Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-12-20


entered the dugout. About eight boys
Of our section. sitting on their packs.
had formed a circle around wooden
box. In an old ammunition tin six
candles were burning. inwardly shud-
dered at this extravagance. but sud-
denly remembered that It was Christ
mas eve. "Sailor Bill" was making
cocoa over the flames Of "Tommy's
cooker" while "Ikey" Honey was
toasting bread In front Of trench IRE
bucket. the fumes from which nearly
choked us.
As soon as we made our appearance
In the dugout the circle stood up, and,
as Is usual with the English, made
room for us to get around the IRE
bucket to thaw out our stiffened Joints.
In about twenty minutes or 30 the
cold Of the trench was forgotten and
we Joined In the merriment. The mu-
sician put his harmonica away, and.
bursting with importance, Sailor Bill
addressed Us:
Gentlemen, Il is now time for this
ships company to report progress as
to what they have done for the Christ
mas feed which Is to be held tomor-
row ut eight bells. Yank, let's hear
yours"
reported one dozen eggs, two bot
ties Of white. wine, one bottle Of red
wine, eight packets Of Gold Flake
':fags" (cigarettes), and one quart
bottle 'of champagne, which had cost
me five francs ut q French estaminet.
This report was received with q
cheer. "Ikey" Honey was next In
order. He proudly stated that he had
saved his rum issue for the last
eleven days. and consequently was
able to donate to the feast his water
bottle three-fourths full Of rum. This
would help out In making brandy sauce
for the plum pudding. Sailor Bill In
formed that he had q fruit cake. q
bottle Of picked walnuts, and two
tins of deviled ham which had been
sent out to him from London. Each
man had something to report care
fully made a list of the articles OPP
posite the name Of the person donat-
ing them, and turned the list over to
Bill. who was to act as cook on the
following day.
Just then Lance Corporal Hall came
into the dugout, and warming his
hands over the fre bucket, said:
III you blokes want to hear some
thing that will take you home to
BlIghty, come up into the fire trench
q minute"
None Of MS moved. That fire buck
ct was too comfortable. After much
coaxing Sailor Bill, key Honey and
myself followed Hall ont Of the dug.
out and up into the fire trench. A
dead silence reigned, and we started
to return. Hall Blocked our way, and
whispered:
"Just q minute, boys, and listen"
Pretty soon, from the darkness out
in front, we heard the strains of q
German cornet playing "It's a Long.
Long Trail We're Winding" We
stood entranced till the last note died
out. After about a four or five-min-
ute walt the strains Of "The Suwanee
River" were waited across No Mems
Land toward us. / felt lonely and
homesick.
Out of the darkness from the IRE
bay on our left Welsh voice started
singing ats a Long. Long Trail" II
was beautiful. The German cornet
player must have heard II, because he
picked up the tune and accompanied
the singer on his cOrnet. had never
heard anything so beautiful In my life
before. The music from the German
trench suddenly ceased, and In the air
overhead came the sharp crack
crack! Of machine gun bullets, as
some BOche gunner butted In on the
concert. We ducked and returned to
our dugout.
The men were all tired out, and
soon rasplng shores could be heard
from under the cover Of blankets ano
OvercOats.
The next day was Christmas, and
we eagerly awaited the mail, which
was to be brought up by the ration
party at noon.
Not a shot or shell had been fred
all morning. The sun had come out
and, although the trenches were slip
perry with mud, stIll 1t was warm, and
we felt the Christmas spirit running
through our veins. We all turned in
and cleaned up the dugout Making
refectors out Of ammunition tins,
sticking them into the walls Of the
dugout. we placed q lighted candle
on each, the rays from which turned
night into day.
Bill was hustling about preparing |
the Christmas spread. he placed q
sheet on the floor. and add
Ing three blankets he spread another
waterproof sheet over the top for q
table cloth, and arranged the mems
packs around the edges for chairs.
Presently the welcome voice Of our
came from the entrance Of
the dugout:
"COme on, me lads, lend q hand
with the mail"
There was a mad rush for the en-