Evening star., 1918-05-27

said he afterward. apologeticaliy.
but he wouldn't choke"
I'VE leave tomorrow" said the
acjutant.
Every one protested. They all
wanted tied to g sss 1t is ties the ARMY nnt rule ,h
kicks NEAR. nothing. They ali thought
that We snould have more time to
get ready. At least two days. they
said. The adjutant listened quietly.
with q slight smile on his thin young
face. Thsn he added in his softest
I'VE clear tAs town at o'clock"
Signal for Business.
That was the signal for business.
In spite Of all the protests. the regi-
ment was essentially ready. The
coloners long years Of Regular Army
experience had enabled him to see to
that, Every order was ready for
issuing. The pleasant tower room.
dark paneled and stone ceiled, was
emptied at once. Two hours later
every man was in bed. except those
on duty. and every man in bed was
teaches one to sleep, without prelim-
mary mapping. At $3.50 o'clock the
frst call was sounded. BY o'clock
the bed rolls had been corded and
the strikers had carried them to the
wagons and the officers of the stan
were sitting at breakfast. At 8
the sturdy trudge toward the front
through the darkness. At 9 o'clock
tho town had been cleared and We
were on our way.
Rhythm. Of the March.
Hiking IL easier than walking. be-
cause the rhythm of the marching
feet carries one along. At first one
thinks Of the time. Eight o'clock
was a long time coming. 1t seemed
that 9 would never come. After that
one goes along half unconsciously.
his thoughts wandering from this to
that. his feet marching on automati-
cally. Toward noon the hike began
to tell on the weaker members. The
stragglers' squads had long ago been
told on to punch into line those who
tried to loaf. The surgeons rode along
the line with their orderlies. Here
and there Is was necessary to BAN
dage q mans feet. Some Of those who
had been "rouged up" to use the
soldiers new term, were protesting
that they could not walk farther.
But they did. Hiking is held to be.
IL not cure for drunkenness. at least
a palliative. Some were really sick.
and the wagons were well filled.
We sludged into the town where
We were to spend the night tired and
dusty and above all thirsty. The bill
letting officers had gone ahead and
chalked the doors and gateposts with
the company letters and a statement
as to the number Of men that could
be accommodated in each. We of the
headquarters staff thumped on to the
chateau, conscious that our shoes
were unduly tight and that hitherto
unknown hot spots" had appeared In
places on our feet. Ten minutes later.
having made good our claim to bed
space on the floors. we walked into
the one small street again, to find 1t
swarming with Americans.
In the Village for the Night.
Some wanted eggs, at any price.
Having no French. their conception
of bargain was to offer more francs
until they got the, eggs. Others were
hungry and still others were thirsty.
The military police had staked out
their horses and had taken possession
Of the strategic points at the mtersec-
tions Of streets. Company officers
were strolling about. seeing to 1t that
none of their men became too en-
thusiastic after application of the
wines Of the country. The village men
standing open-mouthed at their
doors. gazing at this sudden irrup-
tion of strangers. One man came
suddenly upon a mother who had just
escaped from the country held by the
Germans. She looked at him for a
second, and then the tears began to
stream down her face:
"she is not here" she protested.
The woman of the house led her
away gently. ut was her daughter.
m-sieu." she explained. Since then
-" she touched her forehead with
a fingertip.
Men ate ravenously. 1t seemed
blankets and slept torpidly on the
hay of the mows and on the floors of
the houses. The first days hike after
a rest Is always the hardest. no mat
ter how short 1t may be. We had
made hardly more than thirteen miles
streams were lined with men giving
first aid to blistered feet and every
malingerer in the regiment furbished
up his best excuse and sought to es-
cape the next days tramp. It was of
no avail
Moving on Again.
Next morning we rose at 2:3o and
were on the road in the inky dark
ness of o'clock. Roaring automo-
biles escaped marching columns by
miracles. The great French camions.
driven by over-tired men. romped
down the middle of the street. Mules
brayed and men swore and officers
who had but an hours sleep the pre-
morning discomfort. BY sunrise all
become almost musical. Shoulders
swinging under hfty-eight pound
packs. instead of drooping weakly
which have been handed down
being banded about.
By 10 o'clock. after six hours of
marching. the column was silent. One
began to look forward to the ten
minute rest which Is allowed at the
end Of each fifty minutes of hiking.
At the rests the men threw themselves
prone. on the ground. or dropped in
their tracks on the road and rested
their heads upon their mountainous
packs. They compared their lot bit
terly. with that of. the French and
British soldiers, who do their hiking
in trucks" according to their angry
omplaining-andw who very frequent
ly do that very thing. Now and then
q mule gave out, because feed has
been short lately. and once a wagon
broke doyn, and the wagon master