New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-28

The American boys have been grouped in
room opposite mine on the court. In the
room of a friend who is sick | could see
them from the window. They talked simple
talk of the days dongs. One Of them had
a near collision with another motor. The
voices were ringing and twangy and care
less, and the talk was full of "gee whiz'
and "damns' and giggles. Then they sang,
and that nearly got me. They sang as only
our youngsters can sing. Not in the three
years over here have l heard just that
thing by good voices, young and lusty,
native wealth of joy In the Tilt. 1t brings
back crowds Of memories of vaudeville and
camping 1t is the gait of an up-to-date
fractions horse that is fond of itself, that
know. it is strong and thinks itself and
its country about right. Their singing OF
our ragtime is the second homesick jolt |
have had to-day. The first arrived at
o'clock this morning, before / was out OF
bed. | heard the voices of sixty sailors
who had come on leave for few days.
heard their voices calling across the court:
"Where are you!"
SCOT nifty roomf"
"You oughta see mine"
Tonight talked with four of them wait
ing for a taxi. | spoke to one; all swarmed
up, dying to talk. One, the youngest looking
and the toughest, said:
"You .oughta have seen me to-day. cried
an hour, was 80 homesick."
The incest one, the one with the gold teeth,
asked madame for the address Of the hotel,
so he could get back tonight. He grinned
at me.
al don't want to walk the streets Of Paris
looking for this place." He took his hat
off-tbey all did when they spoke-and there
were the crowns stuffed with money.
The homesick one pulled out a wad Of
American bills from his pocket.
One spoke scornfully Of the yacht he
came over In (probably the biggest ship we
OWN, and said it was the worst gale he
had seen--a typhoon. He was about twenty.
The Strength of the Youth
That seems to me only typical Of our
boys snd of our army. They all feel as If
they had come out of the one country on
earth, and they have a wealth of enthusi-
asm and untapped strength-the strength OF
youth back Of them, good health and the
tradition Of plenty. They are full Of fight,
though most Of them don't know why they
have come over, but they feel sure that
they are going to start things and then
finish them quickly. They have rather q
good-natured arrogance toward the boys
who have been fighting 1t is harmless and
Ignorant 1t is not bad-hearted.
But there are all kinds Of boys at our
'front.' Here are some of the types
A keen-looking mana man past thirty
He was sharp, and hard, and fascinating;
he had been fifteen years and seven months
in the army. He is q gambler and cow
boy. He cares more for horses than for
men. He had been with the Northwest
back of 1t, and he had been with the Texas
Rangers. He overheard me talking to boy
one day about 600 francs he had just won.
After the lad had gone, the cowboy, who
was throwing metal disks at frogs mouth,
strollsd over TO me.
"six hundred francsl" he said, 900 francs!
Is that all he madei Why" he said, IL
cleaned up sl,7oO on the boat coming over.
What's 800 francsl It's hardly worth play
ing for"
And then he began to spin yarns. and he
talked for two hours. He Is thirty-seven
Between army enlistments, when the time
has run out, he takes a time of "to sport"
as he says. He has a motor car, he plays
all the gambling joints and he plays usually
in great luck. Sometimes he sets up a
businesslike roller-skating rink, with a dance
hall and a bar attached. All money went
through his own hands-t was arranged
through some checking system so that he