Today is the French national holiday and I went to Paris. The real celebration is tomorrow, but today was enough for me.
There was a parade this morning, which I didn’t get to see; they tell me there were men in line from every nation on the side of the Allies. I believe it because I saw them all this afternoon. Jean and I set out after dinner and we had a great time. We saw the Place de la République, the big boulevards, stores, hotels etc., the great Opera and the Paris subway.
The crowd was tremendous and very good-natured. Those who were not afoot, sat in the cafes, which are all open and have their tables right out on the sidewalks. Of course, U.S. soldiers are still a thing to be pointed out in Paris. We were. Little boys and girls keep running up to shake us by the hand, and on all sides we hear: “Voilà des Americains”.
It is very a colorful crowd that frequents these boulevards, and the uniforms heighten the effect. One sees a great deal of the black uniform – the women who have lost someone in the war, but the French are quite brave about it.
The Opera is very large and from the outside, very beautiful building, on first view. But it was near the end of our time when we reached it, so I couldn’t examine it closely. If we stay here long I want to see it again. I think I can find my way about now. The subway, which they call the “Metropolitain” is comprehensive and complex. It will take you all over for one fare – a perfect network of lines, impossible in New York on account of its long narrow character. Here one rides for three cents, second class and five, first; there is probably 10 per cent more white enamel in the first class carriages. They are very much like the new Broadway subway cars, even to the woman conductors.
Second only to Americans themselves, the French like American tobacco. And you can’t blame them once you’ve tried theirs. If you ever want to cure me of the habit, move our happy home to France.
Parisians are not beautiful to look upon. Maybe standards are different here, but in all that walk I did not see a beautiful woman or an especially good-looking man. But- the law of compensation never fails – they are blest with fine-looking children.
Since I wrote last I have been picked for an inside job which is very necessary and is right in my line. It will enable me to keep my hand in, and at the same time do something useful. Shades of old Art Woodward! I’m back at a desk again – writing. Of course like everything in the army, like the war itself, no one can tell how long it will last. You know I may get impatient for action.
After a short, sharp struggle with my pride, I killed and swallowed it and – bought me a pocket English-French dictionary. I may now be seen about the street, like every other American, with a little red book. But I fear “I have scotched the snake, not killed it” – I’ll have to gulp again and buy a French-English, for there are almost as many French words I can’t translate as English. By the way, I am still in the stage where many roads are closed and I have to make a conversational detour; also I get lots of punctures, but I keep rattling right along.
Yesterday “Le Matin”, one of the Paris newspapers, published words and music of the Star Spangled Banner, in English with translation and a phonetic pronunciation of the English. I gave a little French boy the phonetic thing, and had a fine time listening to him try to say it. Revenge is sweet – he made me sing him the tune.
Rec’d Aug. 7
Next post July 20
Letters from Sidney Friend During The Great War 