The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-20
TRIANGLE SECRETARIES
ARE REGULAR FELLOWS"
Y. VI. G.. A. Trucks Overseas Are I'm
loaded With Deiight-Thcy Bring
Sweets to the Boys.

loaded With Deiight-Thcy Bring
Sweets to the Boys.
BY CLARENCE BUDDINGTON KEEL
| LAND.
Paris, Aug. 1.--(By Mail. any
thing to eat aboard ," asked a soldier
as Y. NJ. c. A. truck stopped near
| the front. while the secretaries
strapped their gas masks into the
alerte position.
/ Cookies"
Me for EN-
| The driver reached down chucked
out a package of very excellent little
cakes and went on his way toward the
more advanced positions in what is
! technically known as the gas zone.
( The truck ambled along wheezily
l. and stopped on the edge Of a WOODS.
! Screened from hostile eye was lean
( to made OF houghs, with a single
/ board stretched along the front for
counter. AT one side was sign win
A red triangle on il. 1t was the
| local post exchange Of the Y M G A
As soon as the truck stopped sol
diers in khaki oozed out of the woods
| Ry scores Before the boxes and pack
ages had been unloaded there was
stream of over a hundred of them,
stretching in a snaky line out OF sight
into the woods.
"Y. M. c. A. trucks here" you could
! hear shouted from all directions.
It's the big event Of the day said
a captain. by CAD. the coming OF
the " truck is about all these boys
have to look forward to-"
What you got today? Anything
to eat?"
Did that chocolate you was
promisin show up?"
I'm doggone tired OF Bull. Cot any
cigarettes
II was a good shipment this time.
for two carloads of stock had arrived
that day from Paris. Shipments are
not easy in these days and the
divisional "" secretaries are at their
wits end in the battle area. because
there are more days when they have
nothing to offer the men than when
they can serve them with small
. Injuries
The truck moved on and stopped at
an ammunition dump. Here the sec
rotary in charge had not even lean
to Of boughs. His sole shelter was
tree. Possibly he slept in the
branches
The next stop was at the side of a
big glade The Y. M. C. A tablish-
ment here consisted of two cots and
six feet of rope. Here there was a
great number of troops and many
supplies were unloaded. Before the
third box was on the ground there
were at least three hundred men IN
long line.
1t was sight that got under ones
weskit to see the look on those boys
! faces They were tickled as kids.
I There was eagerness, too, and some
I thing pathetic for the 'Y' truck was
really all they had to look forward to,
except being sent on the little way
! into the front line to have it out
with Fritz. One began 10 appreciate
little what the association means to
! the soldier in France.
An advanced hospital was visited,
! to which ambulances were arriving
from the front as the truck drew up,
The coffee and smokes you hand
| out to the wounded who are brought
in. And were goin' right back. Got
we can do said a doctor. "A bite TO
eat and a smoke at the right time
give the boys just the jolt they need
to make them hold on Believe me,
m for you fellows strong"
The truck turned away and drove
back to its advanced position at the
warehouse. AS it stopped before the
door d couple of soldiers went in and
stood about awkwardly.
| Hello, boys, what's the big idea ?
asked the ~" secretary.
! I'm mess sergeant Of my outfit
| We've been in the trenches twenty
| two days, and we are sure plumb out
Of luck. You fellows could get up to
us with light stuff like cigarettes and
tobacco and cookies that you could
tote on your back. but We hain't had
any real fancy grub since we went
in. And we're goin' right back. Got
any canned fruit?"
This is warehouse and it's
against orders to do any business
here Can't do it, possibly Got into
trouble for doing it the other day
Besides, we've only got three cases Of
peaches. They're over there. No in
that corner Three cases. If I was a
strong dough boy I could reach EN-
through that window from the out
side l can't break any rules. Get
me? SO far as I'm concerned. you
cant have those peaches. Sorry
He winked so vigorously that the
wink almost made a noise. The SOL
ders went out grinning. Presently
the back of mess cart bumped
against the building. and three crates
OF peaches disappeared mysteriously
| through a window. The secretary's
back was turned He did not turn to
| look even when a voice called
| through the door:
Say, you don't know what this'll
! mean to those boys. Believe me,
they'll appreciate this. Some Y. NJ
| c. A.