East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-07-09


'lthirty years ago. He had a brogue which
lcould be cut with knife. which | win moi
'ltry to reproduce.
1 There's one thing that Is not altogether
to me liking" said Casey, "and that is the
kind of breakfast which we get right here
in these French hotels. In America we
like to start the day with good square
meal, but in France they don't eat any
thing till noon. What had ye this, morn
ling?'
Coffee and "A roll and butter at the
hotel" replied
The Top Sergeant looked at his watch.
tits close on dinner time he said.
''We'll go down to our grub shack and see
what's to be had"
The dining room was large wooden
Ihnt, turned and rooted with Corrugated
iron. This had been built by the French
and was handed over to the Americans
when they came to the tows. brigade
was now chartered hero. In one corner
of the hut the cooks were hard ~ work.
with mess sergeant tending operations
and hurryIng the men on the job. In the
dining room the tables were laid out for
dinner with rows of white plates thanked
by knives and forks. bowls for coffee and
big loaves of bread that looked beautifully
white and appetizing,
was introduced to the mess sergeant
by Casey. who advised him to spread
layout on the table. Presently a dinner
for Casey and me was put on one corner,
of the long table which stretched doevnI
the centre of the room.
THE same tack that all hands get.''
said the mess sergeant when / compli-
mented him on the fare. 'Its the proper
thing to feed them we'll. for they work
better afterward."
And il all has come across from
America" said Casey. Potatoes, apples
and the rest of the tack The German
submarines don't worry us much"
Neither do our chaps think much Of
that side of it," snid tho mess sergeant.
PThey like to grumble o bit. Do British
soldiers grumble over their grubg"
Its soldiers privilege" ! said, "nndI
they nearly all make fun use of it. If we
didn't grumble We should never get any
thing better But. with our chaps. grum.
bling is good nrnrt from that. because it
proves things are pretty right all round
Tommy stops grousing automatically
whenever he finds himself Up agaiust any.
thing really hah."
That's as 1t should he" said the Top.
Sergeant, "Our ma ior-one Of fI,c bcstl
touGhs That ever struck he is-said that
ms long Us guy Erumbles he's all right. !
but whom he doesn't rrnmblc it's ns we'll
10 kecp an eye on him. It's bad sign
whcn man Is quiet. for it means that all
the kick has left him"
At this moment the soldiers dismissed
from the morning parade crowded into
tho dining shack and took their places at 4
the tables. Food was served. and the men
who had boen at work all morning IN the
sharp cold Of winter had big appetites.
cramOphone from one corner Of the
room strove to make itself heard as III
rendered popular airs and chorlises as an
accompaniment 10 the meal. But the
effort was futile. for the claiter Of knives.
forks and plates and the babel Of talk.
laughter and witticisIns drowned all other
sounds.
"Ye're hungry. Paddy said Casey to
a loose jointed giant who was scented near
bin.
Its morning ike this that gives a
nan the hunger" Paddy replied as he
squared himself before his ample ration
II beef. Il
Are there many Irishmen hcrcy' =
lsked the sergeant li
"A big bunch Of flarps." said Casey. {
There ore hundred and fifty men IN
his room about. and most Of them will {
ie Irish, l bet. Ill just find ont" /.
lie got to his feet as be spoke and looked q
own the room. II
ANY man here who's not an Irishmnn I
tand up!' he called. There was n mo v
ncnt's hesitation. Then one man got TO y
lis feet. = q
-The only man in The place who's not n
Harp" said Casey with a laugh. "What 2
re youg' he inquired. addressing the man Y
rho had stood up
A Scotchman." was the reply. 4
-Ycry much in the minority" said alt