The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-10-16

A French soldier $1,000 al the par
ricade. There was puzzled look on
his face. He was, | am sure, brave
man, but how were rife and bayonet
to meet the charge of i traction an-
CINE? The army regulations make no
provision for such an emergency.
pulled up to watch the encounter.
The sentry approached with caution.
"Parlez-vous-be hanged. Can't you
see I'm English" exclaimed an indig
nant voice from the pantechnidon that
dragged behind.
The sentry collapsed, and the pom
derous leviathan moved on.
"Hellow What on earth are you do
ing here" | cried when we got
alongside.
The smutty face broadened and
beamed.
Good to hear English again. Why
don't these people learn to speak
language people can understand? ?"
"Have a cigar?"
1t was my last. but l knew it was
like the last train so many war cor
respondents have been catching, there
would be plenty more.
So we parted like ships passing III
the night, and l never thought to see
the ichthyosaurus of the road again.
But here it is in Rouen taking posses
sion Of the square in front Of the beau
tiful little church of St. Maclou, and
here is ny friend of the unwashed
face. 1 push my way through the adj
miring crowd of soldiers and Williams.
What are you doing here?"
waiting for repairs. Why they
send these old coal beavers over here
l can't say, but here we are, and
we've got to make the best of it."
GLOW do you manage without an in
terpreter?"
There's where the blooming fun
comes in. What are we to do with
people who call their mother a mare
and the father pear. When we want
coal have to take piece in my hand
and argue with them for half an hour.
But | always get coal. But as for
water! Good Lord! It's easier to get
wan rooge," which even the kids IN
this country drink instead of beer"
l thought l was paying him a COM
pliment when I asked if he came from
| Scotland-for he had the accent.
mo blooming fear. Dublin's my
country, though the blooming Ger
mans did think we would not fight for
the old country"
q met you near BeauTais ?"
eyes. we spent the night there"
"Whv, the Germans were said to be
in the town."
Devil a wan Of them. We've been
looking for them four days and nights
They're lost. We've got q sergeant
who always knows where they are. but
he's not here just now. What is It the
folk say when you ask them the way?'
''ToutdrOit."
eyes, that's where the sergeant
thinks they always are. Whenever he
hears that blooming word he takes to
the side tracks where we're most like
" to meet these blooming hOoligans
Or Uhlans-who spend their time
cutting up women and children.
don't call that war; it's Just muir
Their"
A little child pushed its way
through the crowds with 4 toy rifle
in its hand. Tommy stopped down and
put the rife at the carry and kissed
| the child. ! shuddered at the coal
black face, but the mother looked
pleased, and the child smiled its de-
light at the kind soldier.
lie told me some interesting stories
from the front-how the German put
on British and French uniforms and
walk into our lines. They came to a
village one day, and at dawn, when
cur men were retiring, they opened
on them with machine guns hidden in
houses and sheds.
"Well there's been some casualties
among them. Pm looking for some
missing now. In one of the fights a
dozen were in danger, and half score
of the boys went to the rescue. / had
lust started the engine when the front
of the machine was blown away by a
blooming shell. But we got six Of
them away"