Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-09-19
NEW VOL 53-No 81
America In the Village.

Some little rSularkS on tIiS iiiS VI uS
American soldier just. back OF the front:
Whether il be returning from the bat
tie or going, one sees the Americans in
the villages at the approach to the front,
where their almost unexpected appear
ance has amazed the inhabitants and
given still more confidence in the happy
termination Of the war. They are there,
almost in the campaign, with their over
flowing spirits and their curious activity
OF which good humor and gayety form
large part
They arrive In the morning, rarely in
the middle OF the day, and at once scat
ter in the fields, in the shade OF the
woods, under the smallest clump OF
trees; the horses tied, the men pitch
their tents, all with strange rapidity
without giving that appearances, a rapid
ity made BY skill and calculation, and
which seems TO be obtained without
fatigue.
The last TO enter the war, they act
with discretion and strategy. Al 500
feet away one must have good eyes to
discover their cantonmenis Of several
days or even several hours. All 10 dis
sembled, hidden, eamounaeed. You
think You see thicket-it Is q group
OF wagons covered with long branches.
At the entrance those ~ha npeak q little
French language challenge the visitors
and tell them that they are come 70 set
tie up the score with the Germans, and
accompanying the declaration with
expressive gestures. After which they
shake their side, overioyed, finding this
pleasantly excellent, and are then dis
posed TO begin again.
On seeing that the river is not TAR
away they go by eronps TO plunge in II,
most OF them swimming like fish. One
sees only their heads and hears nothing
but laughter and joyous talk. while on
the bank a large audience applause the
best exploits. II happens that In their
innocence the Americans call to mind.
by their costumes, the Garden OF Eden;
but one must understand them, and
hereafter the prudish and most severe
can watch them without blushing.
After they have left, il is miracle!
where before there we're many men,
wagons, horses and fne mules, which
We could not help admiring, moving
kitchens, and guns, you might seek In
vain for a trace Of the encampment. All
is removed, swept, cleared. Here. how
ever, is a little spot OF cinders, a place
where some bushes were burned. Over
there had been heaped UP all the refuse
10 which they set fire. IL Is unique 70
watch the passing OF all these soldiers,
who thus give US a fine lesson In order
and cleanliness.
Their swiitness! Humph! II Is almost
a fault. Their large automobile and
motorcycles ny down the road like the
wind. For all that, their surencss Is so
great that one rarely hears OF an ac-
cident, so great that the peasants, fright
ened at the first moment, end by reas-
suring themselves and cease grumbling,
a thing which Is very rare on the part
OF peasant.
They sing readily the songs OF their
far distant country, those rag-'ime airs
which astonish and amuse, the words
OF which one would like TO understand.
They are people who should be gay,
because they take such an ardent pleas
ure in everything. II Is true that this
race is astonishingly young. and some
times charminaly childish. ! said that
the other morning TO an American lady
in whose company was travelling.
Oh, yes, IL is true, they answered.
That is because We are not an old ma
ton. We are only about hundred and
fifty years old"
And TO be more than hundred and
fifty years old greatly amused this
young and charming creature, so origin
al, with her high boots, her leather bags
her military trappings. all this attire so
non-feminlne but which her Arm aad
easy carriage succeeded In rendering
graceful
The American songs are followed by
French verses. do not say that the
French was not slightly murdered, but
all Is in the intention, and these brave
boys are SO happy In singing the songs
Of our poilusl That Is Why a little while
ago, stopped at the edge OF a little
woods nearly to watch q hundred or 90
OF these great big and active fellows,
who filed by singing "Madelon." They
nodded their heads 10 me, laughing
heartily after each verse, and ]. without
knowing Why, felt my heart overflow
ing with emotion. II Is perhaps the
first time that "Madelon' has produced
such an effect.
Those who are quartered In the village
love TO Sit around in little groups on the
doofsieps Of the houses, between their
drills. They read the English and
American papers, but above sli they
smuse themselves by bouncing the bs-
bies on their knees. All the little chill
sren swarm about them, and, as the
Americans nearly always have Q little
ffench-RngIish manuel in their pockets
they make the oldest Of the children
explain the French words to them. The
little one speaks, his finger 10 the air.
and the American submissively and
seriously forces himself to repeat the
word. He fails, the child laughs, the
soldier commences again, and IL IL real