The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-01-17

sup .",nJ ~ -. rIUeless as
to what they have done for the Christ
mas feed which is to be held tomor'
row at eight bells. Yank, let's hear
yours"
I reported one dozen eggs, two bot.
ties OF white wine, one bottle Of red
wine, eight packets Of Gold Flake
"fags" (clgarettes), and n quart
bottle Of champagne, which had cost
me five francs at a French estamlnet.
This report was received with a
cheer. "Ikey" Honey was next In
order. He proudly stated that he had
saved his rum issue for the last
eleven days, and consequently was
able to donate to the feast his water
bottle ~three-fourths full Of rum. This
would help out in making brandy sauce
for the plum pudding. Sailor Bill In
formed that he had a fruit cake, a
bottle Of picked walnuts. and two
tins OF deviled ham which had been
sent out TO him from London. Each
nan had something to report. / care
fully made n list Of the articles OPP
posite the name Of the person donat-
Jig them, and turned the list over to
Eill, who was to act as cook on the
following day.
Just then Lance Corporal Hall came
into the dugout, and warming his
hands over the fire bucket, said:
"If you blokes want to hear some
thing that will take you home TO
Blighty, come up into the fire trench
q minute"
None Of us moved. That fire buck
ct was too comfortable. After much
coaxing Sailor Bill, key Honey and
myself followed Hall out Of the dug
out and up into the fire trench. A
dead silence reigned, and we started
to return. Hall Blocked our way, and
whispered:
"Just a minute, boys, and listen"
Pretty soon, from the darkness out
In front, we heard the strains Of a
German cornet playing "It's a Long,
Long Trail We're Winding" We
stood entranced till the last note died
out. After about q four or fve-min-
ute wait the strains of "The Suwanee
River" were waited across No Mans
Land toward us. I felt lonely and
homesick.
Out Of the darkness from the fire
bay on our left q Welsh voice started
singing "It's a Long, Long Trail" 1t
was beautiful. The German cornet
player must have heard 1t, because he
picked up the tune and accompanied
the singer on his cornet. / had never
heard anything 81 beautiful In my life
before. The music from the German
trench suddenly ceased, and in the air
overhead came the sharp crack |!
crack Of machine gun bullets, as
some Boche gunner butted in on the
concert. We ducked and returned to
our dugout.
The men were all tired out, and
soon rasping shores could be heard
from under the cover of blankets and
overcoats.
The next day was Christmas, and
we eagerly awaited the mail, which
was to be brought up by the ration
party at noon.
Not a shot or she'll had been fired
all morning. The sun had come out
and. although the trenches were slip
perry with mud, still 1t was warm, and
we felt the Christmas spirit running
through our veins. We all turned In
and cleaned up the dugout. Making
reflectors out of ammunition tins,
sticking them into the walls Of the
dugout. we placed a lighted candle
on each, the rays from which turned
night into day.
Bill was hustling about preparing
the Christmas spread. He placed q
waterproof sheet on the floor. and add
Ing three blankets he spread another
waterproof sheet over the top for q
table cloth, and arranged the mems
packs around the edges for chairs.
Presently the welcome voice of our
sergeant came from the entrance OF
the dugout:
"Come on, me lads, lend a hand
with the mail"
There was a mad rush for the en-
trance. In a couple Of minutes or sc
the boys returned, staggering under q
load Of parcels. AS each name was
read Off. a parcel would be thrown
over to the expectant Tommy. My
heart was beating with eagerness as