The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-01-02
FRENCH FINISH J
Al DAY FIGHT /
IN TRENCHES
Soldiers Welcome Brief Rest and
First Chance to Change
cIothes.F
JOKE OVER THTR PLIGHT
INDICATED infantrymer, Tell Of Their
Life at Front-onIy ~ Left Of $50
In Original oo1npany - XIII
Germans - Get Clothes.
ey GABRIEL DELAGARoE.


Correspond ent Of the Chicago Daily News
Amielns, France have just passed
two days In a tiny hamlet near the
FRONT between Arras and Albert, sleep
ing on straw and living on + cad ana
sardines. French batteries few hun
dred yards away Numbered intermit-
tently. My companions were lSo
French infantrymen. who were quar-
tered there for four days to rest after
Al consecutive days in the trenches.
BY this time they must have resumed
their old positions on the firirg line.
The first man with whom / talked
when the grim. dirty columns broke
ranks and scattered about the thirty
odd farms which compose the hamlet
said:
yes. monsieur, we have been AZ
DAYS in the trenches without once re-
moving our clothes or even our shoes.
Except for two old peasants we passed
back along the road, you are the first
civilian we have seen In all this time.
But. you see, we do not look too miser-
able. We even stood it very well, be-
cause we are Bretons. who are a tough
and stubborn race. But we are rather
dirty, are we not?"
Joke Over Life In Trenches.
I replied frankly that l had never
seen dirtier men in all my life. Their
clothes were torn and covered with
layers Of yellow clay and their shoes
looked like humps of mud which had
hardened around their feet. Yet the
men were laughing and joking happily
enough. We entered the village Inn
a picturesque tavern blackened with
smoke. with strings Of onions hanging
from the rafters. while in the cornel
the aged grandfather was weaving OF
a hand loom. Over their coffee ant
brandy the soldiers renewed theil
Jokes at the expense of the "boches'
(Germans), their own dirtiness and va
rious features OF life in the trenches.
To the accompaniment of distan
cannonade they told the history o
their company since the beginning o
the war. They had participated II
many U0ttlc6 anu thC SOhpohy ho'
been entirely reorganized three times
OF the original contingent Of $50 mel
only one officer and ten men wer
left.
DUG Holes With Their Hands.
When they first took position at tn
place they still hold. they had to figh
in an open field. for neither side ha
time to prepare trenches. The me
sought to protect themselves the bes
they could. Those without pickaxe
dug in the earth with their hands, tr,
ing to make holes big enough to II
In.
= Gradually, however, trenches wer
completed and subterranean villag
organized. Before the trenches barbe
wire was strung on which bells wer
hung which would ring when the wiz
was disturbed. Their monotonou
life was interrupted only by shells ths
burst too near and occasional surpris
attacks.
Ordinarily the men sleep In the da
time In restrooms, the straw in whic
Is changed every two weeks. Lift
by little the soul and body becan
hardened until now they can look @
the rain of deadly shells with indiffe
ence.
XIII Germans to Get Clothes.
Protection against the cold was n,
dificult. Wooden garments had bee
distributed literally and in case the:
were lacking one could always find
chance to "snipe" some German, ste