Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-12-05

4 ments. When YOU realize that for more
than four years they have been doing :
in their power to hold the enemy back
and that we have been here about year
that they have lost many million men
and We have lost at the most several
hundred thousand-that they have
drained their resources 10 the limit and
we have just started 10 give-that the
war has been right in their front yard
and 4 long way from AmericaLthese
war-ridden people know the horrors OF
repeated defeat and We know Of nothing
but the victories which have come
since we have been here-we know
nothing of the real scarcity Of food, the
scarcity of anything, in fact-ald there
are many other things which fortunately
We have no intimate acquaintance with
and because of these things / feel
that We must not take too much credit
10 ourselves. OF course, the natural
attitude is 10 swell out our chest ard
feel that We have done il all, but there
are extenuating circumstances thatwhen
We think them over make us realize
that we haven't won the war alone
But we are sure having some time, and
they with one accord regret that We viii
have 10 60 home. Why shouldn't they
regret il, when We are pouring money
into their pockets so fast that they can't
count it, and these days of celebration
see many francs running through the
fingers of the American soldiers
fortunately for the majority OF them, as
soon as the news Of the end OF the war
hit the town the banks all closed, and
Won should have seen the faces OF the
Americans when they came up TO the
banks and saw that they were shut
They were sure funny, and somevarious
and sundry remarks were let loose a
the banking customs of the country
But then the war does not end every
day. so we will have to excuse them.
figure the reason they closed the
hanks was because the whole force was
so excited that a fellow might have
gone in with a check for hundred
| francs and they would have given him
all the money in the place and never
known the difference. So the bank
managers decided 10 close before somt
big lot of money got away from them
The cashier is a pretty good friend OF
mine-he being the man ! wrote you
that lost a leg at Verdun. and claimed
that he was part American because he
used an American artificial leg-and
pot 10 the bank before il was closed, and
when went in he literally fell on my
neck and insisted that break a bottle
Of wine with him, and was so insisteni
that finally gave in. A man who ever
tried TO drink all the wine that was OF
fered him Yesterday would have drown
ed before dark, for it was certainly
flowing freely, and even coming home
on the train one old lady who had beer
to town opened a bag and brought out
bottle of wine, and every American
in the compartment must needs drink TO |
America and France. Because one fel'
low would not she wept bitterly, and he |
finally gave in and took chance. But
then the war does not end every day. so |
we will have to make exception in this
case.
/ think the funniest thing ! saw yes
terday was while / was down town
Three French soldiers and three Ameri
can marines were coming down the main
street of the town in one of the little
two wheeled carts that are used so much
over here, and the means OF locomo'
ton was a donkey about the size OF
small pony. Everything was going
along fine and they were making good
headway when an American soldier
who was walking along the street dc
cided that he wanted to ride in thai
cart too, so he proceeded to climb into
il over the back. The added weight
vas too much for the donkey, and tht
cart tipped back and the donkey wa
lifted completely of the ground, and
dumb animal ever looked surprised
il was the donkey. The men in the cart
all started 10 roll out backward, and
when three had fallen out the donkey
came back to earth with dull thud
but the strain had been too much for the
harness and the shaft strap broke. anc
in second the whole bunch had fallei
out of the cart, which, released. hao
tipped back again. There was wild
scramble for few minutes, but repairs
were finally made and the party pro-
ceeded on their way rejoicing.
The question heard on all sides, today
| is. "How long will they keep us owe
here. now that the war is oyer?" AND
who can answer il? None OF us know
lust what is expected Of US, and the on
~ thing certain is that we are all anx'
ious to make the start for the othei
side, and as soon as possible. ] suppose
there will be certain amount OF clean
ing up to do before We can even think
Of going home, and We know that We
won'tmove until Germany has complied
with the terms OF the armishce, and TIA;
is month or more before vs can even
hope to move. II We come come home
in the same order we came overwe von'i
be so long, for we were among the FIRST
three hundred thousand. and that is
pretty close to the start when YOU figure
on more than two million men being
over here. All We can do is TO sit and
wait for orders TO move, and We nigh