The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-07-02
HE MAKES A HIT
WITH PA AND MA
Mon Ami American Spends Evening
With French Family and Learns
French Customs

stars anu OlIlpoo pupiiohoo 'hiS
one from the pen of Corporal Seth
T. Bailey:
Have you been invited out to a
Young lady's house for dinner since
you've been in the sunny land OF
France? If you haven't, you've GER
tainly missed something. Should you
happen to receive such an invitation,
go by all means; then you'll have
something real interesting to write
home to the folks
I'd received proper introduction
to mademoiselle week previous, so |
didn't hesitate to parley with her
when we met at the corner just be-
low our barracks. After consider
able conversation concerning the
weather, the war and the Americans
in France, during which time I jug
gled my pigeon French quite freely,
she shot something like this at me:
"'Voulez-vous diner avec moi ce
soir?"
says I'd be glad to and asks what
time I'm to appear for the feast, only
| used too many words and din't say
it just like that
"Quele heure?" she spoke over
after me. ooh, sept heures demie,"
she says which sounds like "set her
and me" in English and is French for
seven-thirty o'clock.
"Merci beaucoup, ma petite cherie,"
| says, kind of kidding her along like
we do to the girls back home. She
gave my hand tight little squeeze
and we parted.
Home Cooking in Sight
| didn't eat much that evening. |
kept wondering what l would do to
a good home cooked square once |
got to where it was.
After mess was over, | went into
the sergeants' room and told Scotty
all about it.
Eat about a dozen eggs fer me, ;
he says; "and if you can work it
sneak out piece or two of cake
Gee, amt had no home cookin' fer
so long | could make mas cupboard
look like a section crew had worked
on it! You're some lucky tramp
that's all got to say"
When the, hour approached,
walked up the street to her house
1t was little early yet, so ! waited 6
few minutes in dark corner II
was all dark for that matter; there
was dimmed gas lamp out in the
street, but none of its rays reached
me. The streets over here must
have been laid out by some guy who
didn't want his neighbors to see hin
coming home late with jag on
They're so crooked you can't see tC
the middle of the next block. A mer
chant has got to be on the job every
morning or one of his competitors Q
block or two up the street could pull
off a big fire sale without him know
ing anything about it.
Anyway, while was standing
there waiting, heard some one come
tripping up behind me. | looked
Ground and here's Marguerite-that's
her first name-and before l coulC
stop her, she smacks couple Of
kisses on my check.
"Pourquo vous ici?" she asks me.
Pas fini, de fumer," | comes back
at her.
"Oh ca no fat rien," she says.
In the Family Circle.
She led me up the steps into the
Il house. She hung right onto me ant
:, marched me up in front of the whole
}. family
: They all stood up the minute en-
+ tered. Monsieur Dad took off hi.
J. cap, which was decorated in from
t with "P. L. NJ" meaning he works fol
|, the only railroad in the world tina
runs your train onto side tract
|. while the engineer and fireman hois
r a couple of hot ones, and the onl,
r railroad in the world that moves yo,
), when it gets right good and ready
!, mon ami American, Mademoi
selle announced, and right away cal
o see she'd blowed me all up to he
folks. Madame stepped right owe
and kissed me on both checks.
Looking round, observed 81
~ nicaninnieS all STANDING In cipula al