Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-16

hut also with civilians In various walks
OF life.l
received instructions to translate
the speech To the rest OF the boys. with
caution TO so softly on tho hard work
portion. aud play up the big ration fea-
ture for all l was worth. The boys
were willing-quitc willing. Digging
trench fer gas pipe was not so bad
the mines or the coke ovens. they
jauntily said, and the extra food abso-
lutely clinched the bargain
Tho first scene closed after the con-
tractor had spoken in a fathcrly way
10 his unconscious victims, and the
second act opened on the following
morning with the 200 Of us marching
like conQuering army to the scene
where that gas pipe lay stiT and stark
on the snow-covcred ground We were
accompanied BIZ II score OF guards. who
were also in the best OF humor, for
they too. had visions of the dinner
which was to descend upon them like
a veritable gift from paradise.
How we laughed and chuckled as we
STROBE proudly through the streets OF
Munster. No wonder the starving
pedestrians stared and wanted to know
IL tho accursed Britishers had gone
crazy, and were en- route for iunatic
asylum. And. my friends, we had more
than one reason for our mirth!
THEN WE LIVED "ON THE;
FAT OF THE LAND"
Tho majority OF us had been more
or less familiar with Munster for two
years, and we recalled to mind the
many occasions during the early days
when the then fat and oily citizens had
laughed and jeered as hungrilv we
tottered along their thoroughfares
Now the scene was changed. and
changed with u vengeance. They had
been starving for year, while our
parcels from home contained many
da!ntics not all the money in Germany
could purchase. And. to crown all, 10
reach the supreme apex, "a II were,
we were now about TO live on the fat
OF the land At their expense. Nemesis
was certainly working overtime.
BE under no Misrepresentation. The
hard cold facts OF the case were that
for laying the gas main we were to
be fed On better and more food than
could be obtained by the average citizen
Of the German empire And may at
this point break or the thread OF my
comedy long enough just TO describe
tn. food we actually received.
before starting work AZ $50 in the
morning we were each handed 4 pint
o. coffee and half a pound OF superior
war bread. Al we had more coffee.
bread and jam, and then for dinner we
were presented with the best soup in
the land, rich in vegetables and thick
~ Strcwn with sausage and sometimes
meat. Most important point OF all
about this d!nncr-we could eat our
ill, and not many persons in Hunland
have been able to do that for many
moons
Not feast fit for the gods, you may
say. Well. / can only reply that from
the German viewpoint IL undoubtedly
is too good for anything in Heaven
or earth or under the earth but a pa
triotic German.
Nor should / omit 20 state that when
the days work was done. the eternal
coffee and bread again made its ap-
pearance. and each man retired TO his
virtuous couch with the pleasant
thought that some dirty Munsterite had
gone TO bed that night hungrier than
lie might otherwise have been but for
the lords and masters OF The destiny
OF the gas pipe,
You nov know all there i. to know
about this food I'll Dorado. and shall
resume my description OF tn" second
act OF the play from the point where
left of, viz, our triumphal march
through the streets of Munster.
have remarked that snow was
lying on the ground. and the weather
was tribe cold. ! should also men
ticn that 1t had been freezing hard for
about month in that region OF the
world. and after We had got clear ct
the city. thoughtful slances com
nenccd 10 be cast at the soil by the
doomed wiclders Of the pick and shovel.
Personally, too was beginning to i'm
agine that the countryside wore
rather stern and adamantine aspect
and our footsteps made a ringing
sound-much as though We were walk
ing blithcly over krupps finest armo-
plate.
NEARLY RIOT on JOB
WHEN Truth Is KNOWN
Verify. II was 500 much so that
riot nearly broke out before the ihcn