The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-21
WANTED CHAPEAU OF
BOCHE TO COMPLETE.
MAR U.s. HAPPINESS.
Boy Soldier Respected and Loved By All British Soldiers
Gets German Helmet AS Christmas Gift and is Happy
Three Sturdy English Tommies Out on Expedition
Bring Home Coveted Article.
YOURSELF"

Iyourself?"
He stretched out his mighty arms
and the youngster, knowing the story
of heave to the roof, sank into them.
Gahey lifted the kicking and laugh
Ing boy and raised him with one great
sweep, and almost touched the rafterS
with the young rascaIs cap. Then
he brought him down and swung him
up again. Such a game! Such funI
The other two men-the first was
nicknamed Spudhole, the second Bow
| dy-felt in their pockets and discov-
cred many Observation-Disclosures but
tons and badges. Their supply of
badges seemed to be endless. These
they handed to Marius when his frol-
| ic with Gahey came to an end.
Then the boy sat in corner and
munched his chocolate and piled up
his little store of souvenirs while the
three men got ready for the Journey
| tc the firing line.
When he had munched the choco-
| late and counted his souvenirs he
spoke to the men and his talk was of
the 'Chapeau Boche." At one period
he did his best to initiate the villagers
and call the German helmet "Casque
polite Boche," but it was easier to
speak as the Tommies spoke and the
Tommies' French was becoming popu-
lar in the village.
The three men understood and they
promised to get the boy a helmet.
Christmas was coming; in three days
it would be here and on that day Mar
It's would have a German helmet as
a Christmas box. All he had to do
was to place his sabot at the fireside
on Christmas ever and in the morning
he would find it covered with a Ger
man helmet.
| The men went away to the trenches
an hour later and on their way they
spoke about the Christmas box which
they had promised to Marius.
If they got one how were they to
place it on the boys sabot?
Its easy enough to get one" said
Cahey, who had a habit of crawling
over to the German trenches at night
when bored with his own and picking
up number of souvenirs. Cali yo've
to do is to"-he touched his bombs
significantly.
| 'tBut once we get a helmet, how
are we to give it to him."
| But the fateS were kind to the men
in more ways than one. They helped
in raid on Christmas Eve and cap
tured several helmets, as well as the
men who wore them.
! The men had to be sent down I'M
der escort to Brigade Headquarters,
and SpudhoIe was one of the escort.
Headquarters was near the village of
L, and when the escort was dis
missed, Spudhole, a German helmet
on his head, disappeared.
Marius was asleep when a rap came
to his mothers door. The woman
rose and opened it. A white face
looked in and band showed some OBJ
ject toward her.
For Petit Marius," said The visitor,
IN whisper. "Chapeau boche for sa-
bot of Petit Marius."
The German helmet was showed in
to the woman's hand. AS she caught
it the man disappeared. Nothing could
he heard out the ammunition hoofs
Gathering along the cobbled street.
The mother placed the helmet on
the sabot which stood by the fire and
went back to her bed again. In the
morning Marius awoke to find the
German helmet the chapeau boche
which the British soldiers had sent
to him as a Christmas box.