The Colorado statesman., 1919-02-22

superstructsre of the steamship, the
rigging, the deck engines and the
wincheS the anchor hoistS and the
ventilating tunnels. The lifeboats
were hidden from view because of the
crowd of khaki-clad Negro soldiers
that filled and surrounded them.
There seemed to be not IL single unoc-
cupied space on the steamship from
the forepeak to the taffrail, and even
the portlights below decks each held
dusky head showing row of gledm-
ing white teeth and IL pair of rolling,
laughing eyes.
There were so many of the men
wearing the CroiX de Guerre that it
seemed as if half the troops on board
were decorated with the French mark
of gallant condCct in the war. As II
matter of fact more than IL hundred
of the men of both infantry contin-
gents have received The French dec
Grafton for What they did in the fight
for democracy.
Greet Major Spencer in French.
When the France came to Il point
off Pier 81 the members of the Third
/ battalion of the 369th suddenly sight
ed Major Lorillard Spencer on the end
| of the pier The major is still walk
ing on crutches, having returned home
some time ago, after having recovered
from wounds received in action. When
/ the New York Negroes saw the ma jOr
IL surprise was sprung on those who
watched them from the pier. Almost
to IL man the Negroes on board the
| France speak some form of French. In
French they asked Major Spencer
! how he was getting along, and Major
| Spencer seemed every bit as delighted
| to see the men he had led into battle
/ as commanding officer of the Third
battalion as the Negro soldiers seemed
| delighted to see him.
They won't understand that in
1 Harlem.' shouted back Major Spen-
Ger, us he was hailed in FranGh by
some of the Negro privates of the
369th.
Just then the Corrections came close
to the steamship and one of the 369th
boys, sighting Il friend on the eXcur-
sion boat, shouted:
Comment VA In sante?"
"Say, yo' William Wilson Castle,
/ wot ell yo' talking about?"
"S'va bien?" came back fgrom Will
liam Wilson Castle, on the France.
"Yo' ALI never get by Wi dat stuff
in dis here villagel'' was the indig-
nant rejoinder from the friend on the
Corrections.
| A big laugh reSounded between the
France and the boat with the welcOm-
ing committee on board when some
body asked the boys at the Frances
rail whether they were anxious for
some real New York pork chops.
"Ah, mon Dieu! Les cotellettes de
pore, oui ~ shouted back one of the
369th fighters.
"Coatlets nothin' ~ hurled back the
committeeman from the Corrections.
"Chops-c-h-o-p-s, yo' frog-eater"
Astonish Friends With French.
The fact remained that the Negro
troopers had picked up French with
wonderful ease, talked it among them
selves on board the FRANCE and hurled
it in liberal doses at astonished
friends on board the Corrections.
Major Spencer, who, with Colonel
Hayward, organized the Fifteenth in
fantry and who commanded the Third
battalion in action, kept up running
conversation in French with his old
| fighters while the France was easing
into her slip, and was himself sur
/ prised at the fluency with which his
| former subordinates spoke the Ian
guage.
There was a huge crowd of Negroes
from Harlem and Fleet street, Brook
lyn, along West street, opposite the
French line pier, waiting for sight
of their soldier relatives and friends.
They were disappointed when told
that the men would be transferred to
/ ferry boats and taken to Long Island
| CITY When this news reached the
crowd it dispersed quickly and every
crosstown car bound for the East riv-
er was soon packed to its fullest ca
pacity with the friends of the home