The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-31
GEN. PERSHfNG VERY
BUSY At HEADQUARTERS
There Is Little Ceremony and Nothing to
Distinguish His Office Rooms
from the Others.

from the Others.
Chaumont, Haute Marine, France Dec.
lSO Correspondence of the Associated
Press When lie is here at general head
quarters General Pershing leads very
busy but very simple life. There is lii.
tie ceremony Of an ostentatious kind
either at his chateau or around his Of
fees There is nothing to distinguish
his office rooms in "A" building Of the
headquarters group from those of any
other officer One orderly sits at his
door, there is no sentry and the visitor
walks unannounced into the adjoining re.
ception room to be received by one of his
staff
General Pershings trips to and from
his chateau in the country are made in
his motor car, distinguished only by its
red, four starred insignia on the wind
shield and where would be the number
plate, which slips unnoticed along the
road and through the city. Ordinarily
he is accompanied only by his personal
aide, his staff following at a distance
great enough not to mark the big cars as
one squadron.
In fine weather lie sometimes walked
the two OF three miles from the outskirts
Of Chaumont to his country home, and
that, with quiet horseback rides through
the beautiful country hereabouts, gave
him his needed exercise.
Much OF his time since last spring,
10, k,rgay,
ticipation in strength in the fighting, has
been spent at advanced army headquar
tiers. Ehese have been at various places,
sometimes at distance to entail long,
hard automobile rides from them to
Chaumont when circumstances demanded
his presence here Often after hard
day at advanced headquarters the general
has made the three or four hour drive
late at night, only TO depart early the
next day His powerful closed car with
double rear wheels usually travels at
high speed and in its comfortable eush.
ions he obtains the rest denied him in
bed.
Life at General Pershing's chateau is
plain to the point of simplicity, Except
for the beautiful old castle and its pie
turesque setting in the valley of the
Marine it might be the home life of any
fairly well to do American business man.
Only uniforms Of his military household
set it apart. His personal staff lives
with him and his servants are negro sol
diers detailed. And they are good cooks,
as his few guests can testify, placing on
his table simple, we'll cooked American
dishes, usually three or at most four
courses, including coffee and cheese and
served American style.
No sentries are in evidence. nothing to
mark the chateau as the residence Of the
commander -in-chief The visitors car
drives through plain. unguarded gate
way in closely set grove, along a curv
ing roadway for few hundred yards,
and then only is had the first glimpse of
the old castle. lying in its parks and
lawns bordered on one side by a long,
sweeping curve of the river Marine and its
canal. lined on either bank with tall pop
lars set equidistant and lending an add
ed touch Of formality to the always
formal French landscape.
Often General Pershing himself rises
from seat on the terrace to greet a
guest and, If not, one Of his staff. The
meal is very informal, conversation being
general and the commander chief APP
parcntly does not like to linger at the
table. Afterward coffee and cigars in the
big lounge room or stroll under the
trees until the general indicates that his
leisure is ended.
General Pershing has kept himself in
splendid physical condition during these
trying months lie is as lean and clear
eyed as he was when he came from the
Mexican campaign, as straight and sol
dierly in bearing as he was in the days
of his Philippine campaigns when he first
won notice His eyes still twinkle when
occasion calls and the corners of his
mouth still turn in the familiar, quickly
passing smile.
For those he has known in past days
he always has some mutual reminscence
to recall, some incident of the Philippines
or of Mexico or the days when he was on
duty in Washington, and his hearty
laugh often sounds through the doors Of
his Office as he chats with some old ac-
quaintances.