And his misfortunes and his folly.
To Glory and Truth
He dared to consecrate his life,
And was always persecuted
Either by himself or by envy.”
A word about the Fountain of Elephants because for the Americans it was the center of the town. This large white monument with four life-size bronze elephants surrounding it, is most imposing, the more so because there is continually pouring from the mouths of these elephants, streams of water. This unique monument is in honor of a noted benefactor of the town—Count de Boigne—who spent many years in the Far East. There by the fountain the little steam tram usually put off or took on its largest number of passengers. There the American bands played and the French folk gathered about them. One would usually say, “Meet me at the Elephants.”
It was at the Elephants that we took the tiny tram for Challes-les-Eaux, about three miles away. The Thermal Establishment was inaugurated at Challes-les-Eaux in 1876, and from that time it was a popular resort for not only were the waters wonderful for baths, but were valuable for drink, pulverization, inhalation and gargling. One who ever became brave enough to taste them could verily believe in all their virtues. In addition to its many beautiful hotels, generally clinging to hillsides, it had its Casino, too, with restaurant, ball-room, billiard tables, reading and gaming rooms. It was here that General Joffre rested after the Marne. It was this Casino and the five Thermal Establishments in the midst of spacious grounds, that were taken over for the Y and to which now so many happy memories cling. Here as at Aix-les-Bains, the Thermal Establishments were used by the soldiers through the morning till noon, free of all charge to them. What a luxury they were to the tired soldier who for a long time had known only the bathing facilities of a camp. Challes-les-Eaux was admirably located for excursions of historical and scenic interest, affording real wholesome rest and recreation.
As has been already emphasized elsewhere, the work of the Y folk in the Leave Area was to see that the eight days afforded the soldiers there, should be days full of beautiful recreation with as little of the atmosphere of camp-life as possible. There was no “reveille” and no “taps.” No one blew whistles to attract attention. Men ate out of porcelain dishes and slept on real beds with soft pillows. Often men declared that they had become so accustomed to the army bunks that they were forced at first, each night, to rest a little while on the floor.
In the Leave Area
