The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-09-23


song from their Utmost souls with their
faces turned toward the homeland
across the sea. What a message tn the
,auld folks: It was not a song they
sung-it waa hymn! Such will al
ways consider the simple verses-ah.
could you only have heard your loved
sons, husbands and swcethcarts--they
were singing to you!
.~,sere's a wee hoose 'mang the heather.
",e--'-'r wee hoosc DER the sea.
The woo lassic In that wee hoose
waitin' patiently for INC.
She's the picture q perfection.
oh, I wadna tell a lee:
II you saw her you would love her.
Just the same as me-"
And We sung It again. aye. an yet
another time! "coome on now boys"
said. and the lads stood quiet and
listened. II want W a tao ci'c three
cheers for the mothers. wives an
sweethearts waitin' over yonder for sc
A.. an let yer voices out. hovs."
I'll never hear cheer Hike that
cheer In my. life again. The sound
could never he repeated.
The tassies O. France.
reached my chs'can nj II r. m. and
FOUND the officer In command. all tho
staff. hundreds of soldiers. and few
villagers waiting for mo. They de-
oanded 4 concert--therc WAS no arGlt-
mont against II.
NV stage was tho steps Of tho
chateau. and there I was rcrchcd with
two motor-"nr acotv'enc ,amns stuck
~" cHhcr side or NV head No other
Hight illnmircd tho rcone. In front and
in the shadow dc rkoese I could aimlv
mako out q soa Of blurred faces. That
YVES all.
| rccrod into Two 'ntcoso gloom.
could orlv ioncr'act,v distincuIsh tho
shapes OF brave n,nr md brave women.
Aye. tho laeslcs In France have nohlr
done their dnfv-a few wore there ~ !
felt the night flies and tho hattv birds
fitting against nv lace, attracted nv
tho Hight at the lamrs. Tho chornsos
| wero all Justify io'rcd IN that night
between IL and IL o'clock. II was the
strangest concert ever took part In.
I went to bed worn and tired, though
not weary In snirit. Re' | didn't sleep
we'll ] had To ho m with the lark and
off tn Albert. NV boys grave IL there.
on the way ! met n company Of
colonIa,s lI,he. lean. tanned and fight
| ers to the backbone. yon could see II
IN tho poise Of them. tho stuck out
chin. the square law and tho devil
mc-caro CLINT In their eyes. Sons the
y Mothorland is proud Of.
| was gazing at the most wonderful
fleur" In Franco "a tho colonials
| marched m. IL Is, n figure OF the Virgin
Mary holding the child Jesus In her
1 arms. The statue Is not standing as II
did before tho outbreak Of thc war 4
German gun altered the postion. The
figure lies at IN angle of fully 90 de-
| crccs holding out tho infant. n seems
| impossible that u could keen from
smashing on to the ground II Ia a
wonderful sight.
The French people believe that 1t will
fall on tho day OF victory. They have
that feeling strong and firm. When
We have battered the Huns to Perrin
then. and not till then. VIII tho statue.
OF Its own accord-fall to tho ground.
Up came The colonials, smart. ath.
'tir. energetic md good TO look upon
Concert boys?" asked.
Certainly. Harry" laughed ono char
down the ranks n bit. Heard YOU lr
Motherwell % years ago. Give u,
| CalllGan,'"
Now. when a Mothcrwcli man make.
n strange request like that and pull.
back the Veil OF time n quarter o. :
century. en- YOU never oxrcctin' 1T
Well. II makes Won think an while
makes You talk. We talked.
Now ] am coming to Albert--nnd m,
thoughts were busy. What might hav
been: the bright dreams o. a brighte
future. wv" get Off here" said tn
officer quietly, and kent why. 4 we
bit off the Bapaume road saw row
an rows o white crosses. | folowc
tho officer.
BY an by 7 stood at the spot whcr
my boy iics sleeping. Everything wa
quiet therc--only the trees WHISPERED
There were hundreds o. white crosse
there: hundreds o. mounds along IN
long green grass in that pcarcf,
French cemetery. I knclt down an
wished for the impossible. II | couI
only hear ono word-sct ono last loo
from tho eyes could feel. hut no, see.
B.. And then | thought o. a tho son
YIN quiet nm still beside mo. wlshe
that a the fathers o. the sleepin' heroc
were there 10 mourn. wi me--to wee
WI me. aye. an tao comfort me.
That's ~,