New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-07-24
WITH THE BOYS, COVER
THERE"
(Continued from first page.)

Chevaux g.. This means that, once
upon time 40 very small men, (probably
French men) ani 8 shetland ponies were
crowded into that car for punishment,
and that a transportation officer, who
happened to be around, thought that
was to be the regular thing and put it
down on the outside Of the car. He was
way off, The way they growamen and
horses too in our country, it can't be
done. When the cars are reached, the
wise ones scramble for some fort or
position in the box car that will be fairly
comfortable The train hangs around
two or three hours while the troups are
being placed aboard it and then hangs
around two or three hours more as it
it rather liked the place and hated to
think of leaving it. Anyway, no self
respecting train in France ever starts
anywhere before midnight. 1t simply
isn't done.
Sometime during the next three hours
the mess sergeant comes down the tracks,
stumbling over heaps of bricks, coils OF
wire, empty packing cases, piles OF rails
and tin cans and routs out q detail to
rustic rations. These are bacon, hard
tack, one can of beans for every three
men, one can of jam for every seven,
one pickle for every two, possibly
hunk of cheese all round. In addition,
the mess sergeant spreads something
hoir,r otaH for at
several stations along the route. This
is usually plain bunk.
About the time the second stretch OF
three hours is up, the whistle on the dinky
locomotive tries out its voice, just as
the occupants Of the box cars are begin
ming to doze off, using each others backs
as mattresses. Then the cars are shuff1ed
backward and forward on the rails, just
like cards. This brings everyone into
close proximity and makes for neighbour
illness.
Some time between midnight and
what passed for dawn in this part Of the
world every man not engaged in playing
the national game by the light OF stolen
lantern gets about an hour and half
of s1eep-in sections. Along about the
time the sun should get up, but doesn't
every man with any sense concludes
that there is no use in trying to sleep,
as there is no sleep to be had and starts
in arguing with his corporal as to whether
the lam is intended for breakfast or
lunch.
After about an hours such argumen-
tation, which serves to kill time and
whet the appetite, the corporal finally
gives in and hands out the jam. Those
of the car who were forehanded enough
to fill their canteens with water or other
liquids before starting on the tour of
France are able after fashion, to wash
the bacon down. The others just have
to grin and swallow it. Everybody in
the car being American born and bred,
thinks about morning wash but as
there is no water aboard the cars, save
what may be in the canteen, everybody
has to be content with the think. The
national jam starts up again, pipes and
cigarettes are again lit, what few books
there are in the haversacks are pulled
out and waiting lists established for the
reading of them, and the passengers
settle down for the day.
Along about noon, the custodian of
the beans ladies them out as impatiently
as possible and more hard tack is dug out
of pockets and haversacks. The after
noon is found more convenient time to
sleep than the night. Those who do
not try to sleep find some solace in look
ing out of the cars side door, if the
weather permits it to be opened. Along
toward night the rest of the ration,
if there can be said to be rest Of it,
is eaten up. The man that stole the
lantern is roundly cussed for not having
enough oil to keep it going for another
thought the trip was only one night
stand. He ought to have known that
troop train always takes two days to
travel a one days journey.
VII CllS OCSOIu 1llSllC OuO JUOC d0 CVCly
one is getting reconciled to the prospect
of lightless night and is getting ready
for an hours sleep, the train pulls up
with bump at a wayside station. 1t
is the Coffee Everyone piles out and gets
a mess cup full, and after that everyone
comes back to the car, PINNED by the
coffee, proceeds to talk and sing all night.
Something tells me that the old stock
Jokes about the B. & NJ, The Pere Mar
quette, the B. & O. and even the Grand
Trunk will be decidedly out of taste
when we get back home.
Well, two sleepless nights more, max
ing a total of 8. Reaching our camp
everyone piled out and the first question
was where is the camp?'' The men
nearly fell over when they were told it