The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-10-04
It WAS some DAY" IN OLD LONDON
WHEN YANKEE TROOPS MARCHED THERE
StoId British Warmed Up and Actually Embarrassed Our Boys With
the Ardor Of Their Greeting -Crowds Packed Ten Deep
Along Line of March Showered Soldiers With
Flowers and Smokes"

ordeal was more trying, for such fer
vor ia a strange land must be appre-
ciated by every soul honored. Com
pany after company passed with lips
frightened and teeth set.
"God bless you" exclaimed an old
woman. An American soldier bowed
acknowledgment. The fixed faces
seemed to realize and finally the cor
ners of mouths curved upward when
a Cockney woman yelled:
Give Us a Wink, Wot7
"You are a bit of all right y are.
Give us a wink wot?"
One Of the Americans actually did
his best and the Cockney female
shouted:
"Bli-me, I knowed yer face wasn't
made O. wax. An if e. amt got the
witest teeth I ever saw"
Another Guards band drowned
laughter and further comments and
the men tramped on through the dou-
BILE archways leading to Whitehall,
their shouldered rifles above the banks
of men and women. Presently an au-
tomobile came to a halt a dozen yards
from the men and women and a beau
tiful young American girl whipped out
IN American flag and waved it ener-
getically. Quite a number Of the SOL
diers saw it and only discipline for
babe their turning their heads after
they had gone by.
"Stick a feather in is at and call
him Yankee Doodle" sang a young
woman who had nc taste in s%artorial
color harmony and who thought she
was giving a fair rendition of the
American national anthem.
"They don't like that" declared a
man. cts the Star-Spangled Banner
yer ought to sing"
Just then the American girl in q
sweet voice started with ooh, say, can
you see" and the Englishman with
her continued the air without knowing
the words.
In the Horse Guards, that interest
ing old building, in Whitehall, there
was an impressive and un%forgetable
sight. The uniforms of color, the fight
ing attire Of yesteryear, those men in
red coats, white leather brooches and
tall pointed black boots, stood in line
at attention, their swords at salute to
the American soldiers.
The color caught the eyes of the
boys from Maine and San Francisco,
and some of them did not know quite
what to make Of it.
Sent to Discipline Naughty Bill.
However, they realized the honor of
the turning out Of these strapping life
guards, now in red, white and black.
with brilliant brass helmets, who per-
haps not so very long ago were up to
their waists In mud in the trenches
when wearing their fighting gear.
Most Of them had been wounded and
thus were sent back to the Guard at
Whitehall.
Further along the sons of Uncle Sam
marched to the wide Whitehall, and in
a few minutes they were passing the
admiralty, where sailors and naval Of
fcers stood thrilled with interest at
the marching line before them.
"The Day." shouted a sailor. "The
Day when Naughty Bill is to get is"
"Yes," said another man, saint it a
shame to think we can't do more than
roast the chief 'un."
TRAMP, tramp, tramp, the boys are
marching" came from a thousand
Threats as the band struck up this ia.
miliar tune. They realized they were
doing something to vanquish any
gloom.
ION through the mouth of Whitehall
to Trafalgar square, where stands the
statue to Lord Nelson and the Land.
seer lions. Each lion carried it's full
quota Of men and boys who shouted.
clapped and sang from their vantage
points.
II guess and reckon that Amurica
amt goin' to stand no nonsense from
them baby killers" opined an English.
man who apparently thought he had
a firm grip on New Yorkese. You see
the Englishman is about as strong on
the imitation Of an American as the
American is on English.
1t was palpable that some Of the
men in the throng had worn their most
American" looking clothes. They cop.
led the American way Of bending down
their felt hats in front-in other words,
it is now fashionable to the American
in England.
The narrows Of the Strand were
banked with cheerful c~ountenances,
and now and again flowers and smokes
fell in the roadway. Australians, New
Zealanders and Canadians gave their
need Of applause to the American
troops.
And when it was all over that day
you heard precious little else but
praise for the American troops and
comments on their good looks. And
they were a pre-possessing lot, too.
Until shutdown the Stars and Stripes
flew at the staff atop the house of
parliament. Der Tag was one which
raised perhaps the German eyebrows,
for the German officers have been CIV
en- to understand that Americans could
never bravo rhroor1no NJ