Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-08-16

-ss-> marching away, leaving the inhabi
- tants cheering, and waving friendly
xSJ adieuX. For the foreign force was
the first party of American permits.
SOnaircs-SOldicrS on leave-and the
city AiX-iesBanS. the first American leave
center in France. Here the French saw The
Americans AT play and we're satisfied.
"AiN-leS-EeanS' the American boys pronounce
it, al the imminent risk of the name being short
enol to The Beans" Aka jewel clcarcut
with brilliant f0cciS set in frame of gorgeous
moonlight and OF wonderful! opaline sunsets ana
Nunr>eS This is the beauty spot To which are sent
the boys in olivet!rIb. Wcdri2d by months in
trench mud. under bursting shells. And this is
the story of the first peTai~Sionairc> to arrive in
AlX-the american soldiers EH.hIy.
On certain bright Saturday !; COSMOPOLITAN
crowd gathered at The railroad station all in Il
high state of anticipation. one could easily pick
out the persons of prominence. the mayor the
doctors, lawyers and others of small but as
sured incomes. And it might be noticed that the
Older women kept watchful eyes on the ieunne
files who, tense with expectancy. gazed up the
iron road along which the first permissionaires
were to come. For who co.! tell what romance
might not be on the way, romance excuSinr tba
hutierinS of eyelids and the extra nicetv of
dress?
AS special effort to make the incoming Amor.
leans feel right at home. the crowd featured n
negro band and the local baseball nine comnosod
OF small boys in scarlet jerseys and linen irons
ers Win legs Dare as only French boy ever
dares wear them The lads had small American
HaSs tied around their arms and their teeth wars
rafting with the cold. for the snow Law IN tho
mountain sides and refrigerated wind blev
down from there
In the crowds also were American officers and
visitors, Y. NJ. c. A. secretaries canteen workers
ana uncatalogued spectators. Before the Ameri-
cans arrived dozen British aviators on their
way to Italy changed trains and seeing the
throng, asked the reason. On being informed
they exclaimed with heartfelt approval:
wish we were American permissionairesw
And well they might. for beautiful AK. which
In the happy days before 1914 had attracted the
discriminating visitors of all nations, was in more
than gala dress this day. painting the lily, while
military and civil representatives had assembled
mere 10 give welcome to the boys who had come
from the west shores of the Atlantic to fight
shoulder to shoulder with the French
These are the early arrivals of the American
eXpeditiOnary force which landed in France last
summer-regulars and volunteers. They had come
from the trenches with scarcely an hour to pre-
pare
They wore their trench helmets their packs
were on their backs, their clothes and boots COW
cred with mud. their faces grimy, their hair dis
ordered. Their train was two hours late. but the
winds have not chilled the enthusiasm which
greeted the appearance of the Yankees
1T certainly did make an impression" said one
old regular of this reception 1--WE didn't know
what kind of a place it and some of us
were sore because we couldn't go to Paris while
half of us didn't have the money to see 1t
through, or the right outfit. But / guess Uncle
Sam had an idea 1t would be just as well to let
the French people know the American troops
Tor in hon
we're in the fight"
There was doubt In the minds of those who
watched the boys getting out Of the cars that
hey had been at the front. They were hungry
md tired, having been 30 hours on the way with
,nly one stOp-Over, where the Red Cross unit had
breakfast ready for them. But they were too &C.
,ustOmed to discipline to resist speech-making
md hospitality. so they listened patiently to the
provost marshals friendly admonitions to shun
vine and women. No ban was placed on song.
rhen-On with the welcome!
The negro band erupted into Jazz and raggy
noises, taking the Americans back home in spirit
1T least. following which a French orchestra
wung gracefully into the strains Of a Suite de
'lassenete" and the per1nssiOnaires were es-
orted to their temporary homes. They were led
through streets fanked by fiag-draped balconies,
rom which pretty girls cried with familiar greet
ng:
"vive rAmerique! vive la France! vive Oncle
SAINT"
And that is how the first American permits
ionaries came to the A. E. F.'s Blighty with a
'lare of trumpets waving of flags. cheers.
miles. sparkling eyes and welcoming speech. Be
ore them lay eight days of clean. delightful
ecreation amid beautiful scenes and-probably
est Of all-unlimited baths
We've fed mud" said one happy permits
ionaire. "The rats come and sit on the edges
our straw and give use morning salute. We
avent had real wash for so long that we've
lmOst forgotten how ii feels to have that sense
f self-respect that comes with the morning tub"
AK with its famous waters. baths and casinos.
eeds no Introduction to many men in the Amer
IAN expeditiOnary force. In the days before the
-ar II attracted thousands of Americans each
eason, among them the late j. PierpOnt Nor