The Adventures of Miss Elizabeth Horsman and Miss Helen Carey - 1918

Miss Elizabeth Horsman, Formerly of Toll Operating Department, Chicago, in Her Uniform as a Member of Woman's Telephone Unit for Service "Over There." Bell Telephone News, October 1918. GGA Image ID # 19a9f0ad1b

"Possibly," said Miss Elizabeth Horsman, of the Chicago toll department," possibly General Sherman was right, but war furnished me with the most delightful experience in my life." "Yes," echoed Miss Helen Carey of the same department, "I'm not so particularly impressed with that General's remarks myself anymore.

I think war is perfectly bully in a great many respects!" And why shouldn't she? In July 1918, Miss Carey took the oath of allegiance, went to New York, and sailed away to Liverpool. From there, she jumped to France and to St. Nazaire, France, where she remained for eleven months. "

And did you have an exciting time?" inquired the awed News reporter respectfully. "Not especially," said Miss Carey. "Of course, it was fun.

Miss Helen Carey, Signal Corps Telephone Operator. Bell Telephone News, August 1918. GGA Image ID # 19aa0bcd9e

I helped entertain General Pershing and went to Paris on leaves, and once Peter Clarke Macfarlane wrote a story about me for the Saturday Evening Post, and I visited all of the battlefronts.

Still, on the whole, my stay in France was very quiet and peaceful." "As was my stay there," Miss Horsman remarked. "True, I was quarantined for three days in England, at Romsey, and that was interesting, but life in Tours, where I was stationed, was not thrilling --merely lovely and charming.

I thought I would catch my death of cold the day General Pershing was to inspect my unit. The General was late — he always is, you know—and he kept us standing for over an hour in the rain.

At Paris, where I was stationed for two months, President Wilson lived just around the corner from me, and I used to see him riding about in his machine.

I was 'simply wild' about Paris—I'm going back someday. On the streets there, the day the armistice was signed, I had my most embarrassing moment. Two Frenchmen recognized my American uniform and kissed me.

I wanted to box their ears but restrained myself!" Both Miss Horsman: and Miss Carey say, and say loudly and emphatically, that the YWCA women overseas were splendid.

Miss Horsman. has been with the Chicago Telephone Company since 1904, and Miss Carey has been with the Company since 1911. In the Chicago Company, there are two other "Overseas Girls," Miss Lydia Erikson and Miss Mabel Lapp.

For the November issue of the BELL TELEPHONE News, every effort: will be made to get an expression of their views on France and the work" over there. "

“Of Interest to Our Girls,” Bell Telephone News, Detroit Edition, Volume 9, No. 3, October 1919, p.12