The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-10-02


korts OF war trucks passed US, coming
and going To the front. The kitchen
wagons door was tapping open. and
sfrewed hot Goals along behind II;
many horses were being led home,
wounded, one had piece as large as
a plate out Of his thigh. And carts
passed us filled with household goods,
the chickens always in a wicker crate
hanging under the cart These were
the belongings Of the returYing ref
ugees.
The villages through which we pass
ed were, as usual, teeming with our
soldiers who slept and shaved in the
lofts Of open barns, while in the
streets below others were drilling with
their gas masks on.
Madame Picard had prepared
special luncheon, and It was waiting
for us on our return. We had slices
of veal which had been stepped IN
white wine and herbs, and mushrooms
freshly picked from her little pasture
made a delicious sauce. We had sal
ad. of course, bit Of green tarrgon
il it, fried potatoes and red wine--out
the fiies! They were battlefield
flies, enormous, fat impertinent crea-
80
lures, which sat "their full heft'--(as
they say in Ncrmont) upon each scrap
Of food and on us as well. They say
that up on the field they are dreadful.
We were glad that we did not 90 up
TO see il, (even though many people
told us we should not miss the exper-
lence,) for our General told us that the
Huns had done absolutely no "clean-
ing up" and that the odor was some
thing one could never forget
Our car broke down on the way up
to General Coles Chateau, so we all
climbed up the hill, high above the
village, and were glad OF the chance
Ito enjoy the view before we dlned.
The officers showed us two huge bull
let's which were imbedded in the draw
ING room wall. The dinner was like
one at home as far as food was con-
cerned for we had real butter, white
bread and pie, but always used the
same knife and fork for each course
There were two automobile loads Oh
us which went out to the grove where
we were to give the evening perform
anec. Over two thousand boys were
waiting for US: boys who had been
fighting for five months: boys VINO
had saved Paris, "The Yankee Divi-
/ sion" They were everywhere, the
trees above the boxing-platform where
we sang were full of them, and they
sat or stood in soft mud, officers ano
all. through the whole performance
The mules broke loose during one oi
the songs, the piano was, perhaps tne
worst we were ever to see, but every
one was happy, and the boys learned
,ur songs in no time. 1t is an exper'
;ence never to be forgotten, that 81
looking down into hundreds OF war-tir'
ed faces, which brighten like those OF
children directly they hear a bit OF
CAV music, which they know is to'
them. and when one hears them sing
il poes straight to ones heart.
There were many French ~ the
crowd. and at the end OF the pro
pramme a soldier came up on th'
stage and sang "Madelon" for US. Inc
bows all crowded around us to thanf
us, and especially to talk. They ask
ed how Churchill's looked, when A
Jolson and Frank Tinney and George
Cohan were coming over, how Broad
way looked, and were glad to see w
had on white fluffy dresses! lts to'
funny the way they always looked a
our feet the very first thing. Inc!
love silk stockings, which one nevel
sees in France now, and white kl'
sinners, we always wore them whe'
we realized that they liked them, pu
the day after this performance tn
sinners had to be scraped, ever
though the boys had almost carrie'
ms to the motor car to protect us iron
the mud
| We went back to General Cole
gave another performance ana then
of course, dance.
Il lTn he Continued. J