Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-04
Warned of Gas Attacks.

They throw over lot of gas Shells
he reminded them. land if your mask
isn't in shape you're gone. And be sure
to tell the men to remember they can
always spot gas shell by the noise 1t
makes when it's coming. One thing
we've got to watch is a little trick the
boche has of driving the men into the
dugouts with a heavy bombardment OF
high explosives and then when he gets
them there opening up with gas shells
and asphyxiating them in the dugoucs.
Remember that gas alarm bells must be
working at all times and blankets al
ways over dugout doors, with pail of
water handy to wet EN-. That makes
! EN- pretty nearly gas proof"
The whistle blew again and the men
piled into the road, formed and at the
command started forward once more.
In few minutes they came to a vii
lage with a name ending in willie" as
most French village names do. Clat-
tering down the single cobble stoned
street, they brought the inhabitants to
their doors with whoops of Hello there,
you Paree" or "Kell veel eesee?" We
passed one little square stone house
whose single window framed the face
of a white haired old woman in frilled
cap and shawl bent over some knitting.
Hearing the shouts and the tramp of
feet she pushed her iron trimmed spec
tacies onto her forehead. as grand
mothers do the world over. and leaned
forward the better to see these young
4
moved as though she were talking to
herself, but her eyes were smiling.
We left the village, with it's three
badly soiled cows staring at US from
having evidently suffered partial
eclipse, for it was decidedly ciouded in
appearance, and turned into another
road this time through rather fiat
country, most Of which was at least a
foot under water.
A tiny French urchin almost extin-
guished by his big black chasseur's
tam-o'- shanter menaced US with snow
balls, and upon being playfully called
.mauvais caractere," threw them all
without hitting anything, and then
scampered away calling to maman to
come and see les Americans
There was more marching and an
other halt. and then another. on which
at last the men were permitted to drink
from their canteens-it is bad business
to drink cold wafer before the third
halt on a hike-and then down the line
came the colonel. riding a very muddy
horse.
Colonel Orders Lunch.
utes." he said. and the men will eat
their lunch"
It was little after IL o'clock when
we stopped in another village and
chow wagon, which is to say rolling
kitchen, was located. The halt afforded
an opportunity to ascertain that this
was probably the most uninviting viii
iage in this part of France and had
neither cafe nor bakery nor even a lit
tie shop where one might buy choco-
late. Then on again to the rolling
kitchen. where already Able, the cook.
had taken Off the lids of the steamfnr
cans and was extracting from them
with long-handled fork hunks of
boiled beef which assistants sliced and
handed with huge segments Of army
~ II <SF
ing constantly exhorted to move
along. now, if We want yer chow.
With hot coffee ladled into he
aluminium drinking cups from a can
with dab of 'connture" that The
soldier who offered it usually remarked
the old lady gimme where was bill
leted in De " it made a meal fit
ever used to bake such bread as Uncle
Sam gives his soldiers. Then came tho
whistle again. Able hurriedly cfamped
on the lids OF his cans. there was a |
meat OF bread or coffee, and the column
was OF again with an after lunch
cigarette between its lips.
Sing to Danish Fatigue.
For a time the troops fairly ate up
white kilometer stones showed that in
little more than half hour we had
hiked three kilometers and more But
then. the first signs of fatigue began |
to show. We had come long way,
part of the time over hilfy roads, and
with almost a hundred pounds of |
equipment that Is no Joke. even for
showed it, so it was up to the officers
and the old-timers to spur them on.
Let's start song, sergeant" said |
one Of the young Heutenants, himself |
burdened with pack. glasses. two gas
masks. revolver and ammunition. and.