But We Knew Of Their Coming In Time To Make
Preparations For All, So There Was No Confusion Or Embarrassment.
Every House On The Officers' Line Was Filled To Overflowing And
Scarcely A Corner Left Vacant.
The new hospital was simply perfect for an elaborate entertainment.
The large ward made a grand ballroom, the corridors were charming for
promenading, and, yes, flirting, the dining room and kitchen perfect
for the supper, and the office and other small rooms were a nice size
for cloak rooms.
Of course each one of these rooms, big and small, had
to be furnished. In each dressing room was a toilet table fitted out
with every little article that might possibly be needed during the
evening, both before and after the removal of masks. All this
necessitated much planning, an immense amount of work, and the
stripping of our own houses. But there were a good many of us, and the
soldiers were cheerful assistants. I was on the supper committee,
which really dwindled down to a committee of one at the very last, for
I was left alone to put the finishing touches to the tables and to
attend to other things. The vain creatures seemed more interested in
their own toilets, and went home to beautify themselves.
The commanding officer kept one eye, and the quartermaster about a
dozen eyes upon us while we were decorating, to see that no injury was
done to the new building. But that watchfulness was unnecessary, for
the many high windows made the fastening of flags an easy matter, as
we draped them from the casing of one window to the casing of the
next, which covered much of the cold, white walls and gave an air of
warmth and cheeriness to the rooms.
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