on that day I hope we will know 
 what to do; whether the wooden cross or the cross of war little im- 
 ports for me. 
 
 2597 — When you receive this postcard the 400 or 500 kilometers which 
 separate me from my village will be greatly augmented. 
 
 2396-B — I am giving you somewhat late of my news. This does not mean 
 that I am forgetting the Ouvroir Holophane and the kind Manageress 
 that you are In truth, it is better to tell you that to-day I am almost 
 cured and that I will make frequent visits to 156 Boulevard Hauss- 
 mann, which is better than giving you sad news from the hospital; for 
 amongst the wounded in our halls of suffering some like me have 
 the joy of resuming life full of strength and health, how many may 
 read on the front of the hospital the description of Dante at the en- 
 trance of hell, "You who enter here give up all hope"? Anyhow, in a 
 few days I am going to leave for the unknown. I think I will ask to 
 be allowed to join the regiment for Servia. I fought for Belgium and 
 at the same time for our France. I will also fight for that poor little 
 country as well as our own. May Providence grant that I will write 
 you for a long while to come, until the victory. Madame, may my sin- 
 cere good wishes find you in your beautiful country, in that America 
 which has done so much for our nation. I beg, Madame, that you will 
 accept the respectful souvenir of your soldier. 
 
 43 
 
2385 — Through a letter written by my brother I learn that owing to 
 Madame M. you have made a present to my little girl of some toys and 
 candies. I thank you and am touched by your kindness, and hope 
 some day to be able to thank you in person. I see you are skeptical 
 about the life we are leading. I say "we" for in the clan of our regi- 
 ment I am not the only one who does not give a hang. I only regret 
 one thing, and that is that civilians are not allowed in the trenches. 
 You would see that this not caring a hang is not a myth with us. It is 
 true that some of our poilus think a little too much of their homes, 
 even I was blue for eight days for this reason. I was foolish enough to 
 mention it to my home, who promptly put me back in my right mind. 
 What you say is exactly true, and like Figaro, is to hurry to laugh so as 
 not to cry. I did once cry in Rheims, but not on account of the cathe- 
 dral, although it enraged me. I know it is beautiful and the artists 
 give way to tears, but it was because I had my feet frostbitten be- 
 cause of the cold. You will excuse me for not having before in this 
 letter asked about your health. I like to think that you see everything 
 rosy; and I am afraid, Madame, that you worry more than many of us. 
 The Ouvroir need not expect any complaint from me or from my fam- 
 ily for that matter. I will arrange that everything shall be for the best. 
 
 2383 — I received your kind letter. Impossible for the moment to answer 
 your letter. Thanks in the name of my little girl. When I can, I 
 will send you a letter unless . . . 
 
 2384 — For the moment I am moving; excuse, the shortness of this post- 
 card. I am not allowed to write more in detail. 
 
 2498 — I am 400 kilometers from my home. Greetings. 
 
 2593 — You will be surprised to receive a letter from me. You have been 
 saying to yourself that I do not think any more of you. I have not 
 forgotten you at all. Only fatigue has had a lot to do with it, and when 
 I arrive at an encampment I only ask one thing — to rest. Since the 
 12th I am like a vulgar shirker at Toulouse, more than 500 kilometers 
 from the front; but don't be afraid, I won't stay here long. I expect 
 to leave for Salonika and from there into Servia. I say I hope, for 
 having been shot in the left shoulder, I do not know whether I will 
 be able to leave with my comrades. Aside from that, all goes well. I 
 hope, dear Madame, that you are in good health, and also all the ladies 
 of the Ouvroir. I am sending a journal of the trenches which I think 
 will amuse you. 
 
 2594 — Keep on imagining right along; that is the best thing you can do 
 about the situation. When I arrived here it was Salonika which was 
 to have the honor to receive my regiment. We were to have left on the 
 19th and it was put off until the 23rd. Everybody says we are off to- 
 night. I am willing, but I am afraid that to-morrow morning we will 
 be in the same place. Through a letter from my brother I learned that 
 you have been giving presents to my little girl; also I thank you and 
 all the ladies. I hope some day, and I feel certain of it, to go and 
 thank you in person for all your kindness. As for the little girl, I will 
 
 see her when I come back from Serbia or . I thank you for your 
 
 congratulations, but why encourage me? If you only knew what a 
 fatalist I am. It is perhaps the approaching contact with the Turks 
 that has this effect. I just go ahead and let destiny accomplish itself. 
 
 44 
 
2597-B — Seated in my apartment (in Servia) I am writing you a few 
 lines. I did not receive your card asking me if I wanted anything. The 
 country in which I am is a regular Sahara, only a desert with all sorts ot 
 toboggans, rapid descents and fatiguing climbs. We had a good pas- 
 sage, better than the food, which was not wonderful. After passing 
 two days resting in a town four kilometers from Salonika, then with 
 our knapsacks on our back we boarded the train. It is unfortunate that 
 there are no wine merchants in this country of misfortune. One might 
 
 have refreshed himself on the way. We got out at K , consisting 
 
 of three houses built of mud and straw. Rivers were without water, 
 and not a tree; a civilian every 20 kilometers, and a water civilian 
 looks just like a pirate. On the 16th we were in touch with the Bul- 
 gars and since, the game goes on. They are less turbulent than the 
 Germans and especially less courageous. Nearly always on the march, 
 and the hardest part is the question of keeping in food which never ar- 
 rives, and this in a temperature five or six degrees below zero. We 
 eat frozen. At night we get out of our holes to run about when our 
 feet are frozen, and then lie down again until morning, and then we 
 go off to do some more tramping. Around here the country is ruined by 
 the war. It will be difficult for me to get used to these mountains. I 
 have need of nothing for the moment. What we are most deprived of 
 here is tobacco; cigarettes and tobacco are unfindable in this country; 
 for this reason if you could send me some. It may never arrive, be- 
 cause I have already asked for some and I have never received any. As 
 for my shoulder it is entirely healed. 
 
 2557 — I have just learned that you had left for America. I hope that 
 my letter will find you in good health. As for me, I am about to leave 
 for the front for the third, time. I am waiting until there is an expedi- 
 tion to go as volunteer. It is not a courage that is wanting, for I must 
 revenge my comrades who have fallen at the hands of these barbar- 
 ians. You can show my letter to your friends that it is a young French- 
 man of the class of 1914 who writes this way. People must not imagine 
 that France is beaten, not yet, nor is Servia. We will fly to her rescue 
 for I think that those who are most sick of the war are not the French- 
 men. We have plenty of courage and comrades left to march until 
 we obtain victory. Your Godson, A. C. 
 
 2867 — I wish to answer your kind letter which I received, also the little 
 package, for which I was very happy. You ask me for news of my 
 home. I am from Boulzicourt. My poor village has been invaded by 
 the Germans, also the whole department, and it is now 16 months that 
 I have been at the front without news of my wife and little daughters, 
 one of whom is eight years old. It is hard for a father to be without 
 news so long. I am without any resources and now the winter is on 
 for a second time and we are going to pass it on the front. In the 
 trenches where we are it is very cold and they are full of rats and fleas, 
 but we are not afraid of the Germans. I take courage and hope that 
 soon I will be able to see my wife and little girls again. If I had known 
 you earlier I would have written you last winter when I was very cold 
 and had my feet frostbitten. Thank you very much ineed for what 
 you have sent. I am very grateful. Receive, dear Madame, a good 
 handshake from the trenches 200 meters from the Germans and a thou- 
 sand times thanks for your kindness; a "poilu" from the Ardennes who 
 will never be conquered but is ready to die. P. P. 
 
 45 
 
An old soldier who has al- 
 ready been in 25 campaigns in 
 Algeria and the colonies before 
 the present war, went to the 
 front the 6th of August, 1914, 
 distinguished himself in the bat- 
 tles of January, 1915, courageous 
 and full of valor, always ready 
 for the most perilous and dim- 
 cult missions, was mentioned at 
 the battle of the 26th of May, 
 1915, where he was severely 
 wounded in leading the assault, 
 one of the first, carrying his com- 
 rades along by his fine example, 
 thanks for the generous givers — 
 he who would find to the last 
 drop of blood for the just cause. 
 
 C. D. 
 
 2972 — Just received your letter 
 which has just come from the 
 front. I have been evacuated, 
 because I received a ball in my 
 left leg and am going to the hos- 
 pital to have the ball taken out. 
 I was wounded at Forge while 
 carrying a wounded man. The 
 letter you sent me gave me much 
 pleasure to know that Madame 
 M. was anxious about my health. 
 It is only my leg that hurts. It 
 is to be hoped that it will prove 
 nothing after the operation. You 
 ask me if I need anything. I 
 have need especially of warm 
 clothing, as I am not warm in our camp barracks. I thank you for 
 your kindness and await your kind answer, especially you will tell 
 Madame M. that I wish her a good voyage and that nothing may happen 
 to her, and I will be happy if you wrote me a little, as I am doing noth- 
 ing and it would distract me. J. M. 
 
 2373 — The enemy has not left me the time to write to Madame R. A 
 210-mm. shell fell in my section, there in the ravines of S. I was 
 picked up in a pool of blood. And now I am tied to a hospital bed, 
 with two severe wounds in the right hip and the left arm. But I saw 
 the hated enemy fly. And from my stretcher, which was pursued for 
 three kilometers by machine-gun fire, I was the spectator of a proud 
 victory. 
 
 Now a great grief associates itself with this lovely memory. The 
 doctors declare that my treatment will last a long time — six months, 
 perhaps — and I shall not be able to take up my post of honor again. 
 With all the strength of my soul I pray that science is mistaken, so that 
 I may be better in two or three months and may then be able to rejoin 
 my superb heroes. Ah, Madame, our soldiers are supermen. A golden 
 temple should be raised in their honor. Those who have fallen are, in 
 my estimation, as lovely as martyrs. 
 
 46 
 
2869 — It is with pleasure that I give you some news of my home in the 
 Ardennes. Born at Sapogne-Faucheres, I had never left my district 
 and often since the age of nine I was brought up by neighbors who 
 taught me farming. At the beginning of the war only my grandparents 
 were left, who were aged eighty-nine years, and my wife, but as the 
 poor old people could not leave the country, they and my wife are with 
 the Germans for the past fifteen months. I am without any news. You 
 can see, Madame, that if I addressed myself to you, it was on account of 
 my need. 
 
 2894 — I would be very happy if you would have the kindness to send me 
 some news of my district, the town of Roubaix. Such would give me 
 great pleasure, as since October 3, 1914, I have not received any news 
 from home. J. B. L. 
 
 2901 — I have just received your letter which tells me that you received 
 the ring and the heart which I sent you and that it gave you much 
 pleasure and also, Madame, the Manageress. Here we are in a some- 
 what quiet section. We are in the middle of a wood where we live in 
 a hole dug in the earth, waiting for the hour when we will leave for 
 the front. Unfortunately, winter is interfering with operations and I 
 do not think that much will be done before spring. The hardest of all 
 is not to receive news from one's parents. G. D. 
 
 2903 — I am writing you a few lines to let you know that I am in good 
 health and hope my letter will find you the same. I wish to say that 
 I received the package and that it gave me great pleasure, especially 
 as I am in a part of the country where it is very cold. I pray God every 
 day that we may be able to return to our families. I wish to tell you 
 that there is a rumor that we may have a second leave, and I am ap- 
 pealing to you, Madame, to know if you are acquainted with some 
 charitable person who would receive me, who am an unfortunate from 
 the invaded districts. I await, Madame, an early answer to my letter, 
 for I expect to leave amongst the first, as I have not left the front 
 since the beginning of the war. A. B. 
 
 2904 — I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 20th and 
 thank you for having sent me a sweater. It has not yet arrived, but 
 will no doubt shortly, and in this bad weather will be most useful. 
 The sleeping bag renders me the greatest service. It is a most precious 
 article and I do not know how to thank you for all that you have dons 
 for me. It is hoped that good weather will come back, though we are 
 badly off in the mud and a little sun would do us good. It is true that 
 we are hardened to all sorts of weather. S. B. 
 
 2924 — I am writing you this postcard to ask you why you have not 
 answered me. I am awaiting your answer S.V.P., Madame. 
 (S. V. P. is French abbreviation for "if you please.") 
 
 2952 — It is with emphasis that I wish to thank the kind givers who by 
 their gifts of warm clothing prevent me from suffering from the cold 
 and also to realize the great generosity of America. M. R. 
 
 2954 — I am sending you my greetings from the trenches to tell you 
 that the weather is very bad and that it is always with courage that we 
 march to defend our dear France. I am sending you my affectionate 
 greetings. L. L. 
 
 47 
 
3127 — As the new year is here, I come to offer my prayers and wishes 
 for happiness to you and at the same time thank you for the package 
 you gave me last July. Thank you for all your kindness. J. C. 
 
 3128 — Just a few words to send you my best wishes for the new year 
 which is coming and hope that it will bring us peace. We are very un- 
 comfortable, for we have a terrible district, so dirty. We have mud up 
 to our knees and one has to stay in it eight days at a time. It is very 
 cold, especially as I only have a shirt and coat on me. Since we arrived 
 in this district, it has not stopped raining or snowing. While awaiting 
 news from you, please receive, Madame, my friendly greetings. J. P. 
 
 3129 — I am very happy to send you news of myself. I continue to be 
 in very good health and I hope that you, Madame, are the same. I am 
 taking advantage of the fine day to send you my best wishes for a Happy 
 New Year and to wish you good health, and I beg that you will convey 
 the same to the other ladies. I end this short letter by sending you my 
 best compliments and assuring you of my deepest respect. C. B. 
 
 3131 — Please receive from a soldier the best wishes for a good and 
 Happy New Year, which I send from the bottom of my heart for your 
 happiness. G. S. 
 
 3132 — On the occasion of the new year I hasten to send you my best 
 wishes for a happy new year for peace and for happiness. I also wish 
 to thank you for all the kindness you have shown to my children. 
 
 G. E. 
 
 3133 — Permit me to send to you and also to all the kind people who are 
 devoting themselves to helping our poor soldiers from the invaded dis- 
 tricts my best wishes for a good and Happy New Year, and especially 
 for good health and a long life of happiness, also for a victorious peace 
 which will render France and the Allies nobler. Let me thank you 
 again for your fine sweater which you gave me when I came to you to 
 pay my little visit on my leave. Thanks also for the warm pair of socks 
 and the gloves. During these cold days I have been warm. Indeed, my 
 kind benefactress, I thank you very much, for in these moments we do 
 not know what has become of our wives and children, and it is very com- 
 forting to receive these things which are so necessary. Whilst awaiting 
 happier days, please receive, kind ladies, my sincerest salutations. 
 
 D. M. 
 
 3121 — Having received the package which you gave my wife to send me 
 with the shirt and the pair of socks, I send you my best thanks, for 
 at this moment one is very happy to have warm underclothing and it 
 shows a great kindness of soul on your part to come to the help of poor 
 soldiers who are unfortunately separated from their families in these 
 sad times. It makes us happy to know therje are kind people who try to 
 soften a little the hard roads we are travelling in our present lives. 
 
 L. P. 
 
 3123 — I am taking the liberty of writing you these lines to thank you 
 for the comfort I got from you during my short stay and I think that 
 if I obtain another leave I will not try to go anywhere else, for you 
 know our iife is just at present a very hard one. E. L. 
 
 3124 — It is as a pleasure and duty on arriving at my depot to write 
 and thank you for your nice gift of underclothing which you gave me 
 during my short leave. With this letter go my best wishes for your 
 health and for a Happy New Year. E. A. 
 
 48 
 
3125 — It is with great pleasure and a lively joy that I have just re- 
 ceived your good and useful package of warm woolen underclothes and 
 other small comforts which accompanied them. I thank you with all 
 my heart, for one is indeed happy and contented to feel that one is 
 not forgotten in these unhappy days of sorrow and especially for us 
 from the Ardennes who have had no news from our families, who have 
 stayed under the domination of the Germans. We have never received 
 the least word of comfort from our parents and one is most happy when 
 a work as fine as yours tries to render our life less hard for us poor 
 orphans of the war, for that gives us courage and we have need of this 
 to help us finish victoriously the war in order to protect the lives of the 
 old and feeble in our dear France. I would like to tell you my life since 
 the beginning of the war, but it would be too long and it might make 
 you too sad, which must not be, for we all know that victory lies in 
 these words — "courage and patience." Now, my dear lady, I end by 
 wishing you and those who are co-operating with you in your fine work, 
 all my respects and my deepest affection, and a long life in order that 
 your hearts may continue to alleviate and comfort the unfortunate 
 children without families, from the invaded countries. To all your 
 associates my best thanks and I wish you all good health. From far 
 off in Alsace, I bid you good-bye. L. N. 
 
 3110 — By this postcard I send you my greetings and my thanks for the 
 little package which you had the kindness to give me during my leave 
 lately passed in Paris, and as you told me in case I needed certain 
 things, to write, I am asking you a service, that is, that I may have a 
 scarf. You would render me a great service in giving me one, for it is 
 very cold, and also a little chocolate and a sweater. A. C. 
 
 3016 — Now with the new year coming I do not wish to let it pass with- 
 out having sent you my wishes for happiness and prosperity. I thank 
 you for your generous gifts, which are always most welcome, and that 
 you can count on us for having a successful end of this war. Yes, count 
 on us getting the better of our enemies. L. S. 
 
 3003 — Once more back with my regiment, I wish to thank you for your 
 generosity and whether my life be short or long, I shall remember the 
 service you rendered to me. Whilst awaiting my departure to the 
 trenches I wish, Madame, the Presidentess and the ladies a joyful 
 Christmas in return for the services you are rendering to the soldiers 
 of the invaded districts. I beg you, Madame, to accept my wishes for a 
 Good and Happy New Year for you and for all the ladies who are so 
 devoted to us. J. S. 
 
 3004 — I thank you very sincerely for the delightful postcard that you 
 sent me and you may be certain that I will keep you in mind as a 
 precious souvenir. I wish to say that so far it has been impossible to 
 leave because of supplies, but now I am certain to leave with the first 
 reinforcements. It is always with courage and hope that I await this 
 reinforcement in order to leave the third time to do my duty, whether 
 in France or elsewhere. 1 hope that when I am in the trenches you will 
 have returned, and from time to time I will write to the Ouvroir Holo- 
 plane, and that you will give me your news, for your postcards give me 
 much pleasure and it will be with joy that I learn of your return. You 
 are quite right to try to find money for our dear France and her de- 
 fenders, for everywhere in America as elsewhere they will soon see that 
 we are going to be the conquerors. A. C. 
 
 49 
 
1961 — I wish to confirm by this 
 letter the little interview, I had 
 the honor of having with you 
 during my visit to Paris. 
 
 I can assure you that our 
 spirits are excellent in every 
 way. One must live this life to 
 be able to understand it. As for 
 us, we await with unlimited con- 
 fidence the end of this war, for 
 it may last a long time still; we 
 accept all with courage and con- 
 fidence, certain that we shall 
 come out victorious. It is no 
 good talking to us at present of 
 an "honorable peace"; be sure of 
 us, we will not hear of it. To 
 the last soldier, we will fight to 
 the end. 
 
 One thing before all. I 
 know something about the 
 spirits of the men. The longer 
 the war lasts, the more hardened 
 we shall be and the better our 
 spirits. I cannot express myself 
 in any other way; one must live 
 amongst us to understand. We 
 love our chiefs, and they love 
 us. What more could you want? 
 The French army is a big fam- 
 ily, and we keep well in touch 
 with one another, and that is the 
 principal thing. 
 
 €20 — I have just received your letter. I am very happy to receive news 
 and it is not only a pleasure, but a duty to answer. I do not know by 
 your letter if you have received mine with thanks for the package 
 which you sent me with the mask. Anyhow, thanks again, as it has 
 been most useful. Fortunately we hold firmly, and he who laughs last 
 laughs best. We suffer a great deal and run many dangers, but we 
 have most of the amusements. We send them bombs and hand 
 grenades. I saw several of my comrades fall, which made me feel very 
 badly, tmt I did not stop, and I became more and more resolved to 
 avenge them. I have become skilled in throwing hand grenades and 
 each time I succeed, and one sees arms and legs flying in the air. If 
 it were in time of peace we would be punished, but in war time we 
 are praised. 
 
 Just imagine, dear friends, that I have asked permission to come 
 to Paris. If I tell you this, it is because I shall profit of it and come 
 and see you. If there should be any indiscretion on my part in doing 
 this, please have the kindness to let me know. 
 
 Awaiting your answer, please receive a poilu's eternal gratitude. 
 
 50 
 
0954 — F. D. living at Mazier, in invaded district, married, father of 
 three children, miner, and without news of his family and without 
 resources, is actually a drummer since the beginning of the campaign, 
 has the honor to solicit your kindness for a little help. F. D. 
 
 618 — I have already thanked you for the present you have made to me, 
 who am without news or resources of my family. Therefore I wish 
 you to know that they are most useful to me, and the change of socks 
 and the tobacco with which I can tease the Prussians who are in front 
 of me by puffing up the smoke, and again I do not know how to express 
 myself in order to thank you for your generosity. When I think that 
 I am fighting to defend people like you, it gives me courage and I feel 
 renewed ardor, and I am so happy now, for we are marching to victory 
 which cannot be put off much longer. I wish you could see what 
 courage we have. All Frenchmen know no obstacles. We rush to the 
 assault singing the Marseillaise without bothering about the death that 
 may be awaiting us. God has watched over me since the beginning of 
 the war. I am sure that He will lead me up to the walls of Berlin, but 
 we will always fight loyally. We will not act like the Germans and 
 assassinate women, old men and children. I would like to do the im- 
 possible, but I have the great hope that our father Joffre will lead us 
 by the road that he knows and when we are through with them, I hope 
 to have the happiness to come in person, to thank you for your kind- 
 ness. Please believe in my sincere gratitude, my good thoughts and 
 sincere affection. 
 
 619 — I have just received the lovely package that you sent me. It is 
 really too good and I will never have enough gratitude for so much 
 kindness, for it is a joy to receive such presents. I must tell you that 
 now I am in the trenches very near the enemy, and even though it is 
 night, the Germans can hear us working and do not spare the bullets, 
 but so far I have received nothing, fortunately for me. Your mask 
 will render me service, for now I fear they will be sending asphyxiat- 
 ing gas and with it I can go and throw hand grenades without being 
 asphyxiated. Here we are all working in the hopes of a big victory 
 and it seems to me that it is coming near. I do not think they will 
 remain much longer in their trenches, if you only knew how many 
 shells we send them, and if we lose men, I assure you on their side they 
 lose the double. If there has not yet been a ball for me, I have great 
 hopes that there will not be one and that I will have the happiness to 
 come and thank you after the victory, and then go to embrace my fam- 
 ily, who also must be suffering. Now, dear Madame, I hope you will 
 accept my most respectful homages and my thanks to your kind heart. 
 
 2988 — I write you a few lines to say that I am in good health and hope 
 this will find you the same. I wish to thank you very much for the 
 package you have sent me, which gave me much pleasure. I wish to say 
 that it is not necessary to come back to Paris on leave to see the attrac- 
 tions, as we can see moving-pictures three kilometers from the front. 
 It is a moving-picture arrangement on wheels. The machine is mounted 
 on an automobile and run by two marines. The show takes place in a 
 barn and it is as good a representation as in Paris, and we see the 
 views of Pathe Brothers. It is very fine. F. B. 
 
 51 
 
2928 — Excuse the liberty I am taking in writing you this letter, fear- 
 ing that you have not received my first letter having been badly ad- 
 dressed in which I let you know that having been at the front since 
 the beginning of the war, I have learned that you send little packages 
 to needy soldiers. I wish to recommend myself to you, as not daring 
 to ask anything from my poor wife whom I have left with two children 
 and who has only her allowance (45 cents a day) given her by the 
 Mayor for food. A. M. 
 
 621 — I have just received your letter, which gave me much pleasure. I 
 Lad had the intention of coming to Paris to see my corporal, who is a 
 brother to me, and who for a year has been in the hospital, but he has 
 written to me that he is leaving this week, in order to pass the examina- 
 tion for being discharged from the service. Being in doubt, I do not 
 know what to do. I did so want to see him and come with him to 
 thank you for all your kindness to me, but I am afraid to arrive in 
 Paris and find myself alone, and not knowing where to go to sleep or to 
 get food. It would have been easy with him, because he said to come 
 and I could sleep with him at the hospital. However, it may not be 
 too late. If my friend does not go for a few days, it may yet be time 
 to let me know, and I assure you that I will come with all my heart to 
 tell you personally my feelings. It would be a great pleasure for me 
 to make the acquaintance of your good Manageress and also, please, 
 in my name, present to Madame M. my respects. 
 
 621-B — I have just received your letter, which touched me very much, 
 because of the interest that you showed me and I shall be too happy 
 to pay you a visit and accept the hospitality you offer me. I assure you 
 that it is a great consolation when we soldiers receive from an un- 
 known Godmother with a big heart the generous offer to receive one 
 and so I will do everything in my power to come to pass a few days 
 with you. I expect to come in about two weeks. I cannot tell you the 
 exact date, because you know we are never notified in advance. 
 
 S386 — Here I am, back again with my comrades in arms, very happy to 
 see each other and generally in good health, and in order to celebrate 
 ray return, everybody sang. The Germans answered, but their songs 
 are ugly and one does not understand anything, but we will soon make 
 • hem understand what we wish. I see that I am joking and your time 
 no doubt does not permit you to read long letters, but know the good 
 souvenir that I have in having been so well received by you and those 
 who help you. I will never be able to express all my gratitude. If 
 you only knew how happy I am to see so much enthusiasm and 
 grandeur of soul and therefore in the name of my comrades whom you 
 are protecting, I say thank you. Only God can recompense you. God 
 is great, for He has made of you an angel who brings to the heart of 
 those who fight, courage and hope. As for me, I do not give a rap for 
 the name. I only have one idea and that is to make a return to you 
 by my devotion in chasing these Germans from our dear country. That 
 is the only proof of my gratitude, for in chasing them out, I am sav- 
 ing France and the big hearts that it includes. I cannot say anything 
 more, for the order has just arrived that we are to blow up the German 
 trench and I assure you it will be blown up, or I will stay there myself. 
 I beg you, benefactress, to receive from a true Frenchman his most re- 
 spectful thoughts and thanks, and please remember me to the good 
 souvenir of all the ladies. 
 
 52 
 
2854 — I am writing you a few 
 words to say that I left the hos- 
 pital on the 20th to return as a 
 convalescent to my family for 45 
 days. I want to tell you, 
 Madame, that I was very happy 
 to find my little family well, 
 especially the youngest one, who 
 has grown and speaks very well. 
 Now, Madame, having always 
 promised that my first visit on 
 arrival in Paris would be to you, 
 I hastened to call the day before 
 yesterday. I went to the 
 Ouvroir. I saw the ladies there 
 who received me warmly and 
 with kindness, but I had the dis- 
 agreeable surprise not to find 
 you. However, that will be for 
 some time later. That is why, 
 Madame, I hasten to write you 
 to tell you that my health is good 
 and also that all my children and 
 wife are well, and that later I 
 may have the happiness to see you and to thank you in person. (Had 
 been seriously wounded and not expected to recover.) H. L. 
 
 3005 — On the line of fire. Excuse me if I have delayed in giving you 
 news of myself to thank you for what you have done for me. I always 
 receive news of my Godfather and Godmother, and they take good care 
 of me and I am very happy to have them to comfort me. As for me, I 
 continue in the trenches and my health is of the best. Unfortunately, 
 the cold weather is not good for my wounds and they make me suffer 
 very much. We paddle around in mud and are covered with it from 
 head to foot. However, it cannot be helped. It must be, and it is only 
 with patience and courage that we will manage to conquer these Ger- 
 mans. Since I last wrote you a new misfortune has happened to me, 
 for in the third attack of October 30th, my brother was made a prisoner. 
 He has let me know that he was in Germany and had no bread. It is 
 sad to learn such things. E. L. 
 
 3017 — On the occasion of the new year, permit me to send you my best 
 greetings and good wishes. The most beautiful flowers I could send 
 you are on this postcard, that is to say, the emblem of the Allies' flags. 
 We are hopeful that we will come out conquerors in this war in the 
 year 1916. An old poilu who is filled with gratitude toward you. J. j; 
 
 3021 — It is long since I received any news from you. I would like to 
 know if you have come back. Therefore send me some news at once. 
 I have changed my regiment and am very pleased, for I am on a regi- 
 ment that is about to leave soon with courage -and hope, and I leave 
 with pleasure at being able to again be useful. I continue in good 
 health, but life in the depot is not amusing. Let me know if you have 
 come back, for it is winter now and I will need some underclothing. I 
 am always without news of my sister. I hope this letter will find you 
 in good health. A. C. 
 
 53 
 
■2775 — Excuse me for the last time I did not write you in my own hand- 
 writing. I will tell you the reason. For several weeks we have been 
 at the front and we do not cease working. I am a pioneer, that is to 
 say, I have to fasten up barbed wire in front of conquered trenches. 
 This work is of course done at night and so my hands were cut up a 
 little all over, so that I could not hold anything in my hand, and I did 
 not wish to leave the front in order to be cared for, for while I was 
 working, the Germans bombarded us and wounded several of my com- 
 rades and as I knew that we were to be attacked, I wished to partici- 
 pate, if only to avenge those who had fallen. I assure you that I did 
 not spare my hand grenades, which did not advance my healing, and 
 that is why I had a comrade write you. Now that I am all right, I can 
 write you and I do it with pleasure. I do not know when we will be 
 relieved, for now it is six weeks that we have been in the first line. I 
 am here in a comfortable hole like a rat, but sheltered from their shells. 
 However, now, dear Madame, winter is coming and I assure you that I 
 am beginning to feel the cold, for I have not good socks and my feet 
 soon get cold. It is some consolation to know that my comrades are 
 like me, without family, and bear courageously their lot. If you could 
 come to my help, I would be very grateful, although I hope you do not 
 doubt of my gratitude for all the gifts that you have so generously 
 made me. 
 
 3022 — I have just received your package and I thank you very much as 
 I have received no news from my home. I thank you a thousand times 
 and I will tell you it is very sad to have no news of my wife and chil- 
 dren, or of my father and mother. I am well and I hope this postcard 
 will find you the same. P. H. 
 
 2835 — I hasten to answer your good letter. So glad you received my 
 last letter. I am delighted and proud at the same time of the good 
 opinion you have of me. I do not deserve such praise, for I am only 
 doing what all good Frenchmen do — their duty; but if I come out of 
 it, it is because God does not want me, and I thank Him; but after all, 
 I want to see those I left again, but I continue to talk and I see that 
 time is passing and night is coming. We must prepare to blow up our 
 mine, before the Germans blow up theirs, for we have heard them, knock- 
 ing and while I am resting a little, my comrades are digging hard. If we 
 succeed in this one, the Germans will have a bad turn. It is a pleas- 
 ure to blow them up. We are now fifty days in the same place. I do 
 not know when we will be relieved. As far as I am concerned, if it 
 was not for the cold that is coming I do not complain, and everybody 
 has not the chance to live under the skies and to be in a perpetual state 
 of celebration, for we have fireworks without limit. When we give a 
 concert the Germans are not admitted. They only have the right to 
 dance to the tune of our 75's. If I joke, it is because my character is 
 rather gay, and one soon finishes by ceasing to be careful. It is a 
 TQatter of habit. You asked me, dear Madame, if I have a vest. That 
 would be welcome and if by chance you have some good woolen socks, 
 for I suffer very much in my feet, and I fear lest they be frostbitten. 
 I am more afraid of that than the enemy, for I would be forced to 
 leave the front and say good-bye to my comrades. Please send all my 
 news to kind Madame M. and tell her how great is my gratitude, also 
 to all your good folks, and receive my respectful thoughts. 
 
 54 
 
2863 — Forgive me for not sending you a card for St. Catharine. I 
 was out too late. I am always waiting at the depot to be sent to the 
 front again, but it does not come quickly. I shake your hand cordially. 
 Your Godson who thinks of you, A. C. 
 
 3024 — I am answering your letter which I have just received which gave 
 me great pleasure to know that you are in good health. As for me, I 
 am very well, excepting that the weather is very bad. There is snow 
 and rain, and it is very hard for us at this moment, for we are always 
 wet to our bones. You ask me what would please me the most. Well, 
 it is a pair of wooden sabots or galoshes, for it is principally in the 
 feet that one is cold. I would like also a pair of socks; if you could, 
 T>ut in some sweets, for it is New Year's Day, you see, and we are little 
 chaps. I hope you will not be angry for what I am asking. L. B. 
 
 1362 — Here I am at the front. We are having terrible rain. Nothing 
 seems to be changed. Always the sound of cannon around us. I am 
 going to ask my comrades, the most unhappy ones, to write you, so 
 that you in your generosity can help them as you have helped me. 
 IVIyself as well as Madame G., my wife, and our children — we will always 
 remain intimate friends towards you, for your kind heart and thank 
 you infinitely as well as Mademoiselle Julie. I beg you to give her 
 greeting for me and to thank her, too. There is nothing very interest- 
 ing in the trenches just at present. 
 
 Good-bye, Mr. and Mrs. M. F. G. 
 
 Who thinks of you at the same time that he thinks of his little 
 family, and who has the kindest recollections of you. 
 
 2378 — I write you these few lines to let you know that I come out of 
 the hospital Monday. Then I go to the depot to get my permission and 
 you can expect me from Monday at the station, for I know nothing of 
 Paris, therefore dear Madame, so that you will know me I am going to 
 tell you how I am. I am dressed in a gray uniform, gray coat with 
 two black braids and black braids on my trousers, a blue knapsack on 
 my back. I am young, I have no mustache and rather pale complexion. 
 There is nothing exciting to tell you about, but I send you my kind 
 regards. A. L. 
 
 2420 — I am always at the depot, which does not please me. It is not 
 that one is not comfortable, but I would much rather be at the front 
 fighting. If you can send me a pocket-knife, a pair of socks and a 
 pocket-handkerchief, I would be very grateful. As soon as I receive 
 this little parcel I hope to start at once for the front. I send you my 
 affectionate regards. A. C. 
 
 2394 — As you desire that I call you by this name, it makes me very 
 happy. I thank you with all my heart for what you have sent me. I 
 l:ave not received the package yet, but I am awaiting it with the great- 
 est impatience; hope it will arrive soon. I am sorry that Miss L. could 
 not write to me and I hope that you will not put me aside, and that 
 you will write to me some. So happy that you are going to send 
 me some books and I thank you, Madame M., for your devotion and 
 your permission to call you dear Godmother. It is such a comfort. I 
 thank you equally for your efforts to get me news of my dear wife. I 
 only hope you will succeed. I await impatiently a letter from you. 
 Please receive, d«ar Godmother, all my friendship. G. L. 
 
 55 
 
3023 — It gives me pleasure to let you know that I lately received a good 
 letter from my wife with a photograph of my dear Suzanne. Both are 
 in good health, also all my family. Her letter came through Holland. 
 I am very happy to receive such comforting news. I am still at my 
 depot and as well as possible. I expect to leave soon for the trenches 
 and hope again to come out all right, and for an early victory. H. B. 
 
 2855 — Please excuse me if for some time I have not sent you any news, 
 which, however, are very good, and I hope that you continue well, not- 
 withstanding the fatigue that our soldiers must give you. On my 
 side, I am well, notwithstanding the severe cold which we are having, 
 so that our feet are at times almost frozen. The essential thing is that 
 ever since the already distant time of the mobilization, and ever since 
 the beginning we have been well fed and we have had means for warm- 
 ing ourselves during winter weather. In a word, our France is not ex- 
 hausted as far as resources go, and that is why, dear Madame, that with 
 your help and co-operation as well as that of your lady compatriots, 
 the little French soldier walks firmly and has an excellent morale. 
 
 O. 
 
 2898 — I have just received your letter. To begin with, I am not very 
 cheerful just now, because I have come out of the hospital after an 
 illness. I thank you sincerely for your great pity for me and for your 
 interest in me. I thank you a thousand times for your generosity and 
 I beg you to believe that I will never forget it. Later, I intend to write 
 you a long letter giving you my impressions of the war — all that I have 
 seen and all that I have done. This exchange of letters between us 
 will be a comfort to me for all the hardships I have gone through. I 
 will be very explicit on the subject, but I will give you this news in a 
 manner that will make you very happy. I end my letter in promising 
 to write you a much better one when I am a little stronger. Mean- 
 while, please receive my most respectful compliments and my 
 salutations. E. T. 
 
 P. S.— I have just received a little package with pencil and some 
 cake and I am very pleased. I beg you to believe it. He who will never 
 forget you. 
 
 2902 — I am in good health and I hope you are the same. I send you a 
 view of the church St. Elio at Dunkirk. This church was a victim 
 of the Bodies. I hope to come to see you to wish you a Happy New Year. 
 Your devoted friend, V. D. 
 
 2371 — Just a few words to reassure you. I hope that you are satisfied, 
 because the official reports must have announced it to you. At this 
 moment we are bivouacing, although without straw, and on damp and 
 frozen ground. Nevertheless, we are happy. It is very cold, especially 
 at night, and even our feet are like two pieces of wood. We build big 
 fires to warm up. The hard thing is to get to sleep, for the dampness 
 penetrates to one's marrow. Yesterday on march, my knees gave out. 
 To-day they are all right. The best remedy for all this is joking. We 
 laugh at our misfortunes rather than cry about them: 
 
 2907 — I write to thank you for the package you gave me during my 
 permission in Paris and to tell you that I am well. I am always with- 
 out news of my poor family. I am going to write to the Minister of 
 Foreign Affairs to ask if he can't get any news for me. Once more I 
 thank you. J. P. 
 
 56 
 
I received your charming letter. I will willingly write Madame R. 
 I am never tired of saying that France is fighting for justice, for a 
 noble cause. Not one man has weakened. We all see the victory as the 
 result of our terrible trials. Here in the trenches where we face death 
 in the rain and cold, face it with our heads up and our minds tranquil, 
 trenches broken under an avalanche of bombs, shrapnel, and all the 
 Teuton inventions, crushing, mutilating and annihilating humanity. 
 Moments when we think of our loved ones at home; this life we accept 
 cheerfully as a necessary duty, knowing that from this sacrifice freely 
 given will spring the source, free and powerful, to liberate the entire 
 human race from the military oppression. 
 
 I have expressed so badly what I wish to say. Please forgive me 
 and believe in my grateful devotion. 
 
 2929 — Being from Wognihies, my district being invaded since August 
 25, 1914, I am without news of my wife and children, my parents, 
 brothers and sisters, and therefore without resources. I have been 
 wounded and ill and I am at this moment at my depot. I expect to 
 leave here in about two weeks for Servia, to which place my regiment 
 has already gone, so if you can, please send me a little package, as 
 winter is coming rapidly and I need cotton socks. Therefore I would 
 be grateful if you could do something for me. H. D. 
 
 2903 — I write you these few words to let you know I am w T ell. I re- 
 ceived the package you sent, with great pleasure, particularly as I am 
 in a country where it is very cold. I pray God every day to let me 
 find my family alive at the end of the war. I must tell you that I am 
 to have another permission. Can you not find some charitable person 
 who would let me stay with them for the four days? It is so sad for 
 the unhappy soldiers from the invaded districts. I await a response to 
 my letter, as I am to go one of the first, when you think that I have 
 never left the trenches since the beginning of the war. 
 
 Receive my sincere salutations. A. B. 
 
 2859 — I have just received your letter asking me if my Godmother 
 takes good care of me. The only thing I can tell you is that I never have 
 been so happy since the beginning of the war. I was so alone and no- 
 body bothered about me or wrote to me. Now the time is so much less 
 long to me. My Godmother sends me from time to time a package. I 
 iust have received one to-day. She writes to me sometimes twice a 
 week. She seems very kind and has been of the greatest help to me 
 and I am very grateful to you for finding a Godmother for me. I have 
 changed my secteur. Unhappily, the trenches are full of water and 
 wet above our ankles. I am in good health, however, and I hope that 
 you are the same. Believe in my gratitude. A. W. 
 
 1779 — I write you these few lines to let you know I am still well and 
 hoping you are the same. I just received your letter saying that you. 
 have arranged for me to stay in somebody's house in Paris for a little 
 holiday. I saw the address on the letter, dear Mrs. M., and it was 
 signed by the General Secretary and the Police Commission. It is very 
 cold in the trenches now. Could you send me a shirt, as I am very 
 cold? As soon as I know when I come on my permission I will let you 
 know and come and see you. I expect to see you very soon. Mean- 
 while, I shake you cordially by the hand. 
 
 57 
 
LETTERS FROM SOLDIERS' WIVES 
 
 1475 — Having heard of your devotion to the soldiers who are at the 
 front, I come to ask you if you would kindly have something given to- 
 me from the Ouvroir for my husband, who has been with the army since- 
 the first days of the war. I am a refugee from Arras, with my three 
 children, and my house there has been completely destroyed by the 
 bombardment. 
 
 172 — I send you these few lines to give you news of me, which are now 
 a little better, both of myself and of my little boy. I must tell you that 
 I have sent the things you gave me to my husband. Madame, I think- 
 that you will not desert me. I finish my letter by a handshake. 
 
 1886 — By the present I wish to address to you all my thanks. Mile. 
 J. has given me some socks for my children and I wish to thank you 
 also for all the nice little things which have been given me and which 
 have rendered me great service. 
 
 1120 — Let me thank you for your kindness on my account, not daring 
 to do it by word of mouth. You are good, very good; you give with tact, 
 with delicacy. The offer of tea has touched me, that proves that you 
 do not treat me as one generally treats workwomen, for you see, dear 
 Madame, I am in vain poor, I shall always have my birth; that is why 
 I cannot decide to go to an ordinary Ouvroir. 
 
 I am very unhappy; I have been very rich, of a great family, mar- 
 ried to a good-for-nothing who sold to my last piece of furniture. I 
 must work to live; now that I am old and have a weak heart. There 
 have been days when I have fainted in the street from great weakness, 
 owing to want of food. It is sad, it is humiliating to have to confess, 
 certain things, but I have been able to judge of your kind heart. 
 
 58 
 
(Letters from Madame B., whose husband was a member of 
 Odeon Theatre) 
 
 1769 — I am writing you to ask you to let me sew for you, making shirts 
 for the soldiers. This is how I am situated. My husband, a member 
 of the Odeon Theatre, has been at the front since the beginning of the 
 war. Up to February, the theatre helped me. Since that time I have 
 been obliged to live on twenty-five cents a day. I have never lived on 
 that amount of money and I find it impossible. I am an artist myself, 
 a pupil of Silvain. I have not been able to find any engagement since 
 the war began, neither any lessons. I am recommended by Paul Monnet 
 and Silvain, members of the Comedie Franchise. They were witnesses 
 at my marriage to my husband. In the hopes that you can help me, t 
 beg to thank you most sincerely. Madame B. 
 
 2380 — I have heard how kindly and sympathetically you feel towards 
 all those who suffered by the war, but I could not imagine that I would 
 be so well received as I was. I am still surprised and can hardly be- 
 lieve it possible. It is like sending a fairy Godmother. Cannot tell 
 you how grateful I am to you for your help, and words seem insuf- 
 ficient. I have written the lady you sent me to and although I am 
 rather nervous, still I am sure as you sent me, that she will be kind. 
 I am sure you would not send me to anybody who would be less kind 
 than yourself. I hope on my visit to find the same sympathy I found 
 in you. A thousand thanks. Yours devotedly, Madame B. 
 
 (Letter from her husband) 
 
 2381 — I do not know what words to use to thank you for all the kind- 
 ness you have shown my wife and myself. We were in such pitiable 
 condition and your charity and kindness have given us new life. My 
 wife only asks for work to permit her to exist, but you did more than 
 that and occupied yourself personally with her troubles and even were 
 troubled to know if I needed clothing. You gave to my wife several 
 warm garments, which were an actual necessity and I acknowledge 
 that they gave me the greatest pleasure. I feel very rich in clothes 
 now. I assure you that finding supposedly society women who take the 
 trouble to encourage us in addition to the material help they give, we 
 find most helpful. As I am not in the front trenches, but the com- 
 missariat occupies most of my time, I perhaps would not interest other 
 people, but the interest that you have shown to us makes me forget my 
 sadness. The sleepless nights that I pass carrying food into the front 
 trenches in the snow or rain, the orders which are carried out at night 
 on foot or by bicycle in the cold and wet, in the midst of all this, our 
 anxiety concerning our wives and children — perhaps this may make 
 you realize what comfort it is for us at the thought that they are not 
 alone — that there are kindly people who try to comfort them and 
 encourage them, at the same time enabling them to live. I thank you 
 with all my heart and I am only awaiting an occasion to tell you myself 
 how grateful I am to you. R. B. 
 
 May this letter, written the last of the year, convey to you for 
 the new year much joy and happiness on this New Year's day when 
 families love to be united. You, Madame, have only thought of cour- 
 ageously doing all for alleviating the sorrows and sufferings of our 
 poor country so cruelly tried. May it at the same time, Madame, per- 
 mit you to see what is in my heart as regards yourself, that is, that 
 God may preserve you for many long and happy years, for there will 
 also be years filled with kindness for those who surround you. J. G. 
 
 59 
 
I promised to send you the names of our Ardennes villages not 
 affected, I ought to say not destroyed. Here are some particulars. . . . 
 I am very grateful to my friend, Mile. H. S., for having introduced me 
 to you. I have very pleasant memories of our meeting and am greatly 
 touched by the sympathetic reception you gave me and my little girl. 
 
 France and America are sisters in their strong desire for liberty 
 and in their respect for hereditary discipline. Both think that tradition 
 does not exclude progress, but enlightens it. 
 
 I hope, Madame, to have the honor of seeing you this winter. Let 
 me express, in the meanwhile, my great admiration for your work. 
 
 1677 — Having heard from my husband, who has been at the front since 
 the beginning of the war, that you are very kind to the families de- 
 prived of their supporter, I wish to appeal to your kindness. I am left 
 with five little children and I have nothing but my Govef nment allow- 
 ance. I have a daughter of seven, a boy of five, another of four, a sec- 
 end daughter of two and a half, and another little girl who was born 
 on April 4, just eight months after my husband's departure. You may 
 imagine my situation. 
 
 Above all, I have not been able to grow vegetables, for in the plant- 
 ing season, I was short of money, and I must therefore buy everything. 
 
 It is dreadful to think that I am doing nothing, for I am not well, 
 especially after the birth of my last child, when I was not well tended. 
 And we live in a district where, since the beginning of the war, not 
 even a loaf of bread has been given out. 
 
 The children must now go to school. I have three children to shoe 
 and clothe and to buy aprons for. I dare not think of it. The whole 
 month long, we must eat dry bread only, and everything is so dear. 
 
 This is my situation, and it is dreadful. I cannot say how grate- 
 ful I should be if you could give me some help, Madame. 
 
 1592 — I have just heard that you send parcels to the soldiers at the 
 front, so I take the liberty of recommending my husband to you. I am 
 a refugee from Soissons and I have four little children, the eldest of 
 whom is only ten. I pay five francs a week for my room and I have 
 enly my Government allowance to live on, so you will understand that 
 J cannot buy anything at present. All my children are barefooted; 
 I have no change of clothes for them. If you could do something for 
 my husband! He has been home for five days, and I could not give him 
 anything to take back to the front. I should be as grateful as he for 
 the good you do him, for during the year he has been separated from 
 us, no one has given him any assistance. 
 
 1564 — I have heard that you are kind to the soldiers, and that is why 
 I take the liberty of telling you of my misfortunes. 
 
 My husband was wounded in September, 1914, at the battle of 
 Senlis, and has now returned to his depot in Bretagne. I have an un- 
 married brother who was wounded at the same time, and another, also 
 unmarried, who has been at the front since the beginning of the war. 
 My mother died last December. We are two sisters, whose husbands 
 are both wounded. In order to be able to send them a few things, I 
 work a little, but I suffer from pains in the head. I have a ten-year-old 
 daughter and it is at present very difficult to make both ends meet. 
 That is why I take the liberty of writing to you to ask if you can do 
 anything for one of our dear soldiers. 
 
 60 
 
I come to thank you in these few words for all the benefits you 
 have showered on us, on my children as well as on my husband; by 
 your little presents and your consoling words while he was at the front. 
 But, Madame, his letters tell me always that his first visit after having 
 embraced his family will be to the Holophane Ouvroir to thank all the 
 ladies there. 
 
 As for me, Madame, I was very sad the other day on leaving the 
 Ouvroir, not to find you to thank you by word of mouth. That is why 
 I now send you these few words to thank you very sincerely for your 
 kindness towards me and my children. In the meanwhile, I hope to have 
 the pleasure of thanking you personally. 
 
 I had heard often how kindly you receive the victims of the war, 
 but I could never have hoped to see my request for work received in 
 such a delicate and charming fashion. I am still quite full of surprise 
 and doubt, in spite of all the happiness I have had in meeting a fairy 
 "Misery Dispeller" who is willing to help me out of my difficulties. 
 
 I cannot tell you how very grateful I am to you for your kindness 
 and your charity. I regret only one thing, that is that I cannot show 
 you my sentiments but in very clumsy phrases. 
 
 My unlimited thanks for all that you gave me yesterday for my 
 husband. It makes me very happy to think that with all these good 
 things he will be warm and I beg that you will transfer my thanks to 
 the other lady before whom I was so upset, because of her sympathetic 
 attitude. When my husband comes back I will not miss coming with 
 him to thank you personally for your generosity. Please believe, 
 Madame, in my most sincere thanks. M. R. 
 
 61 
 
350 — I send you this little word to express my gratitude for the clothes 
 I have received for my children. They have given me great pleasure 
 and render me great service. 
 
 2739 — I am coming to you for help, as I am passing through hard 
 times. I am expecting a baby, and as I have been ill it has been im- 
 possible for me to prepare clothing for it. My husband has been 
 mobilized since the 9th of March, and is at this moment in the hos- 
 pital. Could you send me some old linen or old clothes? I could 
 make use of them, as I know how to sew. It is in the name of my 
 children that I ask you for help, for as for me I know that in these 
 trying moments we should suffer without murmuring, but I cannot 
 get used to seeing my children suffer for what is indispensable. 
 
 G. G. 
 
 2267 — Please excuse me for taking the liberty to write you. I am alone, 
 for my husband is mobilized and at the front. I find myself in great 
 need as I have just lost my child, aged four and one-half months. I am 
 still ill and in a room in a hotel, and as I only receive twenty-five cents 
 a day, which I am obliged to pay for my room, it is impossible for me 
 to make ends meet. Madame, I would be most grateful if you could 
 come to my help. F. A. 
 
 2279 — Having learned of your Ouvroir, I come to solicit from your kind 
 heart to take into consideration my poor soldiers. If I ask you for 
 help, Madame, it is because my poor children are alone and in need. 
 I am a refugee from Fourmies. They are the children of my sister. My 
 sister remained in the invaded districts, so she cannot send anything 
 to her children. One is at Verdun, the other at Toul. I send them what 
 I can to help them. They had hoped to come back on leave, but they 
 are still in the trenches. They cannot come back and they ask me to 
 find some one who will come to their help. I hope, Madame, you will 
 have pity on these poor children who have been at the front since the 
 first days of the war. My poor sister has four others who are prisoners 
 in Germany and I am forced to send them bread. Pity for them who 
 are alone and for me who is a refugee. C. B. 
 
 2336 — Lately I told you that my husband was a prisoner and at the 
 same time I made a request for my brother, who is without father or 
 mother, and at the front. He asked me to send him a sweater and 
 several other small things, but as I am a refugee, I cannot afford the 
 expense and therefore I appeal to your generosity. M. 
 
 1109 — I have learned that you come to the help of the unfortunate. 
 I am a refugee with four little children, the eldest of whom is seven 
 years old and the youngest five months. My husband is a prisoner, 
 wounded rather seriously in the right leg last November. I have been 
 in Paris for six months now and have been ill. I have nothing to dress 
 my poor children in, and I have a room for which I must pay four francs 
 a week. I must also help my husband. You can think how difficult it 
 is, with three francs and twenty-five centimes per day. 
 
 629 — Having had some particulars of the work you are superintending 
 from the director of the Garibaldi Hospital, where I am working, I 
 
 wish to ask you to be so kind as to receive the soldier , wounded 
 
 at the front and now in convalescence at , who is to return to the 
 
 front on the 23d inst. He will call on you in my name, to ask you to 
 be so kind as to give him a few articles of clothing. 
 
 62 
 
I have the honor of expressing to you all my deep gratitude and 
 my best wishes for you, dear lady of the kind heart, for having kindly 
 given those warm clothes to my son, for it is impossible for me to give 
 him even a little, as I have six children and I earn very little. And 
 so, dear lady, I cannot thank you enough for this pleasure. 
 
 398 — I do thank you most heartily for your gifts — the dressing-gowns, 
 suits and the caps are things we wanted very much, and their arrival 
 will allow of the men getting up in the ward with comfort. Indeed, un- 
 til within the last few days, we had to keep some men in bed while 
 their clothes were being cleaned, as we had no lounge suits for them. 
 
 I beg to thank you on behalf of my committee and of that of the 
 Staff here; we are indeed indebted to you. M. St. J. 
 
 134 — It is rather late, I fear, to thank you for your kind presents to my 
 husband the day before his departure. He has written to me to-day 
 from the trenches, asking me if I had thanked you for the things you 
 gave him and which are so useful. 
 
 Please, Madame, receive my sincere thanks and excuse my delay. 
 With three children, the eldest of whom is eight years and the youngest 
 twenty months old, I should never have been able to buy these things 
 lor my husband. 
 
 2737 — I have just received a letter from my husband, who is at the 
 front. He requests me to ask if it is possible that you could send 
 him some warm clothing, principally a flannel belt, for it is impos- 
 sible for me to send him anything, as I have been ill for three months 
 and have two little children, one three years and the other ten 
 months. You would be rendering me a great service. F. J. 
 
 63 
 
LETTERS FROM HOSPITALS 
 
 2606 — In answer to your kind inquiry I wrote you a list of our needs, 
 but I imagine that my letter has been lost as I have not received them. 
 I therefore beg, Madam, to remind you of the hospital toward which 
 you have been so charitable for a year. The wounded and sick suc- 
 ceed each other without interruption, which is a way of telling you 
 that any of the objects you have in stock will always be welcome. 
 I thank you a thousand times for all you have done for our dear 
 wounded and for what I hope you will do in the future. With all my 
 heart I remain, S. C. 
 
 Having learned of your great kindness to our poor wounded sol- 
 diers, I implore you for those who are at our hospital, 94 Rue de 
 Charonne. We have managed to beg in the neighborhood some 
 hundred garments and used clothing, but in this quarter the popu- 
 lation is composed almost entirely of poor people and their resources 
 have been rapidly exhausted. I will be very grateful, Madame, if you 
 could give a little share of your charities to our wounded, who would 
 bless you. I beg, Madame, that you will accept the expression of my 
 most respectful sentiments. S. J. 
 
 Our Mother Superior begs me to thank you again a thousand 
 times for all your interest, devotion and the delicate attentions which 
 you show toward our hospital. May God recompense you a hundred 
 times and accord to you the consolation He reserves for His friends. 
 Our hospital has need of friends like you to get along and do good. 
 We have need of so much at the present moment. Oh, if you only 
 knew some charitable persons who would be willing to interest them- 
 selves in our poor wounded and to help us a little with linen, mate- 
 rials, shirts, drawers, handkerchiefs, towels, bed linen, etc. Every- 
 thing is needed and everything will be received with the greatest 
 gratitude. 
 
 Many thanks again, dear Madame, and please believe in our 
 real gratitude and in the assurance of our sentiments of religious 
 attachment. S. M. 
 
 I would have liked to have thanked you yesterday for the great sur- 
 prise that you made for me through the kindness of Mr. F. The two 
 dressing-gowns and the two cloaks will render us great service, for we 
 happen to be without anything of that sort. Our little hospital is full 
 of wounded and sick soldiers, and I thank you with all my heart for 
 having interested yourself in our dear soldiers. I beg, Madame, that 
 you will receive the expression of my religious respect. R. S. 
 
 A. B., whose family inhabits my parish, has been kind enough to 
 interest herself in the Auxiliary Hospital No. 10, which I had the joy 
 of founding in October, 1914. She tells me that you occupy yourself 
 with much zeal and with a real profound devotion in coming to the 
 help of hospitals in need. With all confidence, Madame, I come to you 
 therefore in the interest of our dear soldiers, sick and wounded, to 
 solicit your help and generous co-operation. We have altogether sev- 
 enty beds. What would be of the greatest help to us would be before 
 all, shirts, pillow-cases, sheets and towels. Permit me, Madame, to 
 offer you in advance the expression of my sincere gratitude. A. L. 
 
 64 
 
On the recommendation of Madame V., Secretary of the National 
 French Association, of those who died for their country, I address 
 myself to you as Presidentess of Auxiliary Hospital No. 280, of 
 Chaton, to ask you if it will be possible, Madame, to have supplied 
 to us through means of American societies, who are so generous 
 toward French hospitals, different linen articles which we lack at the 
 moment. Installed since September, 1914, with twenty beds, and 
 having been forced through the necessity of events to increase the 
 number to fifty, we find ourselves after one year badly off for linen 
 and underclothes. I am taking the liberty to add to this letter a list of 
 articles of which we have the most pressing need, leaving you to 
 choose out of the number those that you would kindly allow us. I 
 hope you will excuse me, Madame, for the great liberty I take in 
 addressing you in this somewhat indiscreet manner, but the needs 
 of our wounded give us courage to do so and especially courage to 
 make requests for them. 
 
 I beg, Madame, that with my excuses you will receive my thanks 
 and my most distinguished salutations. N. T. 
 
 List of linen needed: Undershirts, drawers, flannel undershirts 
 and drawers, sleepers, towels, hydro-filled cotton, bandages, taffeta 
 rags, gauze for compresses. 
 
 You are surrounded by so many requests for help that I beg to 
 come to remind you of the Hospital of Saint Vincent, which more 
 than once already has benefited by your generosity. We still have 
 the same number of wounded, who at the end of some weeks return 
 to the front. When one hears from them all that they have suffered 
 during the last ten months, one cannot but admire their courage, 
 and one regrets to be unable to give them what might help to make 
 easier the hard life which once more has to become their lot. 
 
 Therefore, I will have to count on your generosity, which I hope 
 will again come to our help, and I thank you many times, Madame, 
 assuring you of my most respectful gratitude. S. C. 
 
 4 
 
I thank Providence which suggested the letter that I received 
 this morning. I hasten to answer it in order to allow you to come 
 to the help of our distress. I do not know through whom you 
 learned about it, but your informant must have told you that after 
 having undergone bombardment, invasion and pillage we have had, 
 for the last four months, hundreds of wounded who have very quick- 
 ly used up all the stock of our articles at the hospital. We have 
 given them the shirts, sweaters, drawers and socks of our old men; 
 therefore it is these articles which we lack, for to-morrow about 
 forty soldiers are leaving to return to the front and it will be im- 
 possible for us to clothe them because we have nothing left, and these 
 men will be replaced by others who arrive here from the trenches 
 in a pitiable state, and so it is every week. You can imagine how we 
 suffer in seeing these poor soldiers who have already been wounded, 
 sometimes very seriously, and then return to fight without even nec- 
 essary articles of clothing and yet they leave with much courage. 
 If to the shirts, sweaters, drawers and socks could be added scarfs, 
 knit woolen mufflers, belts, towels, handkerchiefs, and slippers for 
 the convalescents, you would render us a great service. I do not 
 dare speak of soap and tobacco; I am afraid of appearing indiscreet. 
 These poor children are so happy when one gives them just a little. 
 I beg your pardon for this list, but I know that Americans are gen- 
 erous and our need is great. In advance, Madame, I thank you a 
 thousand times for whatever you may do for our poor wounded. 
 
 S. C. 
 
 Permit me to come and express to you once more my gratitude 
 for the kindness you have shown toward our hospital during this 
 first year of the war. I wish to thank you also for all the good 
 articles that you gave us yesterday for our dear wounded; the pa- 
 jamas, dressing gowns and cloaks — all these will be comforting 
 as well as useful. I wish to say that the shirts have made the hap- 
 piness of our Sister who has charge of the linen, who begs me to 
 express to you her gratitude. It is with all my heart, dear Madame, 
 that I thank you and I beg you will accept the expression of my 
 respect. Sister M. R., Servant of the Poor. 
 
 P.S. — Madame, here are two hospitals that I know are very lit- 
 tle favored and will be most happy to be included in your charities: 
 Auxiliary Hospital No. 80, Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 40 Rue 
 Montmartre; Auxiliary Hospital No. 91, at the Franciscan Mis- 
 sionarie, 11 Impasse Erille, Paris. 
 
 Hospital of the Bon Secours, 66 rue des Plantes, Paris 
 
 I have just learned through Madame de Cosse-Brissac the great de- 
 votion and great interest that you give to the cause of the mutilated. 
 1 thank you in their name and my own, having had my leg amputated. 
 
 I am going to try to describe to you the distress of some of these 
 unfortunate children in order to reach the hearts of your countrymen, 
 to whom we must recognize we already owe so much. The needs, how- 
 ever, are so great that one must continue to appeal and keep on appeal- 
 ing, and this is the mission of women of heart like yourself, a mission 
 for that matter which honors them, for it brings out the greatness of 
 their nobility and sentiments. 
 
 66 
 
As for the physical sufferings of the wounded, I will not speak of 
 them. Sometimes they are terrible, but then they are temporary. And 
 again the wounded, if mutilated, is happy to have saved his life. He 
 thinks of his family which is going to see him again; he thinks also 
 of himself, for to be truthful one loves to live when one is only 20 or 
 30 years old. It is, of course, foolish to use the word "happy" in such 
 a misfortune, but it is right to judge by one's self, for happiness is, 
 it is true, relative. It is only later on, after the amputation of an 
 arm, of a leg, sometimes of both, after the terrible loss of sight, or of 
 one's faculties, that the unhappy victim of the war begins to reflect. 
 Happy when the loss of one of his members does not forbid his exer- 
 cising his profession, he consoles himself easily; but if he has to start 
 his life all over again, that is terrible. Learning a new trade or pro- 
 fession is not an easy thing and full of difficulties, and then again who 
 knows whether he will succeed in his new occupation? All questions 
 which render him disquieted and afterwards unhappy, especially if he 
 is the father of a family. Thank God, I am able to resume my former 
 occupation; but my comrades? 
 
 Besides the mutilated or the wounded, whose misfortune is more 
 easily recognized because it is so visible, the unfortunate men who 
 have been wounded in the lungs or in the intestines are as much to 
 be pitied and are as worthy of pity. They always remain affected, some- 
 times for a long while, sometimes for all their life. Therefore, believe 
 me, those who are wounded in the war are worthy of the interest that 
 you have for them and of the help that all charitable people may give 
 them. Tell all this to your compatriots so as to awaken their hearts 
 to the fullest extent. 
 
 I join to this letter a photograph of the hospital where we are being 
 cared for by the sisters of the Order of Augustines. As devoted as they 
 are untiring, they try to render our life as bearable as possible, and I 
 assure you that they succeed in doing this. One comes soon to consider 
 the hospital as a second home, which is very natural, for one finds in 
 them mothers as tender as one's own mother. All sorts of pretexts are 
 found for organizing little recreations in order to distract the wounded. 
 It may be the giving of a medal at the hospital; it may be the birthday 
 of a mother; it may be Christmas or New Year's, etc., etc. Our sojourn 
 in the hospital is therefore agreeable. Our difficulties will come later 
 when the wounded returns to civil life and will be met with new difficul- 
 ties in earning his living, difficulties which he did not know before he 
 lost his members or faculties. The different societies for helping the 
 wounded are therefore very worthy of the interest of the generous- 
 hearted people which support them. 
 
 I beg you, therefore, to be our interpreter, our pleader with your 
 countrymen, and I beg you to accept my deepest sentiments and my 
 whole gratitude. 
 
 Signed, Germain (draftsman). Boursier (draftsman). 
 
 Signed also by Troel (farmer). Sergent (furniture mover). Far- 
 rad (railway man). Rouzaive (farmer). Picat (mason). Bourigault 
 (farmer). Preyat (sculptor). Recas (miner). 
 
 Of the above, Troel, Sergent, Rouzaive, Boursier, Preyat and Recas 
 have been amputated of the arm and will be unable to carry on their 
 former professions. Farrad with his foot amputated may have certain 
 difficulties, but may be able to continue in railway service. 
 
 Picat, formerly a mason, having lost his leg, will have to learn a 
 new profession. 
 
LETTERS RECEIVED FROM MADAME J. MACHEREZ, WHO, IN 
 THE ABSENCE OF THE MAYOR OF SOISSONS, ACTED AS 
 OFFICIAL MAYOR DURING THE OCCUPATION OF 
 SOISSONS BY THE GERMANS, ATTENDING TO 
 ALL THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY 
 
 It is with the greatest pleasure that I read your letter stating that 
 you would like to send a parcel for our soldiers at the front. What 
 would be most useful at this moment would be warm drawers, woolen 
 vests, woolen shirts. Choose, Madame, whatever you can give. For 
 directions, send package to the station of the Northern Railway, for 
 Madame Macherez, or, if they offer any obstacles, address station of 
 Villers-Cotterets. 
 
 I send you, Madame, the expression of my best feelings, with all my 
 congratulations for your devotion by which our soldiers are provided 
 with joy. J. M. 
 
 I have just received your precious and fine gift. I thank you with 
 all my heart and I beg that you will tell all those who help you, how 
 grateful I am, and how much their work is appreciated by our soldiers 
 in the trenches who have such a sad and hard life. I send you, Madame, 
 the expression of my best feelings. Very much touched that you have 
 thought of helping me in my work at the front with the army. J. M. 
 
 A SUM OF $10,000 IS NEEDED BY THE AMERICAN 
 OUVROIR IN PARIS TO CONTINUE ITS WORK OF 
 GIVING EMPLOYMENT TO WOMEN IN WANT. 
 
 GS 
 
AMERICAN OUVROIR FUND 
 20 Fifth Avenue, New York 
 
 (American Ouvroir Holophane, 156 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris) 
 
 PATRONESSES 
 
 COMTESSE JACQUES D'ARAMON 
 
 THE MARCHIONESS OF BLANDFORD 
 
 COMTESSE DE BRIGODE 
 
 PRINCESSE JACQUES DE BROGLIE 
 
 H. H. PRINCESSE PIERRE DE CARAMAN-CHIMAY 
 
 THE COUNTESS GREY 
 
 HER EXCELLENCY MADAME GEOFFRAY 
 COMTESSE D'HAUSSONVILLE 
 DUCHESSE DE LA MOTTE-HOUDANCOURT 
 LADY ERNEST HAMILTON 
 COMTESSE JOACHIM MURAT 
 PRINCESSE DE LA TOUR D'AUVERGNE 
 DUCHESSE DE TREVISE 
 
 THE AMERICAN OUVROIR FUND, 20 FIFTH AVENUE, 
 NEW YORK, HAS PARTICULARS AND PHOTOGRAPHS 
 OF A LARGE NUMBER OF ORPHANS WHOSE FATHERS 
 HAVE DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY. 
 
 FROM $60 TO $240 A YEAR, ACCORDING TO CHILD'S 
 STATION IN LIFE, ENABLES ITS MOTHER, OR A 
 FRENCH FAMILY ADOPTING IT, TO CARE FOR AND 
 EDUCATE AN ORPHAN IN HOME SURROUNDINGS 
 SUITED TO ITS CIRCUMSTANCES. 
 
 WE HAVE A LONG LIST OF NEEDY SOLDIERS AT 
 THE FRONT WHO HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEIR 
 WIVES, CHILDREN OR PARENTS SINCE THE WAR 
 STARTED, WHO WANT GODFATHERS OR GODMOTHERS 
 WHO WILL SEND THEM SOME CLOTHING AND COM- 
 FORTS AND SHOW A PERSONAL INTEREST IN THEIR 
 LIVES BY WRITING THEM. $20 SENT TO THE AMER- 
 ICAN OUVROIR WILL KEEP ONE OF THESE MEN IN 
 WARM CLOTHING AND SMALL COMFORTS FOR SIX 
 MONTHS. FOR PARTICULARS, ADDRESS THE AMER- 
 ICAN OUVROIR FUND. 
 
 THE AMERICAN OUVROIR FUND, 20 FIFTH AVENUE, 
 NEW YORK, HAS A LIST OF NEEDY MUTILATED SOL- 
 DIERS, EACH NEEDING $300 FOR RE-EDUCATING HIM 
 IN A NEW PROFESSION, INCLUDING A YEAR'S BOARD 
 AND LODGING. 
 
 EACH INDIVIDUAL, OR GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, 
 WHO ADOPTS ONE OF THESE MUTILATED, WILL BE 
 KEPT INFORMED OF HIS PROGRESS AND LIFE. 
 
 69 
 
HOW TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS FOE THE 
 AMERICAN OUVROIR 
 
 The American Ouvroir, 156 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, will 
 give a personal accounting to each individual donor. 
 
 Cheques should be made to the order of 
 
 J. P. MORGAN & CO. 
 
 For Account AMERICAN OUVROIR FUND 
 
 and mailed to J. P. Morgan & Co., 23 Wall Street, New York. 
 
 IT IS EARNESTLY REQUESTED THAT CHEQUES BE 
 DRAWN AS ABOVE AND NOT TO INDIVIDUALS, TO 
 < AVOID CONFUSION IN KEEPING THE ACCOUNTS, AS 
 THE AMERICAN OUVROIR CANNOT OTHERWISE AC- 
 COUNT TO THE INDIVIDUAL DONOR. 
 
 When the gift is intended for a specific purpose the donor 
 should, when the cheque is mailed to the banker, write direct to 
 the American Ouvroir, 20 Fifth Avenue, New York; stating 
 amount sent, and his wishes regarding expenditure of the donation. 
 
 CONTRIBUTIONS OF MATERIALS AND CLOTHING, ETC. 
 These should be sent express prepaid addressed to 
 
 WAR RELIEF CLEARING HOUSE 
 
 133 Charlton Street, New York 
 
 FOR THE AMERICAN OUVROIR 
 
 156 Boulevard Haussmann, Pans 
 
 Notice of shipment with list of contents of packages should be 
 mailed to the Executive Secretarv of the War Relief Clearing 
 House, 40 Wall Street, New York." 
 
 A copy of this list of contents should be mailed to The Ameri- 
 can Ouvroir, 20 Fifth Avenue, New York. 
 
 Please pack in boxes or bales of four (4) cubic feet whenever 
 the articles permit this. 
 
 MATERIALS and Articles Needed by the American Ouvroir 
 For Men: J 
 
 Shoes, shirts, drawers, undershirts, sweaters, woolen and cot- 
 ton socks, trousers, coats, vests, overcoats, scarves, caps or soft hats, 
 woolen blankets, handkerchiefs, towels and bed-linen. 
 
 For Women: 
 
 Shoes, waists, blouses, drawers, woolen and cotton stockings, 
 woolen or cotton petticoats, skirts, shawls, capes, woolen blankets, 
 cotton and linen handkerchiefs, towels and bed-linen. 
 
 For Girls and Boys: — Similar articles. 
 
 71