Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-24
FIGHTING ALONG WEST FRONT
IS GOOD CURE FOR ''NERVES''
Trench Work and Gun Fire Supplants Cures
by. Quiet-What Goes On Among
the Soldiers

the men digs up An oiu dScoruloii III
an abandoned house in the wrecked
village on which German shells are
constantly falling and brings 1t to
the second line trench. The fnstru-
ment Is not In the best OF shape, but
by squeezing it onergetically some
wheezy notes can be brought forth.
The concert is quickly organized three
feet under the ground. with due pre-
cautions regarding the amount OF noise
that may be made. For scenery some
sacks of earth are ar:istical1y arrang-
ed. One of the men takes the accor-
dion and plays military march by
way of overture. In the company have
been readily found imitators or Mayoi.
Polin. Dranem and other well known
music hall artists.
When the 75s Play.
Another joyous moment is when the
French 75s come into play. For an
hour the "Boches' have been pepper
ing US with a hellish avalanche of all
kinds of projectiles, 'saucepans'
Qarge caliber high explosive sheHs),
"bolognas" (aerial torpedoesl. hat
pins" (grenades with iron stems fired
from rif1es). and with salvos ana
drumf1re. Are they going to be allow
to the left and from above ard keep
the poilus busy doing acrobatic stunts
in the bottom of the trenches in order
to keep away from the immediate dan
ger. What a noise! In the air are con-
tinuous rumblings followed by crashes
like hundred thunder claps. Some of
the comrades who have been struck
are carried out. The poilus begin to
grumble. Are they going to be allow
ed to get away with it?' they ask. and
their eyes are turned to the rear in
the direction of the French batteries.
still silent. An artillery observation
officer, with field glasses in his hand
passes through the trench. From the
looks cast at him he reads the mems
thoughts. BE patient moment,
boys he says. Don't worry. We are
not forgetting them. The dance will
soon begin. But We want to start 1T in
the right place. Have confidence"
Men Keep Shifting and Dodging.
The men keep shifting and lodging
while waiting till the big brothers
are ready. But how long it seems. Sud
denly, brutal and furious, the T5s begin
to work. Their voice is known to the
men in the trench and is very agree
able to them. They can tell it easily
from that of the German II, even de-
spite the other noises.
The French shells fly over the trenches
and the men salute them as they go
by, shouting, Go on, Do your work
well.' The shells can be heard burst
ing over the German trenches. This is
real pleasure.
A good moment also this article SAYS,
is the relief of the trench watch, the
calm after the tempest, the oasis III the
burning desert, the recovery of some
creature comforts the loss of which is
felt during a long stay in the trench,
and the living again for few hours of
a mblance of civil life
To be relieved and go back to the
rear means to be able to take off ones
clothes after ten or twelve days and
nights in uniform; it means to sleep a
whole night through under a roof and
between four walls. 1t means to take
bath, refreshing both physically and
morally. 1t means to be delivered from
the trench walls SO cruelty hard on
the eyes. and to be able to gaze on the
horizon, on a field. on a wood, to look
on the ground instead Of under it, and to
to be able to sit on chair and to eat
out Of a plate placed on table.
What Relief Means.
OF course those who have never been
deprived Of these conveniences can
not exactly understand the feeling The
relief also means seeing people who
are not soldiers. walking in a street.
on a sidewalk between houses where
there are stores, houses wreck ID and
vacant for the most part, bu, which
still give the impression of civil zation.
the rellef means the sight of femi-
nine silhouette. 1t would take Ros-
tand to tell all that the relief from the
trenches means, says this writer, and
as the poets are now buster with the
rifle than with the Lutte we shall have
to wait for adequate descriptions till
the end of the war.
The end of the war itself is a pleasant
moment, in perspective. Meantime there
are many other pleasan moments in
the days of active fighting by which
the poilus are preparing the pleasant
ending of the war.
The bayonet charge is the most ex-
Vibrating moment Of all, but the de-
scription of 1t also must be deferred to
the days when the poets again are free.
The sick soul that is not cured by
association with the poilu at the front
10 beyond all redemption.