Evening star., 1918-02-21
HEARS THE CHUCKLE
OF HUN LISTENER
American Soldier vainIy Tries
to Cause "fIare," German
Has Better Luck.
STORIES or THE TRENCHES
nv THOMAS N. JOHNSON.

nv THOMAS N. JOHNSON.
Copyright. isl7. All rights feserved)
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, 1anaaty c3.-Thers IS a story
Of the trenotes going the feands Of the
ARMY now that ought TO be true.
whether 1t il of not. II it be not i'm
proper to cali an enemy hero, the
hero Of the tate is a German soldier
who probably once lived in the United
states.
As the story gees. during the first
week or SO of November, when the first
American troops occupied sector OF
trenches near Arracourt for training,
single American soldier was posted in
small listening post out in no mans
land about thirty yards distant from
German listening post. He was in
structed to send up fare several times
IL he could get his eye on German pa
trolls. The German in his post would
not bother him, the French said: all he
asked was to be let alone.
The first night was very wet, as any
one who was up there in those early
days can testify that every night was.
The rain fell steadily. soakingly. The
American kept an eye on his wrist
watch. and at the proper time tried to
light a rocket, shielding rocket and
match under his slicker. It was no use.
The rocket was wet and the match like
wise. He tried another rocket. For
moment the fuse smoldered. then went
out. He tried third time, with the
same result. All his rockets were wet
The American forgot all about Fritz
over there. thirty yards away.
"Oh. hell" he exclaimed, in tones
that must have been audible at twice
that distance.
Then He Swore.
There came a deep chuckle from the
direction of the German listening post.
Then voice with a decided German
accent. but in English readily compre-
hensible:
Don't schwear" it said. Il shoot
one for YOU"
And a moment later with hiss and
. squirt rocket went up from the
German listening post. The story does
not say whether or not the American
by the light of the German rocket.
Joke Was on the General.
Then there is another story of the
trenches that q brigadier general tells
The story is ION" him, but he tells 1t
with great gusto, for it shows the
vigilance of his men.
About o'clock one morning. at the
time when men are most apt to weary
Of the night 'stand.to" in the trenches
and drop OF into cat maps, this general
decided to make q little tour OF inspec-
tion in the front-line trenches.
"whats the couhtersign?" he asked
his aid before starting.
Paris SIR" answered the aid.
The general walked up the eommu-
nication trench: then as he approached
its junction with the fire trench walked
softly as possible. He knew there was
Ia sentry there With orders to let no.
body pass withoat the passWSrd Per-
haps. he thought, the esntrr Is taking
Ia nap. The sentry vas not taking a
Halt Who ssss. tIsrs. be rarEsd
"CsMnS.GIe of.sef.' fsriisi The
general
Aavsace &nd et~e ths coanssrs.sn."
Ehe gsss=l sse,osa up 70 the man,
VII: stocd RITZ rs rics :.s the 7saay-
"7sr:s," :: -nisrcfea.
nc secd. si.." saia :he sentry, erm-
!; raa Ca; 60 :: ~ ~: ess:;. ss.s. .,asx co,,s
lis A:d hare made a mistake =.roat the
passwcsd?
~ awaz 80: :ss.: yss =; me sas.:. he
f7is, s..-.'' said the Sentry. e. tcI,cyea
Ffonca mar on this ros. an, no ais
tlncti1 ted ne tho PASSWORD was
T'Aree.'"
PTonv2 cia.isn Osss.Te...
Another scldsc- fo.aa pronans.a-
tions dnceisf.:. -. ~ en:s ease i. was
the pron.nc.a.:srs % SrSiish words,
This soldier 5:6 -. S:-:. ~ st.s. ,ntl.-
cate friiIs o: tya-ch ~arsare readily,
so hts cGio.e.. :r|;.i:cE - :a,s : moro
Intelligent 1EsE from tie regiment, mad
him a:.sis.nc as orderly GT.o day lie
sent fEo es6a..J % the safes ccmnig-
sary 10 ,.ST acEe MESS S-s1,Ir.. The
colonel vas !. somethirE = :. hurry
and 10 6p9..c quickly.
Get ivo iozyes of bread, a box of
candIes and 2 can CT bacor. 10 said
'.Yci. sir. said the orGe-r.
An hour later he returrs~ Fz..h three
bundle3.
'aTbe7 dsdn's have no cas- % bacon,
sir" he reported. so I brought yo1 8
can Of baatn powder.
College Men Popu.@-
Down among the marines .aey have
a number of enlisted nen who volun-
teered in Philadelphia as soon as il
became known that the marines were
coming to France. A good many of
them are college men. mostly from the
University of Pennsylvania. and good
men they are, eager, willing ard in
telligent, judged even by the high
standards of Marine Corps intelligence.
What do you think of those young
sters?" an officer asked one fine old SER
geant with twenty years OF service to
his credit.
Fine, sir. fine" said the veteran. his
face lighting up. You'd never know
they was gentlemen"
Starts Brewery Too Early.
And here are two stories of those in
dividUals known as war correspondents.
| 1t is only fair that they, whose job is
to write about other people should
sometim be themselves written about.
| A few days ago there came down to
visit camp a correspondent of a New
York evening paper who had arrived
| in France only q week before. The
town where the correspondents exist
| boasts but two hotels. one unbeliev-
| ably dirty. the other unbelievably
chilly; both quite unbelievably crowded.
! One Of the correspondents. who is with
| the army steadily. had room'in town.