Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-10
Party at Field Headquarters.

The American headquarters band play
ed The Maresillaise" and French band
returned the compliment with THE Stars
and Stripes adding a flourish with
banner-decorated bugles that threw the
soldier boys into great applause. Then
from the other side of the big natural am
phitheater second French army band
struck up spirited air which set the blood
tingling to the toes of the soldiers squat
ting on the ground in a double circle of
blues and browns. Up jumped a boy in
khaki and. grabbing his nearest French
comrade, fox trotted into the center of the
arena, another couple followed the ex-
ample, and soon the greensward was COW
cred with men whose swaying figures
kept time with the music.
Dancing in the sunshine, the fighting
men forget for the afternoon horrors
of death behind the bands in the shade
selves to gayety like children. The
gala day was arranged long in advance
to relieve the men from the steady
grind of drilling regiment of Ameri-
can infantry. and an equal number of
French soldiers took part. Gen. Sibert.
a French general and the colonel COM
manding the American regiment were
present. The men hiked eight or ten
miles from the different villages IN
which they were billeted to headquar-
tiers. and with the French regiment
trained until noon, when all knocked
own mess wagon and the French their
own cooking outfits. However. it was a
great opportunity to get change of
fare. The French ate salmon, salad and
slumgullion stew from the American
kitchens, while our boys ate the green's
cook wagon. Everybody tasted of every
body else's mess. The Americans
were seated on the inside of a circle
an eighth of mile in diameter and the
French on the outside.
After the meal a dozen big barrels Of
red wine which the French had given the
American troops were tapped, and each
soldier. he filed past received a gener
GUS sized coffee tin of the wine. The men
then took their seats again, while three
bands alternated in PLAYING The Ameri-
cans sang Marching Through Georgia
and the French came back with Upper
ary." the only English they knew. and
then roared out some of their own march
ing songs Only few of the khaki boys
Of French descent and a few of the French
who had lived in America could talk with
their neighbors. Signs had to suffice for
the others. but all seemed to understand
that they were having good time and
that words were unnecessary.
"Best Party Ever" Veteran Says.
SAY. I have seen some big times in my
twenty years of soldering. but this is the
very best party ever, declared a broad
chested sergeant.
As the shadows We're !engtheIIng across
the drill field whistles blew and the sharp
command Fall in was heard The
Americans shouldered their forty-five
pound packs after the tinal handshakes
with the stern-faced men in blue who
were boys like ours when they entered the
war three years ago
Our band swung into Dixie" and
the boys, singing the song, started on
the long hike back to the camps and
the half day of play was ended. Into
the cleaning in the other direction
the French were marching away. an
swering the song Of their comrades
and with thoughts of the e-and-
death struggle before them and of
driving the invader from their native
country.
Everywhere else in the Dig training
area the stern routine OF work con-
tinued throughout the day The hearts
of thirty officers We're oNefloEeu When
it became known that the government
had bought for them thirty striking
mounts with a strain OF ARABIAN blood
in them.
The marines have been informed that
they will be CARRIED IN KHAKI Wnen
their present uniforms OF distlnctlVe
tint are worn out. Believe he. sara
more than one boy In olive green;
will take better care of this suit than
ever before"