The Washington times., 1917-08-24

Gus little Frenchmen. who combine
speed and strength. Little fellows
only a shave over five feet can do
stunts in lifting guns up by the bayo-
net which defy siX-footers from back
home.
The French are excellent teachers.
Some little time Is lost on account OF
the difference in language, but not
quite so much as might be expected.
Particularly when the lesson got
down to guns, the instructor had little
need for words. He simply took the
thing apart and put it together again.
Then he took 1t apart once more and
let some American try his hand. Here
the Americans did well They could
get the hang OF any mechanical device
in short order.
Officers Have Hardest Time.
As a matter OF fact. the American
soldier gets along much better in
French than his ofricer. The officer
is equipped only with defensive
French. When a visiting officer hurls
a compliment at him he replies, but he
seldom takes the initiative. After all,
he is an American officer, and fears
to make himself ridiculous by poor
pronunciation and worse grammar.
The soldier has no such scFuples.
He sees no reason why he should be
abashed any more by French gram
mar than by English, and as for pro
nunciation. he ignores 1t.
A few words do the work of many.
There is "Combien," for instance
II is pronounced come bean" in our
set. and it serves almost any question
ing purpose. 1 have heard II used
and accepted as an equivalent for
whereabouts" what did you say"
why" (which one" and will you
please show US once more how to put
that machine gun together"
The most attractive thing about the
American soldier Is his attitude to-
ward the French. A few OF our
troops came here in a slightly patron
iZing spirit. The Frenchman was a
"froggy" and a pleasant, but distinct
ly amusing figure. That idea has
gone.
Soon Proved Mettle.
It needed no battle for the French
man to show his prowess. He soon
proved that he could throw bombs
better, run faster, and life heavier
weights than the American, but the
climax came on the fourteenth OF
July.
In order that Bastile Day should be
properly celebrated, the French gov
ernment presented to the American
army a pint OF red wine and half
pint of champagne for each American
soldier.
The officers were somewhat per-
picked as to what to da. They could
not refuse the offer of the French
with any grace, but yet
they somewhat dreaded the results of
the ration. At last they decided to
issue the wine. so that the Americans
might join the poilus in proper cele-
bration OF the day.
That night in many a village scores
OF Americans were helped home to
their bilIets by poilus whose heads
were giddy but unbowed.
Champagne was a popular tipple OF
the enlisted man for some little time
the government spree. So
long as you were not an officer you /
tripped over empty bottles upon en-
tering a billet. The stuff was on sale
at every corner. There were the reg
ular shops which sold beer. brandy
and champagne. and others which
sold chocolate. cake and champagne,
or clocks. watches, and champagne,
or muslin, calico. and champagne.
By and by American officers acting in
a more or less unofficial way per-
suaded the shop,zeepers to let their
stocks run out.
However, the American soldier is
pretty generally a useful and popular
Of the French community in
which he lives. The inhabitants like
him far better than his British cousin,
who is more aloof. The American
'aises and lowers the water bucket
hat old ladies may sit and rest. and
le is a good hand at minding children.
Children Are Ubiquitous.
These French youngsters are for
.ver in among the feet OF the SOL
iiers. They sit around open eyed
Turing mess time, and they are open
nouthed, too, but not in vain. They
rail the men on the march. Little
girls and boys drive tagged soldiers
# Uncle Sam in mad pickaback gall
ops up and down village streets, and
lap their hands at American songs.
rhe first day the soldiers practiced :
With live bombs 1t was necessary to
AXE twenty minutes time out to
hase away the youngsters OF
france.
Boys along the road always salute
'assing officers, and the American
.rmy has made il a rule that though
t come from a child of two every
french salute will be returned with
roper dignity and gravity.