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EVENING, DECEMBER IS. 1*44Gay French CitymmCaptivates WacsMARJORY AVERYPARIS. Nov. 1—From the first day they arrived—Aug 29—whenI .saw two of them talking to agendarme and saying slowly and distinctly “Where is the«*tes 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 posl-j cards and souvenirs from the; stalls along the Seine.A little shyly because of the dif-,OJ ference in language—they're ex-__ ploring the French capital. Grad* p ually the bolder ones are beginning to know and like Frenchf*** people.Sgt. Grace White. St James, llei Mo„ went to dinner with the rr1 young girl who is teaching her Fiench. and was returned to her. hotel on the handle bars of papa s1 of bicycle. She reported he wore acr1 .-mail while goatee and hummed lo French songs to her all the way e ~ 1 home through the traffic, h They're discarding British slang 10 for French expressions. “Any gum, chum?** has become “Got a franc. Yank?” “Pardon.” “comment?” and “merci” have taken the place of “excuse me ” what”and “thank you.” _ .Cpl. Ruth Qumby. New YorkCity, reports her roommate is trying so hard to speak Frenoh she sat up in bed the other night and still half asleep said loudly, “Qu est ce Que c’est que ca”“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 allowedto buy cosmetics, cigarette lighters. pipes and ash trays, bookstands and billfolds. imitation teuelrv. mans 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.tIII some of the w acsthat feminine urge to buy clothes by slipping into stores, trying on something elegant, twisting andturning in front of the mirrow.and then leaving with many“merci btens'' and protestations of satisfaction. The Pans clerks areleft to shrug ami hope for betterlurk next time.There aie about 1,500 army women in Paris and they're having no trouble at all getting date-Fi'ench people have been friend-lv and the Wacs are often stopped on the -treet and given invitations f to dinner. Sometimes they accept j and take K rations with them to I help out the hostess' larder. Some- j times the invitation is too pressing . to be refused and the Wacs have happily tasted a few superb Frenchdishes.ovthutthormthTheir routine Is the -ante as It was in England For those Wacs “ who were stationed in London. I _life Isn’t much different—except they probably felt more at home i in the British capital. For the Wacs who lived in barracks in the1 country—Paris is a sensation.“It iooks Just like the World’s fair.” Sgt. Mildred Murphy told me. “Flags, white buildings, so manv 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 tn hasnt* any heat or hot water. The Wac in Paris is already wearing her heavy under-i wear, her wool shirt and a sweater M under her uniform jacket. But it's)of Pari-, and it-' gay. and it’s won-ri!
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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