Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-04-13
DUSKY DOUCHBOYS BROUGHT BACK
 MANY ANECDOTES FROM OVER THERE
Regardless Of The Trials And Hardshps Of War The Irrepressible Humor Of The Negro Soldiers
 Crops Out At Odd Intervals.

They were known as "thc He'll Fighters" those negro doughboys of the 369th, Gold 18th New York. From all accounts they earned the ti- tie, and they brought back with them not only glory, but anecdotes filled with humor and the dialect of their race Some of the tsories they told on themselves, others, were retailed by their officers.
 Would you like to be in the air plane service?' an officer asked one of the negroes while he was watch ing French machine sailing over- 1 head.
 "No, Suh, not fo' mine," was the rejoinder.
 "Why?" the officer persisted.
 "Well, you see eff 1 was up in dat dah machine an de officer gol kilt I'd have to git out an crank up de engine, wouldn't I. l wouldn't have nothin' to stand on."
 A story often told concerns a sea sick negro whose bunkie urged him to go out on deck.
 Come awn," he begged. "Dey's a ship a-passin' right now"
 "Go away" he said of the sickkbed. "Doan you botah me until we's passn' a tree"
 In one of the first trenches were 5000 negro troops, supported at some distance in the rear by force of whites 10000 strong. A newly arrived negro trooper, who was visi- bly, nervous, was being "kiddcd" mer- cilessly by his companions.
 "Whut'd you do, Hennery," one of the tormentors asked, "ef ten bill lion O dem bush Germans wuz to pop up outen de groun' right bout as close to you as nineteen is to twcnty?'
 q ain't a-tellin' whut I'd do," Hen ry answered., but l know whut de res O you niggahs would do, an know whut de papers back home would be sayin' de nex' mawnin'. Dey'd have big headlines. Ten thousand white folks trampled to death"
 One force of negroes was quartered next to division of Morroccans, who had perpetual feud with a regi- ment of Singalese near by. The Mo- roccans are mulatto in color, while the Singalese are as black as most il of the members of Colonel Hayward's H old regiment This fact was really occasion Colonel Hayward wanted tc send a messenger to the Moroccan commander and chose three of his H own men to deliver it.
 H As the messengers approached the Morocco camp the latter mistoOk them for the despised Singalese. The! H rushed from their dugouts brandish ing guns, knives and pistols, ano HI with wild shouts warned the strang H CTS not to come nearer. The New | Workers beat nasty retreat and when the trouble was Thomamio , when Colonel Hayward demnadcd ot II one what the trouble was he replied Il Colonel, pou bettah sen some o II dem light cullud Hahlem lounge liz Il ahds fo' dis job. Wc's doncw H The Morocco division occupied the same position for months, and dur ing that time managed to collect q large number of German marks, each H coin being worth about 16 cents H The New York troops spent their en- crgics in collecting French francs H Whenever they were able to do SC II they exchanged their francs for the German coin. Colonel Hayward asked one of his men why he did this "Why, we's gwinc to spen' it iu Germany, of cose." the doughboy re- | piled. "Ain't dat whah we's a-gwinc?' A group of colored Harlemites was | standing in the mess line when sev- cral German planes suddenly appear ed overhead. In half minute the | lines had melted to one man, the Top | Sergeant.
 'Is you jes plum crazy or don't you