defense against the German
drive which began in March, 1918. It was from them that we first
learned the real horrors of war. Some had only one arm; others had
lost a leg; still others were suffering from shell shock. Those who
were suffering from shell shock were the most pitiful, as the least
unusual noise startled them.

I had the good fortune to be placed on a motor truck detail during
three days of our brief stay at Brest. This gave me an opportunity of
seeing most of the city. It has about 120,000 inhabitants, is one of
the chief ports of France and has a harbor that is protected by nature
as well as by strong fortifications. Lying as it does, among the
hills, there is much natural beauty in the city and its surroundings.
The streets are about as wide as those of the average American city,
although there are a number of very narrow streets that cut into the
main thoroughfares at angles and these reminded me somewhat of the
narrow streets of Boston. The city is kept clean and there are
numerous parks and public squares. The latter are frequented mostly by
women and children, though it is not uncommon to see French soldiers,
home from the front on leave, lounging in them. The warm blooded
French people have ideas that differ widely from those of Americans in
many respects, and it is nothing unusual to see a French couple making
love in broad daylight with persons passing by on all sides, in one of
these public parks. Occasionally one would see an American soldier
sitting with a French Mademoiselle. French troops were often drilling
in these squares--not troops that had participated in the war, but
companies of younger men who were being trained for war. It was
interesting to watch them and to contrast their manoeuvers with ours.

There are no skyscrapers in Brest, that is to say, there are no tall
office buildings there, although the city is an important business
point. The only tall structures are the churches and an old castle,
dating from the thirteenth century. The business buildings are all of
two or three stories. The stores are not as up to date as the retail
establishments in America, and the methods of doing business are
entirely different from ours. Goods are not on display in the open as
they are in American stores, but are kept in show cases. If you are
interested in a certain piece of goods, the clerk takes it out of the
show case and exhibits it to you. If you do not buy it, the article is
placed rig