Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-15
SHRAPNEL
Sidelights on the War
-BY-
OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

A British soldier, who was famous for
his desire for strong drink, was fight
ing in Flanders. He had boosted that
for twenty years he hadn't drunk
drop of water. One day his platoon
was crossing a bridge over deep
canal when it was shot from under
the party. One of the men pulled the
lover Of liquor from the water and ex-
claimed, anxiously:
Are you hurt?
NO" replied the soldier. "Never swal-
lowed a drop
Describing one of the recreation huts
built under ground behind the allied
trench lines on the western front. one
writer says:
The central hall of the cellar is
blaze of color; gorgeous advertisement
posters Of seaside resorts decorate the
walls: flags of the allies and the do
minions hang from the roof; stage
by a canvas scene painted by an ar
fist in the battalion. In this solid:
concerted structure the men sit and
smoke. and play and write. obiivious
to the roar of our guns firing from
their pits outside. and to the moan and
scream and burst of the German shells
falling on the town. The piano is not
often silent. nor are the men.
But there is corner not far on
where silence reigns except for the
muff1ed roar from the guns outside.
This is the chapel. You may reach il
down narrow passage. You lift the
curtain that covers the entrance and
beneath an archway in front that forms
natural sanctuary you will see the
altar with it's ornaments. DO not de-
spise the tin candlesticks. because they
have been fashioned by the men out of
the tin Innings of tobacco boxes. The
rough wood of packing case"
A visitor on a British battleship was
dining with group Of officers when
his fork accidentally struck a glass
tumbler. AS the glass resounded the
officers shouted as one man, Hun" On
asking for an explanation the visitor
was told that the ringing Of glass
that on one ship he formerly COM
manded every time a glass was rung q
man fell overheard. This is why of
ficers now cry Hun" when a table ac-
cident occurs. they hoping to transfer
their bad luck to the enemy.
The British infantryman hates one
thing above all others. He grouches
airman fly over his trench. He thinks
1t personal insult.
canary in cage was the only
tHlfik Sdvcu ~HoH d buDn1dTlHe sank q
freighter off the Irish coast.
When a soldier announces to his rel
atives that he has won a commission
he usually says: well, I've got my joy
rags at last"
Little Bill Kaiser
Bat near geyser.
Eating his sausage and kraut.
Sam, Jean and Tom
Each landed bomb
That put little Billy to rout.
The great cathedral at Amiens. which
Is target for German guns. is one of
the most beautiful in all Europe from
the standpoint of both the architect
and decorator.
The plan Of the cathedral is due to
Robert de Luzarches, who began the
building In 1920. The roof was placed
in 1888, but the towers remained I'M
finished until the fifteenth century,
The amazingly rich and varied sculp-
tural adornment of the exterior, and
particularly the west front. dates from
the best period of Gothic art, and helps
more even than proportion and PLAN
ming to make Amiens Cathedral one Of
the worlds wonders Of art. Statues.
reliefs. ornamental tracery, pilasters.
gargoyles. decorated buttresses and
pinnacles are applied to the fabric with
profusion that is bewildering at first
glance, until the eye becomes adjusted
and discovers order and perfect rhythm
where everything at first seemed daz-
zling confusion.