Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-05-21

Bermuda onions. seventeen"
The corporal avoided row by say
ing that he did not want an onion, and
I said they make your breath smell, SO
I guessed would do without one too.
The corporal looked his gratitude.
Cheese, pounds, two"
The corporal borrowed q jackknife
(corporals are always borrowing). and
sliced the cheese-each slicing bring
Ing forth q pert remark from the on.
lockers as to the corporal's eyesight.
"Raisins, ounces. eight"
By this time the corpOrals nerves
had gone west, and in despair he said
that the raisins were to be turned over
to the cook for "dufr' (plum pudding).
This decision elected a little "grous-
ing" but quiet was finally restored.
biscuits, tins, one."
With his borrowed jackknife, the
corporal opened the tin Of biscuits, and
told everyone to help themselves-no-
body responded to this invitation.
Tommy is "fed up" with biscuits
Butter, tins, two" ::
"Nine in one, ten In the other"
Another rumpus.
"Pickles, mustard, bottles, one"
Nineteen names were put In q steel
helmet, the last one out winning the
pickles. On the next Issue there were
only 18 names, as the winner is elimi-
mated until every man In the section
has won bottle.
The rattle is closely watched, because
Tommy is suspicious when It comes to
gambling with his rations.
When the issue Is finished the cor
poral sits down and writes q letter
home, asking them II they cannot get
some NJ. P. (member Of parliament) to
have him transferred to the Royal Fly.
ing corps where he won't have to issue
rations.
At the different French estaminets
in the village and at the canteens Tom
my buys fresh eggs, milk. bread and
pastry. Occasionally when he Is flush,
he invests in a tin Of pears or apri.
cots. His pay Is only a shilling a day,
"a cents, or q cent an hour. Just imag-
inc, q cent an hour for being under
flre-not much chance Of getting rich
out there.
When he goes into the fire trench
(front line), Tommy's menu takes
tumble. He carries in his haversack
what the government calls emergency
or iron rations. dEhey are not supposed
to be opened until Tommy dies of star.
walton. They consist Of one tin OF
bully beef, four biscuits, little tin
which contains tea, sugar and O1o
cubes concentrated beef tablets).
These are only to be used when the
enemy establishes a curtain Of she'll
fire on the communication trenches,
thus preventing the carrying In" OF
rations, or when in an attack a body
Of troops has been cut of from Its base
Of supplies.
The rations are brought up at night
by the company transport. This is
section Of the company In charge Of
the quartermaster sergeant, composed
Of men, mules and limbers two
wheeled wagons), which supplies Tom
my's wants while In the front line.
They are constantly under shell fire.
The rations are unloaded at the en-
trance to the communication trenches
and are carried In" by men detailed
for that purpose. The Quartermaster
sergeant never goes into the front'llne
trench. He doesn't have to, and have
never heard Of one volunteering to
do so.
The company sergeant major sorts
the rations and sends them In.
Tommy's trench rations consist OF all
the bully beef he can eat, biscuits,
cheese, timed butter (sometimes II
men to q tiny, jam or marmalade. and
occasionally fresh bread (ten to q
Loaf. When 1t is possible he gets tea
and stew.
When things are quiet. and Fritz IL
behaving like a gentleman. which sell
dom happens, Tommy has the opportu'
nifty Of making dessert. This Is
trench pudding" 1t is made from
broken biscuits, condensed milk. jam
a little water added, slightly favored
with mud-put into a canteen and
cooked over little spirit stove known
as "Tommy's cooker"
"a firm in Blighty widely advertises
these cookers as q necessity for the
men In the trenches. Gullible people
buy them-ship them to the Tommles,
who, Immediately upon receipt OF same
throw them over the parapet. Some
times q Tommy falls for the ad. and
uses the cooker in dugout to the dis
gust and discomfort Of the other o.
cupants.)
This mess is stirred up in tin and
allowed to simmer over the flames
from the cooker until Tommy decides
that It has reached sufficient (gluelike)
consistency. He takes his bayonet and
BY means Of the handle carries the
mess up in the front trench to cool.
After Il has cooled of he tries to eat 1t.
Generally one Or two Tommies In q
section have cast-iron stomachs and
the tin is soon emptied. Once tasted
trench pudding, but only once.
In addition to the regular ration 10
sue Tommy uses another channel to
enlarge his menu.
In the English papers q Lonely
Soldier" column II run. This II Tor
the soldiers at the front who arc sup
posed to be without friends or rela-
tives. They write to the papers and
their names are published. Girls ard
women in England answer them. and
send out parcels Of foodstuffs. ciga'
rettes, candy, etc. I have known Q
''lonely" soldier to receive - many -
i've parcels and eleven isttees IN oos
week.
Continued next wee:
knees Net Intesesllne
In oua educational mussom & u
pah q Q Qest frame of The mast beaur
(iful knotS lied IN silken and goS0ea
~~~~k -