The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-08-18


vividneSS some manifestations
ef this romance-little twilight pictures, gentle
touches Of otherwise CHASTITY existence:
In the trenches one evening a battalion of the
Lenster regiment held "kaiee" Irish sing
song at which there a spirited rendering OF
the humorous old ballad Brian OLynn," sung
to an nfectiOusly rollicking tune. The opening
runs:
brian OLynn had no breeches to wear
So he bought a sheepskin to make him pair.
With the woOlly side out and the skinny side in,
Fax, It's pleasant and COOL says Brian OLynn"
The swing Of the tune took the fancy of the
Germans in their trenches less than 80 yards
away. With mty-tumtumty-tu m-tumty tunl-
tum,' they loudly hummed the air of the end OF
each verse, all unknowng that the Leinsters, sing
ing at the top of their voices gave the words
topical applications
with the woolly side out and the skinny side In,
Sure We'll wallop the Gerrys,' said Brian OLynn"
Hearty bursts Of laughter and cheers
from both trenches at the conclusion of the song.
II seemed If the combatants gladly ayailed
themselves Of this chance opportunity of becom-
ing united again In the common brotherhood Of
man, for but fleeing moment, by the
spirit of good humOr and hilarity.
A young English officer of different battalion
of the same Leinster regiment tells of a more
curious incident still, which likewise led to brief
cessation Of hostilites Two privates in his COM
pany had quarrel in the trenches, and nothing
would DO them out TO ngnt IL out on NO Mail
Land The Germans were most appreciative and
accommodating Not only did they not modest
the pugsts but they cheered them, and actually
fred the contents Of their rifles In the air by way
of salute. The European war was, in fact sus-
pended in that particular section OF the lines
while two Irishmen settled their own little diff
ferences by contest of fists.
"Who will say the Germans are not sports
men?" was the comment Of the young English
officer.
There is, however, another, and perhaps a
shrewder view of the episode. 1t was taken by
sergeant Of the company.
"Yerra come down out Of that, We pair of born
FOOLS" he called out to the fighters IF We had
only glimmer of sense, ye'd see, ye would,
that it's playing the Gerrys' game We Sure,
there's nothing they'd like better than to see US
all knocking bazes out of each other"
But as regards the moral pointed by the officer
there must be, of course, many "sportsmen'
among the millions of German soldiers; though
the opinion widely prevailing in the British army
is that they are often treacherous fighters. In
deed to their dirty practices is mainly to be as
scribed the bitter personal luminosity that occa-
sionay marks the relations between the COM
batants when the fighting becomes most bloody
and desperate, and-aS happens at times In all
wars-no quarter is given to those who allow
none.
An interchange of Christmas Presents.
Amenities between combatants are very ancient
The Greeks and Tro1ans used to exchange pres
ents and courtesies in the intervals OF hghtng,
and the early stages Of this war seemed to al
ford a promise that they would be revived. The
fraternizing of the British and Germans at their
first Christmas under arms, in 1914, WILL perhaps,
always be accounted the most curious episode
of the
The influence of the great Christian festival LED
TO a suspension of hostilites along the lines ana
the men on each side seized the opportunity TO
+hoir otural
more of each other than through the smoke OF
battle with deadly weapons in their hands ana
hatred In their eyes. Each side had taken prs
oners; but prisoners are "out of It," and there
fore reduced to the level OF noncombatants. Inc
foeman in being appears in a very different light
He has the power to strike. You may nave &c
KIN him or you may be killed by him. SO the
British and the Germans impelled In the mali
by common feeling of inqulsiuveness met 70
gether between the lines on No Mans Land. Iher'
was some amcabe conversation where they coule
make themselves understood to each other. which
hsppened when a German was found VINO couit
sneak a little English. Cigarettes and tunic but
tons were freely exchanged But, for the mos
mart British and Germans stood with arms 1oidet
across their breasts and stared at each other VIII
q kind of dread fascination.
II never happened again How could 1t pos
sibly be repeated!
Tho Introduction into the conflict by the Ger
mans in high command of the barbarc element
of "frghtfulness," hitherto confined to saVag
tribes at war; their use of such deviish lnvenuoh
as poison gas and liquid fire; their belief only II
brute strength and regards the common der
man soldiers the native lowness of moraht
shown by so many of them; their apparent IL
sensitveness to ordinary humane instincts II
evitably tended to harden and embitter their &C
yersaries against them. Even so. British feehn
is extraordinarily devoid Of indebtedness.
The Germans, in the mass are regarded as hay
ing been dehumanized and transformed into
process of ruthless destruction. In any case, the
are the enemy. AS such there is satiSfacuo
nay positive delght-in sweeIfng them out Q
existence That is But against the Germa
soldier individually it may be said that. on IN
whole, there is no rancor