The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-09-10
YANKEE SPIRIT
WILL WIN WAR
Declares Commander Of Unit
Now Over There.
NOTHING DAMPENS ARDOR
Former Coal Operator With Income OF
100000 a Year PIods Along With
His Forty-Pound Pack Having the
Time of His Life-Spend Week or
More In Rest Camps in England Be-
fore Going to France.

1t was dawn. A pelting rain
drenched this quaint historic English
village. Far up the muddy road over
the big hills came the mufled tones of
a military band. They were playing
Americas popular war song, "Oyer
There"
Behind them marched singing, shout
ing warriors-5,0O0 of Uncle Sans
understanding from their rest
camp to trains on the last leg of their
journey TO No Mans Land.
The rain did not dampen their ar
dor. Through the mud they waded
with grinning faces singing "Hail,
hail, the gangs all here; what the
HI do we care"
SITS the spirit of American soldiers
that's going to win this war;" OBJ
served Col. f.. V. Smith, commandant
of one Of the units. He was a jolly
old "war horse" with the face, figure
and humor that made him look the
twin of Irwin Cobb.
81 was a classmate of Black Jack
Pershing at West Point" he grinned.
"Tll sure be glad to see him over
there in France"
"Some Boys" These.
He hailed from San Francisco and
his regiment comprised boys from
parts of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illi-
nOis and Kentucky. Nothing else in
the world mattered to him Just now
but his boys" and he was so proud
of them, he said, as he joined a party
of us along the roadside watching the
boys swing past.
See that fellow over there" he
pointed out a clean-cut, ffinning
Yank, Flooding along with a 40-pound
pack on his back. 'He was an Illinois
coal operator and had an income of
100000 a year until the draft got him.
Now he's getting a little better than
$500 a year and likes it. I've got more
just like him in my unit"
Near by stood a little old lady who
rushed out ever and anon to grasp
the hands of the Yanks. "Good-by,
boys"-there was the suspicion of a
tear and her lip ~quivered as she
added: "Hope you ali get back. Good
luck and God bless you
Mother" Powell they called her.
some n said. From out the big
brown shawl thrown over her head
peeped a little old lady face such as
we have expected and hoped our dead
and gone g~randmothers had. She had
lost two sons in the trenches lover
there" and every morning, rain or
shine, she was out on the road bid
ding the boys good-by and Godspeed
on their journey lover there"
Some of the Yanks ceased their hi
larity long enough to grasp her hand
OF shout "Go0d-by, mother" One
brushed her cheek with his lips and
l could see him fighting back the tears
as he plodded on. The Yanks only
stay a week or SO in the rest camp
here, but they all knew her.
Rest for a Week.
Entraining from the boats at an
English port all the American soldiers
rest up a week or so at or another
of the American rest camps in or
around this historic English village.
In company with three colonies and a
numbe- of other officers I visited the
night before the largest of these
camps.
American c~amaraderie runs high In
England. When Yank meets Yank in
Great Britain the conventions are
dropped in the hail-fellow-well-met
fashion. In this manner / met an
American colonel at the station. He
spotted me for a Yank, thrust out his
hand and introduced himself.
II got a tin buggy going up to the
camp shortly; cltln5 in" he invited.
We reached IT,. camp In time for
dinner and 1t was 'some" dinner. In
the galvanized iron mess hut for of
ficers / sat down to a real Yankee
square feed of roast beef, potatoes,