New-York tribune., 1917-11-28
Americans Take Reality of War
In Native Buoyancy Of Spirit
Enter Trenches Eagerly and Send Back Shell After Shell
Answering Boche Like Veterans-Lving in
Dugouts Taken as Part of Job

white bread with coffee, az on the pre-.
vious morning, and after smoking q
cigarette went out into the open. Ny
KIT bag was still locked and I had no;
opened II, so took a towel from my
pocket and washed my face in the rain
by throwing back my head. Not much
OF morning toilet, but with that and
a rain-moistened toothbrush ! called n
complete. The major laughed, and We
started OF together.
Here and there We brushed against
helmeted silhouetted figures OF the
night before. They saluted and we
passed on without comment save the
return. And then we descended into an
abri. There were series Of hunks in II,
one, two three, as in tho old fashioned
steerage or an ocean liner. The floor
was invisible, being covered with
water. bat a stove was burning and the
dampness was warm. Sammies were
asleep in every one Of the hunks, these
being part of the men who had stood
first guard and watch. The lower bunk
was about six inches above the yel-
lowish wet ! was told afterward that
turns were taken during the SammieS
occupation as TO sleeping IN the lower
bunk, and bets were made as 20 the
loser getting wet ere morning.
An officer told Us that the first night
had been quiet. Nothing occurred,
sir" he said. We passed up the steps
and 70 the open. Day was breaking, a
gray, gray day, wet as water Over
head clouds were scurrying as II
chased by some magic of the gods. A
turn in the trench brought NE in sight
Of the first American soldier ! ever
saw in daylight in active service. He
was a man ! recognized as having seer
in training back in the rural country
and he recognized me. ! saw him IN
new perspective, as q soldier standing
bayoneted rife in hand, ready for his
bit. and as such, / stopped and looked
him over anew, just as the boy did the
artist in Graham's story Of the Roman,
Road"
Quiet Broken by Shells
His Youthful. trim American figure
spelled his whole nation TO me, his
whole nation. breast TO the foe, on tne
oui vive to uphold honor and justice
against the Kaiser's barbarism. he
stood there alone, for the bend IN the
BAYOU prevented me from seeing his
fellows beyond, but he struck ME IN
fash, not as an individual but as
symbol, a sign, "a certainty Of ultimate
victory for the Allied cause which -
the cause of the United States. And
Is these thoughts caVe to me. l leIt
like putting my arms about his neck
and kissing both his cheeks. Latin
fashion. Perhaps if had he would
have said: "For the love Of Nike IN
genuine surprise. l smiled as the
thought came to me, and passed on.
out there before US lay No Man 5
Land-a bleak, SCARED, brown piece Of
country behind barbed wire. Far of,
perhaps 1900, or 700, or 200 metres
away tthe censor won't stand Tor
figures). could make out the forms
of other wire before the Boche first
linz. Between and to the right lay
ruined farmhouse; nearer. clump OF
bruised trees, and all about puddles
and miniature lakes Of muddy water,
filling she'll craters. There was neither
sound nor sight of anything. As the
eve read. there was nothing beyond.