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CHRISTMAS LAST YEAR
CHARLOTTE HELPED SOLDIERS
KEEP THE DAY.
HRISTMAS found Camp
Greene astir with ex
citement last year be
cause 60,000 soldiers
were preparing to make
the journey to hrance within a mat
ter of weeks. There were more than
75,000 packages delivered to the
camp during the Christmas week
from “home folks” who were mak
ing a last effort to cheer the lives of
their boys.
The weather was on its bad be
havior hut every event planned for a
camp celebration was carried out to
the letter.
Charlotte came to the camp through
its most representative citizens to
help the soldiers keep the day and to
give as much of the Christmas spir
it as possible. Athletic events made
up a field meet during the afternoon
and every event was hotly contested
by the men who were later destined
to he a part of the brigades which
chased the Huns from French soil.
The old Eighth Massachusetts In
fantry won the field meet and Colonel
Perry, their commanding officer, was
presented a large loving cup by the
city of • Charlotte in recognition of
the prowess of his followers.
The Eighth Massachusetts acquired
a total of 21 points, six points ahead
of the nearest opponent, the team of
the First Connecticut Infantry.
MADE SPEECHES.
Mayor McNinch of Charlotte, pre
sented Major General Dickman, then
camp commander, and who has since
been honored by a position on the
forefront in France and Brigadier Gen
eral Sweetser, then stationed at Camp
Greene, with loving cups in behalf of
the city.
In response to the able talk by the
mayor. General Dickman said:
“The presentation of the souvenirs
to the officers of allied nations and
the loving cups to the officers com
manding the various regiments and
the generals was particularly affecting
and a courtesy very much appreciated.
by officers and enlisted men as an
evidence of the good spirit and feel
ing of Charlotte toward the soldiers
THE CADUCEUS
POINTS A HIGHER PURPOSE
5^ m
FACE on earth and good-will among men assumes a new mean
ing at the return of this Christmas season. As of old at
the time of the coming of the Christ child, the nations of
the earth, resting under arms, were little stirred by the event
of great significance. In the past few years, those scenes
from the Galilean plains have seemed hut a paradox intruding amid the
stern realities of a world gone astray.
To-day, the pi;inciples of the Christ have been vindicated. Thru suffering
and sacrifice has come victory. With humility we accept the gift. This
shining star of hope which has lead us thru the dark vale of those uncertain
days shall be our guide to make these things secure, for ourselves and those
who come after us during the critical period of reconstruction.
Spiritual values, thus laid hold of, have brought a deeper religion, a
firmer belief in Almighty God and the mission of Christ’s Church upon earth.
Let us not lose sight of this vision we have seen. Let us come with
Thanksgiving and merry hearts, joining with the folks at home who are
with us in spirit at this-festal season. God has made us better men and
better women but it has not been without cost to us and to others. A
higher aim and a higher purpose leads us forth into a new year of life.
By R. Rowland
at Camp Greene, and we feel that
mutual understanding and co-opera'-
tion will make the problems, which
always arise in the large camps and
the cities near the camp, easy of so
lution.”
GAVE TO SOLDIERS.
Charlotte delivered its well wishes
to the soldiers in the form of hun
dreds of boxes of dainties. Twenty-
nine gaily decorated army transport
wagons which were employed in the
transportation from the city of Char
lotte to Camp Greene of the great
quantity of fruits, nuts, candies, ci
gars, cigarettes and similar articles,
which were distributed to the soldiers
as Charlotte’s part in the effort to
make their holiday in camp entire-y
enjoyable. A committee of Charlotte
women were in charge of the distribu
tion from each wagon. Major Kahili
and the fife and drum corps of the
Fifth Massachusetts Infantry led the
procession of heavily-laden wagons
from the concentration at The Ob
server to the parade ground of the
Thirtieth Infantry. There the wag
ons were parked at points convenient
for distribution. Two were sent to
the detention camp nearby, where sev
eral hundred men' exposed to conta
gious diseases were under quarantine
and held apart from the celebra
tion.
AT THE HOSPITAL.
At the hospital the day was quietly
kept but every effort was made to
bring a bit of the season’s, joys to the
shut-ins of the wards. Pretty Christ-
, mas trees, given by the Red Cross,
were set up in each ward and were
decorated by the nurses and orderlies.
The keeping of the day started be
fore daylight when a small band of
nurses, who had been rehearsing dur
ing the evenings, when their ward
work was finished, made the rounds
of the buildings and sang Christmas
carols. It was a most impressive exer
cise'and the patients aroused from
their slumber by the women’s voices
were deeply moved.
“It sounded like the angel song for
sure,” said one sick halted westerner,
confined in one of the isolation wards.
The Red Cross society had fur
nished Christmas bags for the pa
tients and these parcels were deliv
ered during the day. The bags had
come from chapters in New England
and in the gay containers were many
articles of use to the soldiers.
During the afternoon the auto
trucks from Charlotte came to the
hospital and delivered dainties and
fruit.
ATTENTION! MESS SERGEANTS
Your Christmas Dinner will be complete if you serve
IMuriel Cigars
Our Stock of Cigarettes is large and complete. Your business invited.
CARTER-COLTON CIGAR CO.
Phone 3206
218 S. COLLEGE STREET