The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-04-11

| to what they have done for the Christ
mas feed which Is to be neId tomor-
row mt eight bells. Yank. let's hear
yours
l reported one dozen eggs, two bot
ties Of white wine, one bottle Of red
wine. eight packets Of Gold Flake
''fags" (cigarettes), and one quart
bottle of champagne which had cost
me Ave francs ut a French estaninet.
This report was received with a
cheer "Ikey" Honey was next In
order. he proudly stated that nc had
saved his rum issue for the last
eleven days, and consequently was
able to donate to the feast his water
bottle three-fourths full Of rum. This
would help out in making brandy sauce
for the plum pudding. Sailor Bill In
formed that he had a fruit cake, a
bottle OF picked walnuts, and two
tins OF deviled ham which had been
sent out to him from London. Each
man had something to report. / care
fully made a list of the articles OPP
posite the name of the person donat-
ing them, and turned the list over to
Bill, who was to act as cook on the
following day.
Just then Lance Corporal Hall came
into the dugout, and warming his
hands over the fire bucket, said:
IF you blokcs want to hear some
thing that will take you home to
Blishty, come up into the fire trench
a minute"
None OF us moved. That fire buck
ct was too comfortable. After much
coaxing Sailor Bill, key Honey and
myself followed Hall out Of the dug
out and up into the fire trench. A
dead silence reIgned, and we started
to return. Hall Blocked our way, and
whispered:
"Just minute, boys, and listen"
Pretty soon. from the darkness out
In front, we heard the strains Of a
German cornet playing TITS a Long,
Long Trail We're Winding" We
out. After about four or five-min-
ute whit the strains of 1.-THE Suwnnee
River" were waited across No Mans
Land toward us. l felt lonely and
homesick.
Out of the darkness from the flre
bay on our left Welsh voice started
singing cts Long, Long Trail" 1t
was beautiful. The German cornet
player must have heard 1t, because he
picked up the tune and accompanied
| the singer on his cornet. l had never
heard anything so beautiful in my life
before. The music from the German
trench suddenly ceased and In the all
overhead came the sharp crack
crack Of machine gun bullets, as
some Boche gunner butted In on the
concert. We ducked and returned tc
our dugout.
The men were all tired out, and
soon rusping snores could be -heard
from under the cover of blankets an9
overcoats.
The next day was Christmas, apd
we eagerly awaited the mall which
was to be brought up by the ration
| party at noon.
Not a saot or shell had been fired
| all morning. Inc sun udu COiue Ou'
and. although the trenches were slip
perry with mud, stlll 1t was warm, and
we felt the Christmas spirit running
through our veins. We all turned ir
and cleaned up the dugout. Making
reflectors out of ammunition tins
sticking them into the walls Of the
dugout, we placed a lighted candle
on each, the rays from which turned
night into day.
Bill was hustling about preparing
the Christmas spread. He placed q
waterproof sheet on the floor, and add
ing three blankets he spread another
waterproof sheet over the top for G
table cloth, and arranged the mems
packs around the edges for chairs.
Presently the welcome voice of oul
sergeant came from the entrance Of
the dugout:
"Come on. me lads, lend a hand
with the mall"
There was q mad rush for the en-
trance. In a couple of minutes or SC
the boys returned. staggering under c
load of parcels. AS each name was
read Off. parcel would be thrown
over to the expectant Tommy. NJ,
heart was beating with eagerness a.