Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-08-21

about 100 boys and girls making
thread. We played in aslittle grove.
The crowd was large and all in good
spirits, French, Indian, India, Alger-
ian, Italian and American soldiers.
The majority of the negroes had rings
in their ears and you should see them
strut around in their new uniforms
and red Fee carrying q cane. Great
stuff. The civilians were out in
force and their glad rags. We Am
orleans are the shabbiest dressed sol
diers of the lot but we should worry
about that.
Young widows are thick, all dress
ed in black, which is very becoming
to most of them with their black hair
and eyes and red lips and cheeks and
well they know it. Vow such flirts.
Leave it to us to keep them busy
though. In fact a U. S.. uniform seems
to entitle n to speak to any French
man or woman. They make much of
us. The girls love to jolly uS-'no
good Americans, no moustache," and
many of us have no hair. It's funny
to see Buddy trying to make good
with some French girl. Each like
the other but have an awful time
trying to tell it in words. Many of
the girls are beautiful and we have
coolies and coolies of handsome chaps,
big, strong, good natured, sun-burned
fellows.
Well we played off and on through
out the afternoon. About 8 o'clock
one of our infantry bands came in
from the - and between the two
of us we filled 'em full of American
rag time. Played the Marsellaise,
Madelou and a lot of their music.
They made a regular Field Day of it
foot races of all kinds, throwing the
discus, j~avelin, climbing the creased
pole with bottles of champagne at
the top for prizes, game of soccer,
football, tug-of-war, and so on.
We had supper in a French Bar
rack, all in courses-vegetable soup,
cold meats, bologna, salt beef and
several kinds Of sausages) with bread
(wheat and rye mixed) baked toma-
toes with baked sausage and cream
puffs, brown baked potatoes and gravy
and coffee and ~raisins, then each two
men had a quart of real good red
wine that had an awful kick to it..
Then we got into our trucks and
went out about IL miles to a village
and played a concert there in the ev-
ening and then home about 1920.
Made a good day of it for US. We all
had a good time and no harm done.
All along the way Old Glory and the
Tri-color few side by side. Once in
a while a small British flag. If La
Fayette and Washington could only
come to life and take a trip through
France today and see these things.
1 note that Washington, D. c.. has
given out information as to the To-
cation of u division. Presume you
have read same. At any rate we've
had the satisfaction Of slightly dis
turbing some German towns. One
bOche lieutenant captured asked to
see the American 3-inch machine gun.
There amt no such animal but it goes
to show what they think of our Amer
lean artillery, the rapidity and accur-
acy OF fire. So III chaps doped an
other gun an enormous thing, takes
a team of horses to pull the lanyard,
the recoil draws in all the wounded
from No Mans Land and when it
draws back into position pulls the
ammunition trains up from the rear
Hal Ha!
Monday Eve-Well Grill and I are
just in from a purchasing tour. On
our way back we heard a big hula
baloo so we investigated. Down the
alley between three houses we found
the gang playing a French game
three girls, four of our bunch and
two French boys, and the mothers
~ cSkfilo no y.0r1nl 4NS1xso. - -
much as the kids. The idea is SIM
liar to our Ring around Rosy" One
boy OF girl in the center and then
the rest join hands and circle around
singing. Our boys didn't know the
words SO supplemented a version of
"Hay foot, straw foot, belly full of
bean soup, lover and over" then the
one in the center would step out and
kiss another. Then he or she would
go in the ring-some game.
All the crops over here look fine.
There is no corn planted but lots of
small grains. The peasants barns
are full to overlooking with hay.
Neither the French nor we are du-
biOus as to the outcome of it all. Our
lines are getting stronger day by day.
The power is here but not fully ac-
tive as yet. You people know so lit
tie of our equipment and fighting
strength and qualities. You get a
lot Of dope in a general way from
magazines but of our actual life and
doings you get but little. Yes in
deed, father, we are mighty proud of
our division, our Colonel and our
regiment. Well never know the
hardships that you of the Civil war
had to contend with, but such as we
do have to meet with will and is be-
ing met with a smiles The artillery
swears by the infantry and vice versa.
Nothing pleases the dough boys more
than to have the artillery lay down a
barrage back of a bunch of boches
and then they go "get EN-" Fritz
doesn't like to have Buddy come at
him with cold steel and instead of us
ing it, to spit in his face and discon-
cert him long enough to clout him
on the jaw with his fist, throw him ov-