The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-02-28
Toslevm Tersely Tells
Fate Of Fhckertails
(By E. H. Tostevin.)
With the 164th U. S. Infantry First
North Dakota) in France.

North Dakota) in France.
Somewhere in France, Jan. 20.
The First North Dakota regiment,
merged into the 164th U. S. Infantry,
the pride of the Flickertail state,
has been completely "botched," The
regiment, of course, still exists, Of
fcers in the main as before, but the
men who composed the rank and file
as it left the shores Of the-good old
U. S. A. have been transferred, and
new men come in to fill the gaps.
Tears streamed down the face of Col
John H. Frame, as he saw his JOY
and pride Of twenty eight years des-
troyed by the exigencies of war.
You folks back home will soon be
receiving letters from the boys of
the various companies from new ad-
dresses in new regiments. And yet
withal, though there are sorrows and
heartaches over the parting, there is
no complaining. The rest Of us re-
naming in the old 164th may train
new men. All the American officers
coming here are sent to the train
ing schools to learn modern trench
warfare.
Up Where the Guns Boom.
Last week we were "Somewhere'
in the south of France. Today we are
in the north of France where we can
hear the big guns on the front not
very far away We have just finish
ed trip to this place full of vivid
strange, weird and interesting exper-
fences. I don't know when we will
start in on another one but I hope
not right away, for this appears to be
very fair place, though just at this
moment we are camped on the hills
and waiting to be assigned to bar
racks. ..-
Tonight l am writing in a Y. M
c.. A. hut somewhere in France, and
near enough to the front to hear the
big guns talk. Despite the fact that
the Paris edition of The New York
Herald today carried the name OF
Private Standish, of Minot, as one
of the men killed, and there was a
shadaw of gloom spread over the
North Dakota boys, the men are for.
getting the hardships, the gnawing
hunger for home, because there is
music in the air.
Remember the old skating rink
back home, or the old town hall; lily
lighted, reeking with tobacco smoke
creosote and composite of other
odors, the contribution of an untold
number of dances, smokers, ban.
quets, prizeights and all; clammy
dampness; frayed and bedraggled
bunting, highly colored posters, cal.
endars and signs bravely attempting
to add little cheer. There you have
something like this Y. M. C. A. hut
a great wooden building 50x1O0, rough
pine tables capable Of accommodate.
ing six each ranged each side of the
hall. There are 48 of them. I just
stood up on one of the pine benches
to count them, and every table is
crowded to capacity and more BY
student soldiers studying or making
up note books, or writing home.
Dakota Orchestra Cuts Loose
It. was comparatively quiet unit
a moment ago when the North Da
kota orchestra cut loose with, "How's
Every Little Thing insFDixie," ant
has been following that up with
other ''hits" popular year ago
And song hits of today in America
would not find favor here, because
the ones the orchestra are playing
are familiar and the new ones would
have no connection with the day:
that are gone. This orchestra really
can rag and with the music thu
whole atmosphere of the place seems