Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-29
YANKS BUY OUT
SHIPS CANTEEN
Britisher Tired Out by Americans
Who Purchase Everything
in Sight.
HAVE WEAKNESS FOR CANDY
One Soldier Spends SIS for Sweets and
Ginger Ale and Is Only Stopped
by observation-disclosures
English Money.

LondOn.-"Next for candy" cried
the keeper of the ships canteen. In
front of his booth Is a long queue OF
American soldiers. patiently awaiting
their turn to buy the sweets and SOU
venirs displayed on the counter and In
the showcases. Ii is an incident of
life of American soldiers on a trans
port bound for France.
The canteen-keeper Is tired. Never
In his experience on British vessels
has he encountered such rush of
business. He has sold his wares in
all the seven seas 10 people Of many
nati0nalities. and If he We're awarding
q prize to the best customer il would
he bestowed promptly on the American
soldier.
Il say" he exclaimed to the chief
steward after he had closed shop the
first day out, "what sweet tooth
they have! AT the rate they're buying
me there won't be gumdrop left by
the time we get halfway across"
Have Sweet Tooth.
On some of the British transports
that are taking Uncle Sans troops to
France are as many as five canteens.
The demand for chocolates is so
great that the supply, large though 1t
may have been, is quickly exhausted.
American chewing gum is next in pop
ularity. After the home variety of
CONNECTIONS have been sold out the
soldiers begin to experiment with Brit
fsh sweets, Of which toffee wins per.
haps the most favor. If American
pop" could be had. it would be con.
sumed In large quantities. Failing that.
the troops dl.nk Spanish ginger ale.
One soldier is known to have spent
SIS for candy and ginger ale He prob.
ably would have spent more before the
ship reached port, but one day. greatly
to his establishment, he became sea
nick.
The canteen curios, such as shells on
which are painted the American flag,
attract many buyers. and before the
trip Is ended almost every soldiers kit
contains one or more of these treas
ures. i
On the British transports the barber
shop Is advertised on the door as
"Hairdresser." As rule this sign Is
not understood by the American look.
ing for haircut or a shave. He
thinks It is place for women to have
their hair dressed. and he passes 1t by.
When he confesses to his comrades
that he can't find the barber shop, he
Is made the victim Of a good deal of
joshing from those who have fathomed
the secret
The soldiers who patronize the hair
dresser find the experience rather
novel. 1t seems queer to be shaved In
an immovable upright chair and .
Queerer still, but extremely satisfac.
tory, to be charged half the price one
pays in first-cass American shop.
"0iscover" English Money.
1t Is on the ship that many Ameri-
cans become acquainted for the first
time with English money. Aside from
a stray Canadian dime. they usually
have never seen British coins. and
when In exchange for an American bill
they are given strange looking pieces
of silver and big disks of copper they
register, in the language of the movies.
wide-eyed interest.
what are these stove lids forP"
asks an lowan Of Texan, puzzled and
showing some disdain for the big Eng.
fish pennies.
You put 'em In sock to bean n
Hun with, | reckon" replies the South.
efner, netting the coins. "Or. maybe"
he adds, I'VE can use em to throw at
submarines"
sergeant steps up with informa-
ton. "You use those things for tins"
he volunteers. They're worth two
cents apiece. That's good.sized tip
In London"
You fellows" the sergeant goes on
reaching for the Iowan's coins, bet.
Ter get wise to this English dough-"
lie holds up silver coin. "You know
what that ls?'
A crowd has gathered to hear the
lecture
That's a shilling says n voice.
shilling your grandmother. That's
hnltcrown. It's equal to two shllngs
ana siypence. You want TO be care.
fui not to get II mixed up with one of
these two-shilllng pieces that's nearly
the same size"
How much Is a shillingr queries
the Texan.
about two bits says the sergeant
VINO halls from California. "Ifs equal
to two of these siypences."
He gives the coins back TO rher
owner and stalks off, followed by nd.
mirIng eyes.
Say" observes the Iowan, tive got
lot TO learn. And when we got "a
France, guess Wen run into some
other kind Of foolish money"
War certainly Is hell" saws the
Texan.
Twins Near In Drawjna