“They say Paris is some city,” he assented, “but all I’ve seen of it is this courtyard.  Don’t tell anybody, but, on the level, I’d rather be back in Vera Cruz!”

The work of distributing the money was carried on in the chancelleries of the embassy in the Rue de Chaillot.  It was entirely in the hands of American army and navy officers, twenty of whom came over on the warship with Assistant Secretary of War Breckinridge.  Major Spencer Cosby, the military attache of the embassy, was treasurer of the fund, and every application for aid that had not already been investigated by the civilian committee appointed by the ambassador was decided upon by the officers.  Mr. Herrick found them invaluable.  He was earnest in their praise.  They all wanted to see the fighting; but in other ways they served their country.

As a kind of “king’s messenger” they were sent to our other embassies, to the French Government at Bordeaux, and in command of expeditions to round up and convoy back to Paris stranded Americans in Germany and Switzerland.  Their training, their habit of command and of thinking for others, their military titles helped them to success.  By the French they were given a free road, and they were not only of great assistance to others, but what they saw of the war and of the French army will be of lasting benefit to themselves.  Among them were officers of every branch of the army and navy and of the marine and aviation corps.  Their reports to the War Department, if ever they are made public, will be mighty interesting reading.

The regular staff of the embassy was occupied not only with Americans but with English, Germans, and Austrians.  These latter stood in a long line outside the embassy, herded by gendarmes.  That line never seemed to grow less.  Myron T. Herrick, our ambassador, was at the embassy from early in the morning until midnight.  He was always smiling, helpful, tactful, optimistic.  Before the war came he was already popular, and the manner in which he met the dark days, when the Germans were within fifteen miles of Paris, made him thousands of friends.  He never asked any of his staff to work harder than he worked himself, and he never knocked off and called it a day’s job before they did.  Nothing seemed to worry or daunt him; neither the departure of the other diplomats, when the government moved to Bordeaux and he was left alone, nor the advancing Germans and threatened siege of Paris, nor even falling bombs.

Herrick was as democratic as he was efficient.  For his exclusive use there was a magnificent audience-chamber, full of tapestry, ormolu brass, Sevres china, and sunshine.  But of its grandeur the ambassador would grow weary, and every quarter-hour he would come out into the hall crowded with waiting English and Americans.  There, assisted by M. Charles, who is as invaluable to our ambassadors to France as are Frank and Edward Hodson to our ambassadors to London, he would hold an impromptu reception.  It was interesting to watch the ex-governor of Ohio clear that hall and send everybody away smiling.  Having talked to his ambassador instead of to a secretary, each went off content.  In the hall one morning I found a noble lord of high degree chuckling with pleasure.