The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-26
INTENSELY HUMAN SIDE OF THE
AMERICAN SOLDIER IN FRANCE

with the pug hat cooked to one side
of his head. In strange contrast with
his muddy uniform and rubber hip
boots He was laughing uproariously.
It is a strange thing about the dough-
boy. but he does love a plug hat, If
, the driver OF Il rolling kitchen can
only secure an aged French hat he is
happy. He has to discard 1t eventu
ally for a steel helmet when he gets
into the shell area, but meantime
he has had his pleasure
This line Of refugees came IN sing
ing the Marseillaise.
Ono man carried silver cornet
| over his shoulder 1t was his only
baggage Another wore a new clean
ceiluloid collar. All had apparently
dressed In the best clothes they had
for the march out, but they came In
pretty well lathered with mud Some
wore extra shoes draped around the
neeks by laces. They had had a hike.
They had come over a road damned
with trucks.
Not far behind them lrnped
wounded American soldier He had
been hit In the leg by fragment of
n shell. but was still able to navigate.
He WAS hunting for a hospital.
He was mighty querulous about
+ everything too.
| inns Is Il nne tning, ne COM
planned. Look at me here, without
an ambulance or anything. If any
/ hpdy can tell me the address OF this
General Lirgett TIL give him an earful'
OF the way things are being run"
At one point on the road there was
a bunch of German prisoners lot
of former Russian soldiers who had
been captured by the Germans three
, and even four years ago, and who
since hoNn ham hold IN, al
bondage. They were being. kept sep
arate from the German prisoners
while Lieutenant Mackaye, the artist,
questioned them in German He is
an intelligence officer at one of the
army corps headquarters.
One voluhle Russian told him that
whenever the Russians asked the
Germans why they vera not libe-
rated after Germany had made peace
with Russia, the Germans replied
they did not consider there was real
peace between the two countries. This
! chap had been captured at Brest-
Idtvosk three years ago. He said they
had been worked back of the German
! lines, but always very close to the
| front--much closer than the rules of
war permit
Generally around the guns" he
Gaid sadly.
/ He had been a merchant in his
| home town, Pinsk. He said the Rus
slams were paid about five cents a day
! by the Germans All the Russians
were clad in told civilian clothes of
every description furnished them by
the Germans. but broad stripes down
their legs indicated they were pris-
| oncrs.
Dog, LudendorfY
Mackaye has dog which he calls
'Iudendorfr" He found him in a
German trench at st. MihieL The
name seemed to make a great hit with
the German prisoners. They asked
him where was the dogs high hat,
/ the meaning OF which Is that ruden-
dorf Is now wearing the high hat OF
civil life. They added the kaiser was
now doing the same thing.
The march of the refugees led the
/ past former German encampments
| through little French towns which
will bear the marks OF four years OF
, German occupancy in numerous signs
| posted everywhere. The Germans are
great hands for signs, generally such
as say something about "verboten,"
1t is impossible TO give many other
samples. as the French telegraph
companies make two words out OF
every word having more than fifteen
letters.
'Lichtspielhaus." fer example. ia a
, rather short German sign. {Note: This
presumably is the German equiva-
lent for movie play house").
| They threaded their way through
the caravans of transport, while the
refugees Of Wadelincourt marched to
| freedom.
As they halted. back came the negro
soldier back from his journey down
the muddy street, bearing something
In his hand.
He went up to the truck in which
the little sick boy was huddled, still
crying and coughing. He reached up
into the van and pushed his prize
into the small chaps hands.
II was a cookie
The boy stopped crying, gazed at
| 1t "A moment, then started munching
1t. his sister looking on in, envy. Even
his coughing seemed TO lessen
"Whoopin coughs n bad thing for
III boy, SAID the negro, and his
voice sounded hoarse, as II he were
trying to CIoka down S0nafhirv