The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-01-23
GEN. PERSHING'S LIFE
PLAIN AND SIMPLE
Nothing About His Chateau in France
to Mark it as Residence of Com
mander-in-Chief.

Chaumont Haute, Marne, France.
Jan. S.-When he is here at Genera
Headquarters General Pershing leads
a very busy but very simple lie
There is little ceremony of an osten'
tatious kind either at his chateau OF
or around his offices. There is moth
ing to distinguish his office rooms
%in "a" building of the headquarter:
group from those of any other Off
Ger. One orderly sits at his door
there is no sentry and the visitor
walks unannounced into the adjourn
ing reception room to be received o3
one of his staff.
General Pershing's trips to anc
from his chateau in the country are
made in his motor car, distinguished
only by its red four starred insiSnls
on the windshield and where woule
be the number plate, which slips un
noticed along the road through the
city. Ordinarily he is accompanied
only by his personal aide, his star
following at a distance great enough
not to mark the big cars as one
squadron.
In fine weather he sometimes
walked the two or three miles from
the outskirts of Chaumont to MS
country home, and that. with qule'
horseback rides through the beauti
full country hereabouts, give him III:
needed exercise.
Much of his time since last Sprlne
when the American forces began rea
participation in strength in the fight
ing, has been spent at Advanced AT
my Headquarters. These have beer
at various places, sometimes at dis
tance to entail long, hard automobile
rides from them to Chaumont Wher
circumstances demanded his presence
here. Often after hard day at Ad
yanced Headquarters the Genera
has made the three or four houl
drive late at night, only to depar'
early the next day His powerful
closed car with double rear wheels
usually travels at high speed and II
its comfortable cushions he obtains
the rest denied him in bed.
Life at General Pershing's cha
teau is plain to the point of simpli
city. Except for the beautiful ole
castle and it's picturesque setting II
the Valley of the Marne, it might oe
the home life of any fairly we'll to dc
American business man. Only uni
forms of his military household SCI
it apart. His personal staff lives VIII
him and his servants are negro SOL
diers detailed. And they are gooc
cooks as his few guests can testif!
placing on his table simple, vel
cooked American dishes, usually
three or at most four courses, includ
ing coffee and cheese and served
American style.
No sentries are in evidence, nothing
to mark the Chateau as the residence
of the Commander in Chief. The Wis
itor's car drives through plain un'
guarded gateway in a closely sci
grove, along a curving roadway for
few hundred yards, and then only Is
had the first glimpse of the old cas-
tie, living in its parks and lawns Dor
dered on one side by long, sweep
ing curve of the River Marne and Its
canal. lined on either bank with tai
populars set equistant and lending
an added touch Of formality to the
always formal French landscape.
often General Pershing himself
rises from a seat on the terrace tc
greet a guest and, if not, one of hi:
staff. The meal is very informal, con
yersation being general and the Com
mander-in-Chief apparently does moi
like to inger at table. Afterwarc
coffee and cigars in the big lounge
room or a stroll under the trees unit
the General indicates that his leisure
is ended.
General Pershing has kept himsei
in splendid physical condition during
these trying months. He is as leal
and clear eyed as he was when M
came from the Mexican campaign
as straight and soldierly in bearin,
No he was in the days Of his Philip
pine campaigns when he first won no