Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-03

at Petite-Saens that first saw the d.
visiona4Folies. This was q vaudeville
show by ten men who had been actors
in civil life, and who were detailed to
amuse the soldiers They charged
small admission fee and the profit went
to the Red Cross.
There ought to be more recreation Tor
the soldiers of all armies. The 7. NJ. c.
A. is to take care of that with our
boys.
BY the way we had Y. NJ. C.. A. hut
at Petite-Saens. and I cannot say
enough for this great work. No one
who has not been there can know what
a blessing it is to be able to go into
clean. warm, dry place and SIT DOWN
to reading or games and to hear good
music. Personally I am little bit sorry
that the secretaries are TO be in khaki
They weren't when I left. And 1t sure
did seem good to see a man in civilians
clothes. You get after while so you
hate the sight of a uniform.
Another thing about the 7. M. c. A.
I could wish that they would have more
women in the huts. Not frilly. frivolous
society girls, but women from thirty
five to fifty. A soldier likes kisses as
well as the next. And he takes them
when he finds them. And he finds too
many. But what he really wants.
though, is the chance to sit down and
tell his troubles to some rice. SYM
pathetic woman who is old enough TO
be level headed.
Nearly every soldier reverts more or
less to a boyish point of view. He
bankers for somebody to mother him. I
should be glad to see many women OF
that type in the Y. M. c. A. work. 1t is
one of the great needs of our Army
that the boys should be amused and
kept clean mentally and morally. 1
don't believe there is any organization
better qualified to do this than the \.
NJ. C. A.
Most of our chaps spent their time "on
their own" either in the Y. NJ. c. A. hut
au%o wi, nfC xrrnf NE
Petite-Saens. Our stop there was hard
ly typical of the usual rest billets.
Usually rest" means that you are set
to mending roads or some such fatigue
duty. At Petite-Saens, however, we
had it "cushy."
The routine was about like this: Up at
$50 we fell in for three-quarters OF an
hour physical drill or bayonet practice
gas masks. One hour drill. After that
ION our own" with nothing to do out
smoke. read and gamble.
Tommy is a great smoker. He gets
a fag. issue from the government. II
a week. This lasts him with care
about two days. After that he goes
smoSeless, unless he has friends at
friends in London who sent me about
500 flags week and was. consequently,
popular while they lasted This took
off some OF the curse of being a lance
CORPORAL.
Tommy has his favorite in flags"
like anybody else. He likes above all
Wild Noodbines. This cigarette is
composed of glue. cheap paper and a
poor quality of hay. Next in his af-
lection comes Gold1akes-pretty near
as bad.
People over here who have boys at
the front mustn't forget the cigarette
supply. Send them along early and
often. ThereIl never be too many.
Smoking is one of the soldiers few
comforts. Two bits worth of makin's
week will help one lad make life en-
durable. It's cheap at the price. Come
through for the smoke fund whenever
you get the chance.
X r
Cafe life among US at Petite-Saens
was mostly drinking and gambling.
That is not half as bad as it sounds.
j The drinking was mostly confined to
the sIushy French beer and win blanc
and citron. Whisky ard absinthe were
barred.
The gambling was a small scale.
necessarily, the British soldier not
being at any time a bioated piutocrat.
At the same time the games were con-
tinuous. House" was the most pop
ular. This is a game similar to the
lotto" We used to play as children.
The hackers distribute cards having
fifteen numbers. forming what they call
a school. Then numbered cardboard
squares are drawn from bag. the
numbers being cailed out When
number comes out which appears on
your card you cover it with a bit Of
match. If you get all youc numbers
covered you call out house." winning
the pot. If there are ten people in