The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-12-20

- what they have done for the Christ
mas feed which la to be held fomor
rew al eight BELLS. Yank. let's heal
| yours"
l reported nne DOZEN eggs. two bot
tlsa ~ white wine one bottle Oh rcd
vine. eight packets OF Colo Flake
''faws~ GesEar~ttes1. mud one quarI
bottle Of champagne. which had cost
me five frames ut French estamlnst
This reporF was received with j
cheer sikey" Houney vas naxf IN
order, He proudly stated that no had
saved his run issue for the lnSs
esayen days and consequently was
lsble 10 dDhatu 20 tho FEAST his water
bottle threef0urtts fuli 81 rum. ThIa
would help Goa ia making brandy aauce
fnr tbs plum pudding Sailor nilE En-
formed that be had fruit cake, q
bottle Of picked wninutA, and two
tins Of deylIed ham which had been
sent OHt 10 him from L0ndoa. Each
man had something 10 report. | care
fully nnde d Hat of the articles OPP
posite the name Of the person donat-
ms them, and turned the list over 10
Bill who was 10 act as cook on the
following dBy.
Just then Lance Corporal Hall came
into the dngouf. aud warming his
hands oyer the fire bucket, said:
''if you bioIses want to hear some
thing that win take you home TO
fsIighsy, come up into the fire trench
minute
None Of M moved That ERE buck
~ was too comfortable. After much
coaxing Sailor HiIi. key Honey and
myself followed Halt out Of the dug
out and up into the fire trench. Al
dead silence roIgned, and we started
TO return, Hall Blocked our way. and
whispered:
just minute baya and listen"
Pretty soon. from the darkness out
III ffant. we heard the strains Of d
German carnet playing 'It's d Long,
Long Trail We're Winding We
stood entfanccd an tho last note died
0ut. After about four or tive.min-
ute walt lhe strains Of gf'he suwauea
River" we're waited across No Mans
Land toward IL. fell lonely and
hemcsiek.
out Of tho darkness from the are
hay On onr lefi d Welsh voice started
singing ITS b Long Long Trail." II
WIS beautiful. The German cornet
player must have henrd II. because he
picked up the tune and accompanied
the singer on his eornet. had never
heard anything 10 beautiful in my life
before. The music from the German
trench suddenly ceased, and IN the mir
overhead catne the sharp crack
crack 81 machine gun bullets, as
some Boche gunner butted Ia ON the
concert. We duckod aud returned 10
our daKout.
The men were all tired out, and
soon rasplng anoress could 30 heard
from under the cover Of blankets and
osercoats
The next day was Christmas, and
we eagerly awaited the mail, which
was 10 be brought up By the ration
party az noon.
Not a shot OF shell had been fred
an morning. Tho sun had come out
and. although the trenches were slip.
perry with mud, stilt Il was warm, and
We felt the Christmas spirit running
through our veins We all turned In
and cleaned up the dugout, Making
renectofs out Of ammunition tins
sticking them into the walls OF the
dugout. we placed lighted cnndle
on ench, the rays from which turned
night Into day,
bin was hnstling about preparing
the Christmas spread. He placed u
waterproof sheet on the floor, and add
Ing three blankets he spread another
waterproof sheet over the top for a
table cloth. and arranged the mems
packs around the edges for chairs.
Presently the Welcome voice OF our
sergeant came from the entrance Of
thn dugout;
eCome on. me lads, lend hand
with the mail"
There was mad rush for the en-
trance IN a couple OF minutes or so
the boys returned. staggering under a
load o. parcels, As each name was
read on. a parcel would be thrown
ever 70 the expeetant Tommy. My
heart was beating with eagerness as