The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-12-19
STORIES OF BOYS ACROSS SEA
Continued from Page ~

nearly daylight when a ~doughbo
colonel awoke and found somethin
resting heavily on his chest. II
and went to sleep. The next mornin
Cook Schools discovered that he ha
been using the coloney's stomach 10
a pillow.
Many we're the stories of TRACED.
and comedy related through the loni
Ardennes evenings around the Amer
lean campfres last week. There wa
that story of how a regimental p. {
quite unintentionally stormed ant
captured Chaumont. This was no
the we'll known but never mentioned
Chaumont inhabited by G.. II. @, bu'
a less %pretentious settlement just be
low Sedan. II fell to the Americans
during that lively last week when the
troops raced toward Sedan. Certainly
when a major, the adjutant, the in
telligence officer and eight liaison
men strolled in one fine day to set VI
safe and comfortable quarters there
for the 165th Infantry, they little
dreamed that the Germans had not
long since beer driven from the town.
There the mayor and all the jubilant
women and children CT the village
were waiting to greet them. Waiting
TO greet them also were several Ger
man machine gunners who opened fire
on the festive party and had to be
overcome by force of arms.
Among the best OF the campfire
yarns was the one about the soldier
who envied his companions new
shoes. Where had he got them? Why,
off a German. 81 guess I'll have to
go out an get me a pair" he said.
and vanished toward No Mans Land.
He came back two hours later. superb
ly shod. But why had he been so
long? We'll" he a~pologized, sit took
me some time. | had to kill AZ differ
ent Germans before | could find n
with a pair OF shoes that would fit
me-"
Then there was the story the Red
Cross man told of the doughboy he
found sitting pensively in a field while
shells from our guns roaring over
head like invisible midiair express
trains, and while, less noisy, but
more disturbing, the shells from the
German guns were ending with a wall
and burst all about. What are you
thinking about, Buddy? Making your
will Are you wondering why you
were ever nut enough to enlist?" NO"
said the doughboy gloomily. Il was
wondering how / was ever u enough
to let a man hold me up in Chicago
last spring. He only had a 80"
All through the week, the Yankees.
encamped in and around the towns
they had just liberated along the
Meuse, celebrated the armistice with
the good people of those towns, who
lay awake nights devising ways and
means Of being hospitable to the
Americans. The favorite in n town
and he was always to be found en-
throned on the timber Of some kitchen
was a small boy of eight who, when
the Germans fed and all the citizens
went down into the cellars to wait
for the battle tide to sweep past. sta
toned himself boldly at the corner,
and in the ears of the ~retreating
Boches shouted scornfully: mach
Paris! Mach Paris!"
Just how 1t happened that they
slipped by the guard neither OF them
seems to know, but two American
soldiers, although intending to drive
from the front lines to the rear, be-
came tangled up as to directions and
drove toward Germany. They reach
ed a point 20 kilometers beyond the
American ~outposts before they were
aware that they were going in the
direction opposite their destination.
Then upon entering q town. they
rounded a corner and stood face to
face with a German major and four
enlisted men. The Americans glared
at the Germans and the Germans
glared at the Americans. After sew
eral moments of observation, the
Americans turned around and came
back, choosing a new route, which
took them through towns partially in
habited, but where there were no Ger
mans. In every town they passed
through they were forced to stop and
talk with the inhabitants, and once
the entire female population kissed
them. Everywhere they were well
coined with great joy, for they were
the first Americans the inhabitants
had seen.
Pvt. Lewis made down his bed in
the corner Of a building that was just
in the edge Of what would have been
No Mans Land had the armistice not
interviewed. 81 sure didn't think I'd
ever sleep here" he said to a COM
rade. why, l was popping away at
e sniper from that hole there in the
corner Just a couple Of days ago Gee,
hut It seems queer" And what was
the sniper doing to your" some one
INQUIRED from the other corner.
WELL" said Lewis, "he was sure
raisin' hell with my life insurance"
A heavy truck, loaded with ten cases