The Washington herald., 1919-05-18
Jokes and Laughter
In Internal Regions


us. and We came to Pigeon Wood.
where I met Dear old Charlie" and
his brother ofiicers, who were
laughing uproariously in a German
dugout about nifty yards from the
enemy's outposts. This IL q great
day" said Charlie Lowndes. THE
good kind Germans have left be-
hind them about ten thousand bot
ties OF sparkling soda water, and.
better still. several bottles OF most
excellent brandy. We will have q
love feast before blowing them off
the map over there at Kite Copse."
We drank German brandy and
German soda water out Of German
mugs, and dear old Charlie" pro-
posed toast TO the beauties OF
England. the damnation of the
kaiser, and the health Of his nine
pcint-two's. He was q man of in
finite wit. stimulated by brandy and
water which we drank not wisely
but too well. standing on the edge
Of Pigeon Wood and wiping Kite
Copsc off the map. Every time a
90 trench mortar sent a monstrous
shell crashing into the little wood
over the way, all the gunner Of
ficers shouted with laughter. We're
about two miles ahead OF the in
fantry." said Charlie Lowndes.
We're lighting q battle in our own
way. The situation is full of hu-
mor!"
Hated to Leave.
hated to leave that merry group
OF lads, and when 1 walked back on
the way to Gommecourt Park, hated
to see. as ! kept looking back. that
a hoA
Pigeon Wood and were "strafng'' 1t
numerically. / never met " dear old
Charlie" again. nor any of his brother
officers. but / shall always remember
their laughter on that day.
They were incorrigible testers. those
boys of ours who died in such great
numbers. Even when they lay wound
ed and in agony, some Of them had
courage to joke. What fun the kids
will have with my wooden peg" said
a fellow who lay in the butcher
shop" at Corbie after an operation
which had taken his right leg OF to
the hip-bone. When was sick of
trench fever for a time in a military
hospital at Amiens. the ward was full
of young officers who had passed
through the blood bath of the
Somme." Some of them hated to sleep
because of their dreams. and implored
the little New Zealand night nurse
to wake them up when they dozed of.
We were bombed three times in one
week and 1t was not pleasant to mes
shaken in nerves by all they had been
through. But that did not prevent
them from falling in love. in a playful
way. with the little night nurse. so
that one boy. who looked a mere child
in his pajamas, spent his time writing
poems to her. which he read out to
the mirthful Joy Of the ward. They
played all kinds of pranks. which
reached their limit when one of the
officers borrowed the costume Of the
chief matron, and came on a visit OF
inspection to each bed. mimicking her
starchy ways to perfection. so that
we laughed exceedingly. The boy
poet was killed a few months later,
poor child. and what happened to the
others l do not know. but guess,
knowing the law of averages In
modern warfare.
There were professional laughter
makers at the front. and they were
worth an army corps to the spirit
OF tnc army. They were the the
atrical companies attached to each
division. entirely composed of SOL
diers who had dramatic talent and
who in time of battle acted as
stretcher bearers or transport driv-
ers. or in time of dire need as rifle
men. but otherwise were kept out
OF the line. They set UP their
stages in the ruins behind the
: trenches. and advertised their per-
formarces by sign boards bearing
the names of The Folli"s.' or The
Freaks" or The Very Lights or
, The Brass Hats" or whatever they
might be. They were amazingly
talented. and there was always some
well-shaped young fellow among
them WHO could make up perfectly
as a saucy girl with all tn. tricks
and oglinGs OF the music kau siren.
and with neat ankles for a skirt
dance. The leading funny man was
always a droll fellow who could get
mountain of mirth out OF ermy
life in war time. with . casua, re
ference to the sergeants who
'pinched" the rum rations. and to
the heraldic arms of "twu sergeant
majors rampant on a field OF as
you-were." 1t was interesting to
watch the effect of these entertain
ments on the lighting men just back
from spell in the trenches, or from
battle in which casualties had not
been light.
Sometimes for a quarter of an hour
or so the men sat in a dazed way
without any response to the Jokes.
Then presently there was guffaw
from the back. and the brooding look
left mems eyes and they frightened
up. until presently there were roars of
laughter. 1t was the best cure for
men suffering from the horrors of war.
Generally these entertainments were
given In tents. but now and again the
strolling players found a theater not
too damaged. There was one in Arras,
and in spite of the ruins Of that old
city. which was under shell fire for
nearly four years. the Theater Royal
had only two holes through its roof.
During the battles OF Arras in April
and May Of 1917. when high veIocities
were still coming into the city and
smashing into the houses, there were
many variety shows given in this
theater, and 1t seemed to us a won
derful thing to sit on plush-coyered
chairs. rather tattered. but very grand,
and to walk up stairs to real boxes.
To give additional grandeur to one
gala night of The Jockk," the pres
ence of ladies was earnestly desired.
1t was not easy to fild the fair sex
so close to the battle lines, but In
Arras there were many women who
had lived in the deep vaulted cellars
behind the city all through the war.
Some Of them were invited, and hav-
ing donned their best black gowns, sat
like dowager duchesses in the royal
box to the huge delight Of the SOL
diers. Some Of the Jokes were not