he women and girls to make bandages, sponges,
etc., for the hospital which will be needed here.

Divonne-Les-Bains, France.
August 23, 1914.

Your letter came yesterday--twenty days on the way--but I was fortunate
to get it at all; so many of these poor people, whose nearest and
dearest have gone to fight for their country, have had no word from them
since they marched away, and they do not know where they are.

From this little village 500 men left the first day of mobilization;
there is not a family who has not some one gone, and from some both
fathers and sons have gone, as the age limit is from twenty to fifty
years.

I am filled with admiration and respect for these people. The courage
of both the men and women is remarkable. There is no hesitation, and no
grumbling, and everyone tries to do whatever he or she can to help the
cause.

I do not know if I told you, in my last letter, of the poor lady who
walked all night through the dark and storm to see her son who was
leaving the next morning. All the horses and motors had been taken by
the Government for the army, so she started at eleven o'clock at night,
all by her self, and got here about five in the morning--her son left at
seven, so she had two hours with him. While there are such mothers in
France she cannot fall. There are many such stories I might tell you,
but I have not the time.

The "Red Cross" has started a branch hospital here, and I have been
helping them to get it in order. It is just about ready now, and we may
get soldiers any day.

I have classes every morning and find many of the women very quick to
learn the rudiments of nursing. Every one in the place is making
supplies and our sitting room is a sort of depot where they come for
work.

If my patient is as well in October as she is now I am going to stay and
give my services to the "Red Cross." If I have to go home with her I
will come back--I would be a coward and deserter if I did not do all I
could for these poor brave people.

October 25, 1914.

Another Sunday--but this is cold and rainy--the days slip by so quickly
I cannot keep track of them. We have only two soldiers left at the
hospital--they tell us every day that others are coming. The country all
about is perfectly beautiful with the autumn coloring. We do not see