The Washington herald., 1918-05-11
PERSHING'S so STIR
CHEERING THOUSAND
AT LIBERTY HUT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

the heroism of American men, the
men refused to regard everything con-
cerning the war in a serious light.
Many anecdotes that brought uproar-
ious laughter from the crowd con-
trasted with incidents that tugged the
heart strings.
The red-haired boy, Private Devillos,
from California and Alaska, who fired
the first shot into the German lines
for the Americans after our entry into
the war. won the most resounding ap-
plause. II it were possible to compare
the salvo.
A rather diffident lad, shaking from
side to side, he managed to get out
words that for a time threatened to
stick in his troat, to the effect that 1t
was easier to face the whole Germa d
army that 1t was that audience.
While some Of the boys stumbled
over their words at first, after they
got under way they all made very
from Boston, Sergeant Creed. He
was oratorical. The pith OF what
he saw was all to the effect that
we was to fight to the finish.''
Praise Fer Nurses.
He it was, who told the story of
the American who saved the lives of
five Of his companions who were IN
small dugout by casting his body
upon a grenade that was about 10
! explode. He paid tribute to the Red
Cross nurses by saying something
about "our girls who stood by our
boys" all the way through the she'll
ing. in a certain battle in which
Americans We're engaged.
Sergeant Blythe of Missouri told
the narrowing tale Of the cootie who
saved the life Of an American SOL
der" A cootie the audience was
frankly informed is a louise. 1t seems
doughboy was standing on his tip
toes in a trench trying to get a shot
at a stray German. Something stung
his neck and he stopped to get a
better whack at it. At. the moment
a bullet went whizzing by directly
above his head. He spoke to the in
sect that had bit his neck in this
wise: "old boy. I'm certainly in
debted to you. I'm going to see you
get a nice warm homeland with
that he stuck it in his blouse. This
story. told with appropriate gestures,
brought down the house.
The whole tenor of their speeches
was a tactful way of telling the
American people to wake up" And
| that doubtless is their purpose in
this country. When some of them
| said that they were anxious to get
back into the first line trenches the
| audience believed them.
Message Sent Back.
H. B. F. MacFarland. who preside ID
| at the meeting spoke last giving the
boys a message to take back with
them to the front.
when Gen. Pershing and his
American forces landed in France
one of the first things the comman.
der did was to visit the tomb of
Lafayette and his words were La
fayette. we are here" was the COM
parison Mr.. MacFarland made tc
contrast the attitude of the Ameri-
| can people.
81 think 1 may speak for the Amer
lean people when I say that Boys,
we are here We are behind you and
will back you with every sacrifice we
may be called upon to make"
The audience rose and Joined Mr..
! Mcfarland in saying to the men on
the platform and the men they rep
sent in France. "God bless you" They
also Joined in singing MY Country,
'Tis of Thee"
Each Of the boys was given a beau
! titul American Beauty rose while they
! were on the platform.