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  • Saturday, October 27, 1917

                Raining. A great day.

                Made fudge and donuts, one hundred and sixty cooking seven at a time. They went in about one hour with about 12 gallons of coffee.

                Had a very pleasant visit from a Y.M.C.A. man called Mr. Porter, from California. He had lunch with us. His hut is in the next town.

                Had two boys cutting wood which two others had brought. We gave them coffee and donuts. They said it was like home.

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  • Friday, October 26, 1917

    Could hear heavy firing all day.

                Cleaned up our quarters and tried to make things more home like. Nothing new happened today. Had coffee at night. The men wait for it and certainly do enjoy it.

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  • Thursday, October 25, 1917

    Raining and a very high wind.

                Had breakfast and got busy washing dishes, towels, and scrubbed the tables. Made about one hundred biscuits, baking a dozen at a time. Making the fudge and keeping the fire going kept me busy. It took all morning. Ens. did the errands and was kept on the run. The Major went for a piano. Got some of the boys to bring some wood and saw it and get some water. They worked fine, cleaning up after cutting the wood.

                Put the tank on at four and hung some curtains and lit the lamps.

                Made some coffee and served it and biscuits and jam and it went fine. Served about 14 gallons of coffee. Had a great time, and the boys enjoyed themselves very much. Had a hard time closing. They were delighted with the piano. The men who went to get it were glad to get near the fire. We had them to supper with us. One was only 17 years old and seemed not to want to leave. He said it was the best meal he had has since he left home and his eyes were filled. My heart felt sad for him.

                It is  great time when we take the coffee out. They do enjoy it.

                Went home tired and happy.

                Our hut: The hut is built on the foundation of a house that burnt down about seventeen years ago. Houses are built to stay here. The entrance is five stone steps with a fine iron railing. The hut is about 27 feet wide and 150 feet long. There are 26 windows 2 by 2 and one half feet, and they open like shutters. Three doors on each side and two big ones at the end. The lumber is numbered and is put together in sections according to number. It takes about two days to erect one.

                It is furnished with eight large oil lamps at one end in the counter, and back of that the quarters. There are about 24 tables and 48 benches. Along the sides are writing tables under the windows, and there are games of all kinds, papers and books, a piano, and graphophone. This hut is owned by The Salvation Army.

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  • Wednesday, October 24, 1917

                Raining.

                Changed things a little. Made a kitchen. Put up a piece of canvas and a stove. The stove is about 24 by 24 by 12 inches and burns wood. This is the kitchen stove. We had two tables, three chairs, and a box that holds the wash basin and inside is the scrub brush and so on. Another box has the water pails on and inside are the fry tins, the vinegar bottle, and a few other things. On the table we keep the dishes in a basket with the knives and so on. Our butter is kept in a quaint crock about 12 inches long and ten wide, colored brown. The dish pan is a little foot tub. Back of the stove is the wood box. This completes our kitchen.

                In the dining room is one table made of two put together and a rug like they have on the porch at home. The sugar and salt are in glasses and the pepper in a box. These things stay on the table. We have a white cloth on the table and this completes the dining room.

                Was busy fixing things up. Heard very loud reports, and at four two planes passed over the village. We heard that seven thousand Germans had been taken and 22 Americans killed.

                We had a very good evening.

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  • Tuesday, October 23, 1917

    Had breakfast and then made fudge and washed towels and dishes. Adj. came with some things, a stove and other necessaries. Had dinner for five.

                Then staff went to Paree with him, and we made donuts all afternoon. The gas plate caught on fire, and some of the boys gave first aid. No harm was done. Made one hundred and fifty donuts. We had supper at seven and commenced to serve coffee and oh they surely did go fast. By eight the donuts looked sick.

                The Germans were shooting, and very loud reports could be heard. They kept it up all night and about four it started to rain.

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  • Monday, October 22, 1917

    Today was spent in putting things in order and making fudge. Was kept busy. In the evening the boys came and enjoyed themselves very much. Had a very pleasant call from Colonel Murphy. He came to see the hut and spoke very good of it and said he would help all he could.

                We made coffee at evening, and the boys were glad and drank all twelve gallons in an hour. We had cake to serve with it.

                Put some curtains up. Some of paper, some of canvas, and some of dotted calico. It looked real picturesque.

                Four of the bugle boys rode down the Rue on horseback and blowing their bugles. It frightened the natives. They thought it was and air raid.

                Good night.

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  • Sunday, October 21, 1917

    Had breakfast at the Madames. Then to the hut. Put some things in order and washed all morning. After dinner, Ens. went to bed because her head was needing a rest. I wrote to the Capt. and went back to the hut and had a march with about ten children; not one could speak English. I told them to repeat after me, “Jesus loves little children and is not pleased when they are not good.” Had a very nice time. Then we had supper and then meeting. Had a very good meeting. About one hundred boys came, and I think ten raised their hands for prayer.

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  • Saturday, October 20, 1917

    A great day.

    First a new boss, Major Anderson. As we were leaving our rooms we met the Col., a glad eater, and went to the Emile Guzan and got a new stove and a big tank. The stove is about one foot high and is round. The tank would hold about twenty gallons, then on to the tent. Well, it is moving day. We put the things together, and with the help of some soldiers got to the hut.

    Our quarters were tents. In one room was the stove with the pipe led through one window, two beds, and a table. A combined kitchen, dining room, and bedroom. We had no curtains so put paper and clothes over them. Candles were our lighting system. The boys came in and were glad for the chance. The boys from the Rainbow left and shook hands and wished we were at the place they were going. Adj. Cose went home tired but happy.

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  • Friday, October 19, 1917

    Heard the bombarding during the night. It was at a place called Nancy. Sixty soldiers and twenty others were killed and some hurt.

                A very pleasant day. Went to the tent and made applesauce and cleaned up. Made some coffee and was getting ready for dinner when Col., Major Anderson, Adj. Starber, and Ens. Hickey came. Was very glad to see them. Had dinner. They brought supplies and were pleased with the progress we had made. Col. was glad to find us in such good spirits and said it made him feel much encouraged. We assured him all was well.

                Then Ens. and I cleaned up and made stew from the leaving of dinner.

                A troop train came in with American troops on board. Two hundred soldiers from around Boston and from the Rainbow Division. They were only two weeks old in France. They stayed overnight. Twenty five slept over our room in the barn. They didn’t sleep much because someone was moving at all times. They came to get their horses.

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  • Thursday, October 18, 1917

    Raining this morning. We had breakfast at eight o’clock. Watched some mounted French soldiers go by. They are called lance troops because they carry long lances that they use in battle. The lance will go through six men.

                Stayed in the ladies kitchen till eleven-thirty then went to the tent. Had dinner and went shopping. Bought some saddle soap for our shoes, apples, a coffee pot filter, a saucepan, a casserole, and funnel and on our way back to the tent the crier beat his drum and this was the news. If you went to the city hall you could get vinegar, salad oil, gas oil, ink, and salt. These things are given every so often by the French government. Maired is the French for City Hall. Had supper, then the staff went home with us. It was raining and cold. The men could not do much on the hut, but it’s coming fine.

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