The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-30
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 I.
BY Seasickness- Discover
6rollshs Money.

the keeperfOf the ships cantecn. In
front Of his booth IL a long queue Of
American soldiers, patiently awaiting
their turn to buy the sweets and SOU
vents displayed on the counter and in
the showcases. It Is an incident OF
life of American soldiers on Z 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
oil the seven seas to people of many
nationalities, and II he were awarding
a prize to the best cgstomer'it would
be bestowed promptly on the American
soldier.
Il say" he exclaimed to the chief
steward after he had closed shop the
first day out, "what a sweet tooth
they have! At the rate they're buying
me there won't be a gumdropi 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 it
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
ish 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 drink 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. astonishment, he became sea-
sick.
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. . s
On the British transports the barber
shop is advertised on the door ssas
"Hairdresser." AS ii rule this sign is
not underst06d BY the American look..
ing for q haircut or shave. He
thinks it is q place for women to have
their hair dressed. and he passes It BY
When he cOnfesses to his comrades
that he can't find the barber shop. he
Is made the victim of good deal Of
joshing from those who have fathomed
the secret.
The soldiers who patronize the hair
dresser find the experience rather
novel. It seems queer to be shaved in
an immovahle upright chair. and
queerer still, but extremely satlsfac.
tory, to be charged half the price one
pays in a first-class American shop.
"Diseover" English Money.
Tits on the ship that many Ameri-'
cans become acquainted for the first
time with English money. Aside from
q stray Canadian dime. they usually
have meyer seen British coins. and
when ip exchange for an American bill
they are given strengthening pieces
Of silver and big disks of copper, they
register, IL the. language Of the movies,
wide.eyel interest.
"Wliat are these stove lids for?"
asks IN 1owan Of Texan, puzzled and
showing some disdain for the big Eng
fish pennies.
''You nut 'em in a sock to BEEN q
Hun with, ! reckon" replies the South
ernaf, netting the coins. "Or, maybe"
he adds, 1--WE can use 'em to throw at
submarines"
A. sergeant steps up with informa-
tio1. "XOu use those things for tips"
he volunteers. "They're worth two
cents apiece. That's good-sized tip
in London"
"You fellows" the sergeant goes on,
reachin: for the Iowans coins, bet
ter get wise to this English dough-"
We holds up a silver coin. "You know
what that is?'
A crowd has gathered to hear the
lecture.
'"Tha:'s . shilling" says voice.
Shilling your grandmother. That's
a halfc-own. It's equal to two shillings
and sixpence. You want to be care
full not to get 1t mixed up with one of
these two-shilling pieces that's nearly
the same size"
"How much is a shilling?" queries
the Texan.
"About two bits" says the sergeant,
who halls from California. TITS equal
to two of these sixpences."
He gives the coins back to their
owner and stalks OF, followed by ad.
miring eyes.
say" observes the Iowan, I'VE got
q lot to learn. And when we get to
France, I guess Wen run into some
other kind of foolish money"
"War certainly is hell" says the
Texan. 80
=. Twins Near IN Drawing.
Kokomo, 1nd.-Ned E. Albright was
drawn as the ninety-si&th registrant