Arizona republican., 1918-12-18

to see here to celebrate with us who
are gone"
Right here, let me say that what
this man said of individuals seems to
be true of the French communities and
the society. The sorrow of which he
speaks has been felt by all, and just.
as it has changed the character of the
individual, it has changed the charac-
ter of the communities of France.
Well, there We're several Americans
in the Place de rOpera and they felt
a little more like celebrating, they were
all young soldiers, and all they could
talk about was the end of the war.
and how soon they could see the old
United States again. They were a
center of interest to the French people
passing along The boulevards. and the
Americans were very much disguised
that the French had not yet started
the celebration, and it was not long
before the Yanks decided that they
would pull off something on their own
hook. One young fellow-I should say
about nineteen-probably a. French
man from one of our colleges-said:
I'll tell you right now, if you'll follow
me, there's going to be something do
ing in about two minutes | know
where some of these French ginks
have hung their flags out low enough
to reach In about two seconds. he
was leading a couple of hundred
Americans down the Rue de la Paix
| was afraid of trouble, because there
were three sergeans de willie standing
beside us, and when the soldiers struck
nIrt 4I,1
mediately what they were going to do
| told them that the Americans were
going to take some flags down and
that if he wanted to stop it to let me
knoWaa l would do what l could at
once. l will not repeat his French
but in substance he said: That so
far as he was concerned, the Ameri-
cans could do just as they pleased, and
he would not interfere" His two as
sociates agreed with his sentiments,
and in less than two minutes. the
Americans came back across the Place
at the head of at least two thousand,
and everyone had a beautiful and an
enormous flag. They represented all
the Allies By good fortune, they had
committed their depredations on the
richest and most dignified street in
Parls-the Rue de la Paix-So no one
lost anything that could not afford it,
Well, in a very few minutes, the whole
Place de POpera was alive with peo-
ple-thousands and thousands-each
bunch of Americans that came along
started a separate celebration, and the
agents de vile concluded that if the
war was not over it at least was nearly
enough over to let a little light on the
scene, so some ladders were secured
and the scrgeants de vile occupied
themselves with climbing the lamp
posts, and in a few minutes. the Place
de fOpera was lighted as it had not
been since August, 1914 The French
looked on the Americans and their an
tics with the utmost CONSERVATION.
but. as things got warmed up, they be-
gan to mix in more and more. The
gay midinettes concluded that there
was a good opportunity to start a
kissing bee with their favorites. the
American soldiers, and in less time
than it takes to tell it, everyone Of
them had at least two girls helping
him celebrate. Over at one side of the
Metro station a bunch of the boys were
singing "A Long, Long Trail And I
will tell you when they came to the
line in the chorus: Till the day when
I'll be going down that long, long trail
| with you" they certainly made it ring.
On the other side of the Metro. an
other bunch were announcing to the
world that they wouldn't go home
until its over over there"-and they
| brought the emphasis in at the right
| place, too, | assure you.
| A bunch came along from one of our
| famous fighting divisions, and some
one asked them who they We're and
| one young lad yelled out: We're the
Kaiser tanners, that's who we are!"
You know, the Place de rOpera is
| quite large, and I am sure there must
| have been from ten to fifteen thousand
| people in it-all nations were repre-
sented, and all enjoying watching the
| Americans in the preliminary celebra
| tions. / mad a good place for observa
ton, and at one time l was Joined >bs
an English Colonel. He thawed out
| enough to say: We'll, now is the
| Jolly old war really over?" | assured
him of my firm convictions along that
| line, and he said: well now. those
/ Americans, you know, I'd Just like tc
join in their bally old celebration. but
you see, the trouble is, if | got in there
with those boys, | would never be
hHoNi hS what tney re gong 10 &c
next" And then with an entirely diff.
ferent note in his voice he said: "Ah
well. the jolly old war it's over. It's
! been q bit of scrap, you know. really
but England and then he stopped ant
took off his hat, England, you know
with all the rest who have fought TO,
4 the Right, has come out on top"
| hated TO leave the celebration, but
| was very tired and went down to my
hotel little before midnight with tn,
i echoes of: Hail, hail the gangs al
/ here. ringing in my ears
was up early the next morning
November 18th, expecting to see the