The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-10
NEARING GODS COUNTRY
IA Doughboy Dialogus.)
Scene-One of the troop decks on
the Transport Loviathan. with the
Twenty Seventh division:
BY DAMON RUNYoN.

Scene-One of the troop decks on
the Transport Loviathan. with the
iTwentySevcnth division:
First .oldier--You know why we're
gettin' such good weather ncwf It's
because we're over half way acrossst.
We're on the American side OF this
ocean now. Ev'things better on thia
side than 1t is on the other-svsn the
49, x..fz. Xs.<I e.v>e ~
see but one kind of~weather on the
other side and at was rotten weather.
/ see more sunshine today than see
In the last nine months. ustuh sit
sore at the sun around New York.
but I'm new gonna say another word
about II. I'm new gonna open my
trap about it even IL It shines at night.
Cant have too much sun the rest OF
my life.
First soldier-well, we're on the
American side now, and thass why the
ocean Is so smooth.
Third soldier --- (plaintively) -
don't think she's SO durn smooth. l
don't like this ocean. Sometimes
can't hardly eat nothin' on this ocean
and when l can't eat they's somethin'
the tnALtEE Win Iho. uott S"A Y
hardly nothin' about oceanA
wouldn't give two franos for any
ocean.
Fourth soldier $1,000 (plAintivelyt-
,Thas me, too. 1t joggles me ali up in
side. Look where I am. anyway
down there on II deck. II the bot
tom falls out o. this boat, TIL be the
first to drown. couldn't be no
cioster the water unless was swim
min.
Third soidier--I druther hike any
day than ride In this vestuL It's al
ways tippin' up n down. The part
I'm in is any way. wisht was q
gen'rul n could ride where she don't
tip.
| Fourth soidier-Yes.n' what with
some guys down there on II deck not
,havin' no new socks lately. tell you
Il amt havin' SO much fun. I wtsht
this ocean would stop sQutdgtn'
around for q while.
Fifth soldier derisiveiy) ---Lissen
to them sod busters, will yuh7 They
think this Is rough. Why shes 5as'
like a bowl o. SOUP l wouldn't mind
rtdin' In this big gun bus OF boat
for a month II 1t was that I'm anxious
to get home, l got business at home,
have. I want to git to tsndin' to
it JUS ouick's can, but first of
course, I'm gonnah have me good
rest. N the tooter the sweeter, like
the frog says.
First soldier-(pro pity -Thass
exactly my idear too. I'm gonnah
have a rest. I wonder how long itll
be before we're mustered out7
Sixth soldier confidentiaily) ~
got 1t pretty straight from a guy thass
pretty close TO people around head
quarters that's liable to take quite a
while Mehbe a month. Meobe
longer And then again mebbe II
wont take so long.
Third soldier (gfoomiiyl-We had
corn beef'n kebbage yesterday and
amt able to eat hardly any OF II.
When I aint able 10 eat corn beef n
kebbage they's somethin' wrong with
me. It's sure sign l amt Jake. /
hope I new see any oceans any more.
but il do / hope I am a Sen'rul SO
Il can have Somethin' TO say about
where ! ride on the boat.
Fourth soldier--Me too When !
cit back to Malone. I'm new goin'
near no more oceans. ia almost
druther be IN France than on this
ocean wont new go TO no more
wars unless they have 'em upon the
| Erie canal or some place where they
aint no oceans to cross
j First soldier druther be any
except In France unless OF course it's
In Belgium.
seventh positively Say
4 wouldn't trade ell oil. Nevburg for
all O. France and Belgium, Especially
not for belgium, No air! When 4
git back to Newburgh I'm sonnah
stand OH the corner O Broadway ano
! Grand, apd---
| Fourth soldier--t Eagerly New
iburgh7 Say YOU ever bin to Malone
il wouldn't swop Malone for two
Frances, and seven Belgiums. Well. /
should say not All l soc to them
countries is raiu'n' kilometeers-
! First soldier tcasualiy)--1 live ~
Brooklyn myself. Thass a place 70
/ live When yuh talk about trsdin
places, ! wouldn't trade no part o
brooklyn for all o. Yurp. I Amt got
nothin' again Yurp, but they kin have
/ it, I'll take Brooklyn in mine 4
wouldn't trade Prospect Park for the
whole works over there
] Second soidier---'Well, guess
/ BrookIyn's all right at that don't
know, cause don't go there IL can
hep It. live in Hudson street, ano
| git off O this boat. M after L SIT
there It's sonnah take more'n any
Yurp to git me away from theirs agin'
! if anybody asts yuh.'
! First soldier--"I wonder whore they
are Ronnah take us after we git home
| wonder IL we're gonnah go to Up
ton? / hope we don't 60 to at joint
| anyway got no use for Upton
though new seen It. Some way ! got
| a prejuduss agin II"
| Sixth soldier lowering his voice)--
LEI got il from a guy who knows pretty