The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-13

which were about deserted. The vii.
lagos In this part of France seem to
be closer together than farm houses
in North Dakota. In fact, 1t Is tho
custom Of the French farmers of one
community to build their homes and
stables close together, thus forming
one little community or village and
then they 60 from these places each
day to their respective pieces of land
for farm work / suppose the idea or
iginated in the olden days when It was
necessary for the inhabitants OF the
different communities to get togeth-
err for mutual protection. AT any
event one rarely sees isolated farm
buildings in France. And each one of
these communities has Of course q fine
church with tall spire, with the result
that at almost any point In France one
can see on the horizon at least two
church spires. Imagine trip from
Mandan to Flasher and never being
out Of sight OF church. The streets
Of the cities or villages are rarely
straight but are winding, rambling
ways and each side Of the streets built
up solidly either with buildings or
stone walls. The result Is that they
have no alleys and no large front
yards such as we have In Mandan.
The buildings are all built flush with
the streets and each home that has q
yard has 1t back in between the
buildings somewhat like the patio"
of the Spanish. The windows of all
the homes have large iron or, wooden
shutters and at night Just about dusk
all these shutters are closed tight with
the result that no lights are seen shin.
ing from windows and one misses the
hospitable lights that shine from the
homes in our American cities. This
custom, understand, prevailed even
before the war. The little stores and
shops also have these shutters and at
night all the stores Of the cities and
villages are locked up within them
selves. The store doors are opened by
large iron door knobs that are made
somewhat in the style Of automobile
cranks and the proprietor to lock his
store simply pulls the door knob or
handle out of its place and carries 1t
away with him and the door cannot be
opened. 4.lsf
But to continue with my Journey.
The roads over which we travelled Eek.
cept as to where they were broken up
by shell holes) were excellent maca-
damized roads almost as good as our
paved streets in Mandan.) Indeed all
the roads Of France are excellentiy
made and we'll kept up and fine for
autOing although at the present time
there are no private cars operating in
France, and the road we travelled that
morning reminded me in many ways
Of the Columbian highway going out
OF PORTE ~:
We arll. I'd at our destination on the
front line just before noon and i was
given dugout for my quarters. It was
about six feet wide an d ten feet long
and dug in the ground with board
floor and a bunk along one end Of 1t
and had little French stove in and
strange as it may seem an electric
light. .s:s 3,s IS 81 !.
When we arrived there were numer-
Gus shells going over our head but not
near us and we could hear the coca
sional hum Of machine guns SO i was
introduced to the firing Of the trench
| esi rather gradually. Noon day meal
lor the French deienuer was served
shortly after got there in the officers
mess which was another dugout but
considerably larger than the ordinary
one and twelve officers including my
self sat down to the meal. sat at the
right hand of the colonel commanding
the sector and we sure had delight
full meal (my first in the trenches
Vv.,,o ~ 40 oRRSonvo on,vlA "a II I'm v1Sah
and / could talk q little French SO We
got along nicely. At the close OF the
meal the colonel in honor Of an Ameri-
can officer being present had all the
officers stand and he extended me q
welcome to their trenches and also
proposed a toast to the American sol
der. /, of course, had to reply and
told them that the whole American
people were glad to send an army to
la Belle" France not only because
we felt that our own civilization was
in the balance but also because our
people remembered the help that
France had given US by sending her
troops and ships to us In the RevOlu
tionary war. I'VE had been discuss
ign at the meal the report received
that day that the Boche had invented
gun that was shooting its shells in
to Paris 12O kilometers away I
ended up my little response to them
by saying that even "if the d --- --- ~
BOche had invented q gun that would
shoot 240 kilometers 1t was not going
to discourage thel American people
and that they were in the war until It
was won" which sentiment they sure
ly applauded. I'M.
After the meal I accompanied one
Of the French majors, Tin the French
army they call q major command.
ant) In tour Of part of the firing
trenches. We, Of course, walked as
most Of our way was through COM
municating trenches and we. Of
course, wore the full trench regalia.
There Is little can say Of this trip
that afternoon as it necessarily in
wolves military matters which cannot
be written about. However, there
was considerable firing going on all
the time both by artillery and ma
chine guns and other arms and l soon
learned that the shell which one heard
was one that was not coming very
close, as the shell which strikes close
to you strikes and does its execution
before the sound Of it Is heard. It was
thrilling trip and In 1t saw some
Germans and was In mo mans" land
and the activity of it all was enough
'~fIt r = 80