New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-31
DEAF TO GERMANS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
British Sentry Arrested
wandstreamerS' Who
Visited Trench.

London, Dec. 31.-"The Daily News
publishes the following from North
ern France" dated December 30:
Serious fighting has been impossi-
BILE in the region where the British
troops are congregated, mainly along
the ragged line from Ypres 10 Armen-
there's and Lille. on account OF the
shocking state Of the country, but
there has been an abundance OF fun IN
the sloppy trenches. A Jolly pauIe
who came down from the hrlng ilne IN
the dim small hours of this morning
gave me some amusing little sketches
of the celebration Of the great festiVai
on Christmas morning.
1.-TWO British soldiers, after signal
ling truce and good fellowship from
the perilous crown Of their trenches
walked across TO the German line with
plates OF mince pies and garnlture OF
seasonable messages. They were most
cordially received, had good feed,
washed down by a choice bottle, ana
we're sent back with their pockets
filed with Christmas cards that were
quite sentimental, wreathed with mis-
tletoe and holly, for distribution
among their fellows.
Later in the day the Germans re
turned the compliment, and sent
couple of caparisOned heralds, ap-
parently Landsturm men, across TO the
British evergreen empowered dugouts.
An extra oficious soldier promptly ar
rested them upon their appearance IN
the lines. He sat them down In the
dampest corner Of his trench. Pres
emily an officer came along.
What I'm the world have you there ~
said he 10 the brave British soldier
who was guarding his shiyering treas
ures.
Begin your pardon. sir. A couple
o. 1andstreamers' by the looks OF 'em.
Said they'd come to wish US many
happy returns. so ! nabbed 'em. sir"
Realizing that this was hardly play
ing the game. the officer read the
sentry q little homily on the amenities
Of the festive season, and asked the
plump "landstreamers" TO depart with
the compliments Of the season to their
own lines.
In addition to the above dispatch,
THE Daily News" publishes a letter
from an officer in the Queens West
Minister Rifles. describing an eXtraordi-
nary Christmas truce. 81 really must
tell YOU" he writes, "about the funnl-
est and most amusing Christmas /
have ever spent. As you know, the
official armistice did not come of, but
the men made one of their own.
"Our section was billeted on fatigue
duty. Well. on Christmas Eve We car
ried wood up to the firing line from
dark until a. m. All the time sing
ing. cheering and trumpet calls IN both
lines could be heard, and the Germans
had lights all along their front. We
were walking with our wood IN the
bright moonlight, but not a shot was
fired at US all the time.
THE next day would have made a
GOOD chapter in Dickens. It was, IN
deed. a tribute to the spirit Of Christ
mas. Many of our chaps walked out
and met the Germans between the
lines. went over in the afternoon
and was photographed in group Of
English and Germans mixed. We eN-
changed souvenirs. | got German
ribbon and a photo of the Crown
Prince of Bavaria.
"The Germans opposite US were aw-
fully decent fellows -SaXons, intelll-
gent. respectable looking men. | had
quite a decen. talk with three or four
and have two names and addresses in
nv notebook. 1t was the strangest
scene you could imagine, going out I'M
armed TO meet our enemies, also UNI
armed. After our talk, ! really thought
a lot OF our newspaper reports must be
horribly exaggerated. OF course,
these men were SaXons, not Prus-
slams