The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-14

are dressing they keep saying
Hurry up men, you haven't got all
day, there's others going thru the
mill today, try everything on and see
II 1t fits" Here, however, we found
Saumur men, the gang that re-
lieved us, and We told them where
! to head in at. We had had about
enough of this rough coaxing They
said, "Oh, here's men from Saumur,
guess we can't do much with them"
They envy us, and we are sorry for
them. But then, who knows il even
we are going home right away? No
, body. II
There remained the barber shop
see if you need to be sheared. Most
of us slipped out side door and
escaped, but one got into the barber
shop and they kept him till way after
supper. There were about 200 in
line, he said. The boys are still
joshing him about that hair cut. He
came in cussing the army, the gov
eminent and all louies, in way that
would have got him to Leavenworth.
So we came out looking like rock
les, with long pants, English fashion,
and everything new and crinkled and
rather i'll fitting. We will wear the
things into shape until we reach New
York and there, if they don't put us
thru another mill, we can have them
tailored up a bit and come home
right. The long trousers are the
hardest to take. Very difficult to
roll leggings around them and not
look Dutch after the process. have
a pair of riding breaches that I hope
to get away with. guess the gov
eminent wants us to have at least
one pair of trousers to start civil
life with.
One thing about this camp, we are
getting fine grub. l had several ex-
cellent meals in town this week too.
Had some French ice cream one
evening, with bananas in it. We
paid Coo taste, and it tasted like
favored snow. Everything else
was lovely. The meal cost us fifty
one or two francs, that is, about $40
for four. That is considered not
high over here, for really nice meal.
You see how the fracs fly.
/ am getting dangerously used to
loafing around. Today passed off
as easily as tho had been busy.
Indeed had, all morning, for spent
most of it sewing buttons on my new
blouse, taken off my old one, and
sewing on chevrons and divisional
insignia, the sunshine This after
noon passed in reading, talking, and
Just sitting around. This evening
played checkers for an hour or 30.
We have bit Of dog, about the
size of fat rat, and he consumes the
interest of all corners. It tickles the
boys to see him trying his trembly
strength, gnawing their fingers,
prancing around on the floor. and
trying to bite boots. Everybody is
always on the alert to warn visitors
not to step on him. If he whines
they bring him condensed milk,
which is warmed and diluted with
water. They take turns holding him,
while the rest of the party look on
and giggle at his tiny pranks, and
nobody is allowed to get rough or
tease him. The boys will sit by the
hour with all attention to the dog.
One night the pup kept us all awake.
He had box by the stove and was
all covered up and snug. But he
was either hungry or lonely, and
would whine and cry, unmindful of
sleepy cuss words of criticism. Now
he sleeps in the I. T. o. office where
there are men on duty all night. But
he spends his days as headliner at
barracks No. 1T. The fellow who |
brought him from town claims that |
the I. T. o. captain offered fifty
francs for the pup, but that he him
self Is going to take him home to |
America. Whether the sergeant can
get away with it or not has been q
moot question in the barracks. AS
some one remarked today, if he |
were going to take him right away,
it would be easy to slip him in a
pocket and pass the inspectors by.
We've been here four weeks.
America looks far away, as usual.
One month without mail. We'll, it's
about bed time, and it's me to the
bunk.
Most sinnnro1v