The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-11-30
MORDAUNT HALL in New York Herald.

the different French chateaux behind the British
lines officers pass many interesting evening well de-
served respite from the edum and danger of trench fe
hour two which nobody would begrudged them. AT
these gatherings they sing chat about the war and
tell of the unhappy early days OF the contemplate little
army"
American officers now are enjoying themselves in
of the beautiful old fashioned homes of the French elite
They having night after night in dugout and then
this wonderful change which does them aword of good
The day before had roughed in the trenches and
had climbed Vimy Ridge We had stayed out until late wit
Messing the flashing from the laundering at night
prepared for shakedown shell torn farmhouse where
thought might have the pleasure of meeting of
the high officers of the command crude table in
The automobile sped up road fanked by trees and
halted at the white painted glass doors of French chateau
place so beyond anything we had expected to that
marveed. Orderes in khaki with two and three wound
stripes their sleeves took valse from the machines
and greeting the captain who has charge of
the chateau lent to him by titled Frenchman to entertain
his friends and visitors to the British armies There
atmosphere of omalty which dazed after expert
of eating in the open under the guns and shells of this
bloody region
Half dozen officers who had dressed for dinner by tax
ing off their Sam Browne belts stood at table, which shone
ike backish mirror helping themselves to Trinity cock
talls-cocktails without ice.
The only signs of the captured Prussian he'll
NETS one belonging to snper; Boche guns and Shells The
dinner gong in the hall polished cartridge case of
British field gun For ten minutes talked with these
soldiers and then we informed that dinner would
he served at eight would have just time to go to
rooms and clean up.
One of the British Foreign Office officials before we left
London had limited that it would not be amss to take
dark suit of clothes with The Spaniard and had bark
cred to this SUGGESTION but the Swede had with lust
little than he had At the foot of the stairs we
received brass candestck and box of Matches and the
captain remarked that must shave with this scant light
incidentally, the rooms below illuminated with oil
lamps and candles on the piano.
Each room was numbered. Some were very spacious
and others quite SMALL but all had huge down quilts on the
wooden beds and zinc bathtub which could put in any
corner of the room.
| had Just poured out cold water with which to
try shave when there knock at the door and polite
orderly in butlerlike tones informed me-
"Your hot water SIR
Soon it time to go down stairs. More officers and
other men in mufti had been added to the little hrong The
khaki uniforms of the officers hamonzed beautifully with
the furnishings of the rooms in the mellow lamp light
Some OF the military for the evening and would
have to return to their bets that night Others were for
tunae enough to be able to stay night Among the
civilians were several newspaper men, former member of
ward; Professor Spencer Wilkinson of Oxford noted wri
ter on military subjects; Spanish republican and writer's
from France and Italy and America
The buzz of conversation in broken English in
French and Spanish. There were Engishmen talking to
americans with little idea of gesture, and there were
trenchmen and Spanards having lovely time with the
gescuation accompaniment to their voices It was scene
which might have pictured happening in the second
act of play.
The cartridge gong was sounded punctualv at
eght by an orderly and the guests trooped into the dining
room to sit down at temptngy laid table The CAPTAIN
assigned each man to seat the erstwhle member of the
British Cabinet and the two professors having the places of