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EVENING, DECEMBER IS. 1M4Gay French CityIICaptivates WacsMARJORY AVERYPARIS. Nov. 1—From the first day they arrived—Aug. 29—when / I saw two of them talking to agendarme and saying slowly and distinctly “Where is the«*S Where is the hotel’and then laughing helplessly at his bewildered expression — the Wacs have loved Paris.Now that they've got out of combat pants into well pressed -kirts and silk stockings, you seethem walking jauntily in twos down the boulevards, buying postcards and souvenirs from the . stalls along the Seine.A little shyly because of the difference in language—they*re exploring the French capital. Grad- ually the bolder ones are beginning to know and like French** people.® Sgt. Grace White. St. James, * I Mo. went to dinner with the young girl who is teaching her Fiench. and was returned to her. hotel on the handle bars of papa s111 bicycle. She reported he wort t*1 small white goatee and hummed ° I French songs to her all the way home through the traffic They're discarding British slang for French expressions. “Any gum. chum?” has become “Got a franc. Yank- “Pardon “comment? and “mero have taken the place of “excuse me, “what?I-and “thank you. |Cpl. Ruth Qumby. New YorkCity, reports her roommate is trying so hard to speak Frenah she sat up m bed the other night and j still half asleep said loudly, “Qu estce Que e’est que cm?Thev ve already bought most of the perfume they can afford and confine shopping to gazing longingly into store windows.The army took care of the matter anyway—in a blanket order United’ States troops are allowed to buy cosmetics, cigarette lighters. pipes and ash trays, book -lands and billfolds, imitation tewelrv. maps and tooth brushes.Iwines, beer and soft drinks.This, and the fact that army pay doesn’t even make a chip inFrench inflation prices, has put the lid on spending money.I But some of the Macs that feminine urge to buy clotho by slipping into stores, trying on M»methmg elegant twisting andturning in front of the mirrow, and then leaving with many“mem biens and protestations of satisfaction. The Paris clerks areleft to shrug ami hope for betterlurk next time.There aie about 1,500 army omen in Paris and they're ha\leionmithovJ tilmg no trouble at all getting datesFi'ench people have been friend-lv and the M’acs are often stopped on the ^reet and given invitations to dinner. Sometimes they accept ‘ and take K rations with th«*m to help out the hostess' larder. Sometimes the invitation is too pressing to be refused and the Wars have happily lasted a few superb Frenchdishes.Their routine Is the same as ft was in England For those M’acs “ who were stationed in London, life Isn’t much different—exceptthey probably felt more at home in the British capital. For the Wacs who lived in barracks in thecountry—Paris is a sensation.“It iooks just like the Morld’s fair. Sgt. Mildred Murphy told me. “Flags, white buildings, so many hotels. I'm actually sleeping in a bed instead of an army cot.Sgt Murphy’s home is Detroit.It’s cold—and the hotel she's billeted in hasnt* any heat or hot water. The M’ac in Paris is already wearing her heavy underwear, her wool shirt and a sweater under her uniform jacket. But it's) of Pari-, and its* gay. and it’s wonderfuL•*leiRiwiCmw«hoevil!ch
Newspaper Details
La Crosse Tribune
La Crosse, Wisconsin, US
Wed, Dec 13, 1944
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Midpointe L.
OH, USA 28 Dec 2021
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