The Washington herald., 1919-05-18
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

rabbits from shells that came burst.
Ing behind them. / remember hear
ing such gusts Of laughter go up
from little party of men working
behind n ledge near the ruined vii
lase of Nermelles, and was startled
by their shouts Of mirth when two
five-point- mines nearly caught them
as they ran toward an old French
chateau which was in brigade head
quarters.
I had been invited to that head
quarters to tea-and wished / had not
been when l walked across the grass
where sheep were browsing under q
fieecy sky just as the enemy was
searching for the chateau with sew
eral batteries of heavy guns. As 1 ar
rived. three of our own gunners were
killed in the back yard. and when l
entered the chateau I found the head
quarters staff assembled in the hall.
while the brigadier and a visiting
general were seeking cover an the cell
lar. All of these young officers, about
eight of them, knew that they were
the target of the German guns, and
that 1t was just a question of luck,
and the skill of German gunners (who
were very skillfuD. whether they
would be blown to rags of flesh and
bone in the next few minutes. They
did not like the idea, but they hid
their fear by a running fire Of jokes.
The generals A. D. c.. a boy Of
twenty. told some very funny stories
about a little actress girl. and every
body laughed exceedingly. almost ex-
cessively. with just a moment or two
of cold silence when there was a great
crash close to the back door of the
hall, followed by the collapse OF some
outhouses in the court yard. The
"strafe" lasted half an hour, and the
strain of 1t became long to bear. but
the boy was not fried up In his flow
of funny stories. although now and
again there was a queer catch OF
breath in his laughter.
Jokes Always Afoot.
In the trenches. there was always
some joke afoot. and the men in
vented many games and pranks to
keep merry and bright. though the
heavens should fall. One OF their
| little ways of gambling was 20 bet
on who should be hit first. and in u
certain section of trenches. near La
Bassee, a funny thing happ1ned to
young private who had just come
out with a new draft. Tho enemy
began to lombard that pat of the
trench line heavily. and every now
and then a~sergeant came to the
dTEyut where the new private cat
with a group of comrades.
lis Private Smith all rightr'
shouted the sergeant.
And the answer came up from
the dugout:
Yes, Sergt. 'E's all right"
When this had happened three
times. Private Smith became rather
emotiOEa'.
That there sergeant is a very
kind man. he said In a mc6itative
way. "'E seems to love me like a
father"
A roar of laughter greeted those
words.
You poor blithering fool" said
the comrades of the young private.
The sergeant has drawn you in a
lottery. Ed ave won seventeen
and sixpence il you'd been it"
Battle Fought to Order.
One of the most remarkable battles
on the front was fought by bat
talon of Worcesters for the benefit of
two English members OF Parliament.
1t was not a very big battle. but
most dramatic while ii lasted. The
Colonel (who had sense of humor)
arranged it after a telephone mes
sage to his dugout. telling him that
two politicians were about to visit his
battalion in the line. and asking him
to show them something interesting.
''Interesting?" said the colonel. do
| they think this blasted war Is a
peep-show for politicians? Do they
want me to arrange a massacre Ia
make a London holiday" Then his
voice changed. and he laughed
"Show them something interesting
Oh. all right. daresay I can dc
I that"
| He did. When the two NJ. P.'s ar
rived. apparently at the front-line
/ trenches, they were informed by the
! Colonel that. much to his regret. for
their sake. the enemy was just at
lacking. and that his men were de-
| Tending their position desperately.
I'VE hope for the best" he said,
'and I think there is just a chance
that you will escape with your lives
If you stay here quite quietly"
Great God" said one of the NJ.
P.'s. and the other was silent. but
pale.
of Aeflnn