South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-30
I SHOT BIZ ca,z,g2az O,buuc De 7a7H7~

time he found a bunch OF vs. together
he would say with one OF ms aIth.
smiles
a cigsret for every boy who wiz
sing Uncle sammy
We would obediently vein ALI
three verses OF the song and after
we had roared forth the last stanza
the little chaplain would deal ont
the cigarets. We dubbed him Uncle
sammy" though he didn't look any
more like Uncle sam than the man
in the moon. lie really looked like
a pocket edition OF Theodore Roose-
Welt with his eyeglasses. mustache
and cleaning teeth which he dis
played abundantiy when ne smiled.
II was the ambition o. the chap
lain 70 have Us so ashore ln France
singing the "Marseillaise" I'm French
and he drilled us with rhis song
every afternoon. There were few
in the outfit who had good voices.
but the majority couldn't have
qualified for the choir OF the corner
church i'm Podunk. And the way
we slipped and slid over those
French words would have worn the
nap OF any ordinary mans patience.
But the chaplain had patience that
made Jobs seem thin IN compari-
son. He kept az Us hammer and
tongs until once in a while we made
a direct hit on a French word The
chaplain would reward rs with one
OF his Rooseveltian smiles and hand
around the smokes.
The ship was athrob with excite
ment on Aug. i when we sighted
a thin blue line on the horizon-the
coast OF France.
Hip, hip, hurrsh, France"
yelled a gunner. and we Joined him
in "a deafening roar of cheerins.
Now for the Hun ] said 90 my
buddy. the sergeant
Wen soon be i'm has bsilivlck."
he replied with a glad grin
The Prophecy.
Then my buddy said something
which 7 have thought OF a good
deal since that memorable day.
do YOU know. Reddy.' he said
II believe YOU are going 10 do well
over here"
Not any better than yourself or
be modest.
"Oh. I don't know" he said with
an air of seriousness; I've bunch
you are going 10 DO something big
Can that stuff. buddy" OBJ
served. trying not 10 show ms pleas
Ure at his words
On the day after I opened the
war for Uncle sam, my friend the
sergeant. grasped me 10y the hand
and said:
Didn't I tensyou. old man. YOU
we're going 10 do something real
over here"
but that is getting ahead of my
story.
The excitement grew as our
transport swept nearer the French
coast. Soon We could make out
dozens of neat little white houses
with red tile roofs-all against a
background OF beautiful green. Il
was a sight good for sore eyes.
A warlike touch was given the
scene as we neared the entrance OF
the harbor
Two big French airplanes ad-
yanced TO meet US. flying low and
scanning the water closely for hos
tile submarines. II was dangerous
spot. the entrance Of that harbor
Only the day before. we learned
later. q German U-boat had sneaked
close in and sunk a supply ship.
CHATTER ~.
\ Royal Welcome.
II was evident that our approach
had been well heralded for the
docks were dense with people. and
on public buildings. dwellings and
warehouses hundreds Of. American
and French flags were swapping 20
the breeze.
Quaint little French fishing boats
swarmed about the transport and
the occupants OF these craft we're
the first 90 greet as.
These fishermen were very pic
turesque i'm their rakish, red tam
o'-shanters and corduroy trousers
rolled up 10 the knee. They wore a
red scarf about the waist and their
feet were bare. The faces of these
foreign-looking men were wreathed
i'm smiles; they jaDbered and ges-
ticulated after the manner of the
French. shrieking questions az as
which we did not in the least under
stand.
one OF them became SO excited
that he forgot 10 steer his boat and
the craft Iammed another and was
upset, throwing the fisherman into
the water We threw "A line 10 the
capsized party and pulled him drip
ing and gasping 10 the deck Of the
transport We gave him "a hilarious
reception. slapping his damp back
and shouting 'IIoWdy, French o." IIs
replied with a torrent Of enthusiasm
IN his own language and vide
smile unfoided under his queer little
eyebrow o. "a mustache when v-
filled his hand with American coins
lie stayed on the boat until re
locked and cid not seem TO worry
IN the least about The fate q. his
smack which ne had Ieft upset IN
the harbor.
In The meantime the French air-
craft had wheeled about and were
following the transport. -ers ing IS
a sort Of rearguard The United