The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-03

d'ecole presented it to the children of Birmingham from the children of Chateau-Thierry.
 The manner in which these little French children sang indicated that the song was well known to them and not prepared especially for the occasion.
 After lunch which was served on the lawn of the old chateau. we wan dered through the ruined village. The
 school boys eagerly gathered and
 sold to us German helmets. bayonets,
 shells and other forms of souvenirs.
 Grave of Birmingham Boy The cemetery containing the graves of our boys Is located some distance upon the hill from the village. On entering we were met by a soldier
 at the gate who promptly conducted
 us to the particular grave we sought.
 lt was worth coming to France to
 nave the honor of standing befors
 .he grave of even one fine Birninr-
 ham boy and placing a few flowars upon It as tribute Of love and re- spect- But to perform this little ser | wee Tor one whom you personaIiv deed. 'p'i'ilese ln-
 mere was in Birmingham at tbe
 tlme war broke out a tall slender
 youth Of German parentage. nrod- uct of the Birmingham public schools.
 a truly loyal American. as were his
 parents also. When our country en-
 tered the war he was among the first
 10 so. He came by to tell me coud- oE' "lshed him Gods blessing and commended his fine spirit. In the spring of 1918 his name ap peared among the list of those se yerely wounded at Beleau Woods.
 For months his parents and friends
 could get not a word of information
 more. Some three months passed. | when uncertainty was ended by an official confirmation of his death on
 the field of battle on the day on which the report came of his being A8erely l wounded.
 On July I stood with uncovered
 head before grave at the head of which was q simple cross bearing the
 name, Emile Henckell. An American
 officer stood by my side and eX- plained that the mark at the top of
 the cross indicated that the body
 would be disinterred and shipped to America within the next week When
 told him something of Emile and his family he begged that I assure
 his father and mother that he would take a personal interest and care in looking after the removal and ship
 ment of the body And so we left our flowers on his grave and our hearts swelled with pride for his and
 our city and nation, which could pro- duce such heroes.
 Tipping Is Universal Every American who contemplates visiting Europe Is warned of the uni versal custom on the part of those Of Rynnpfinp a tip. This extends all the way from
 the hotel proprietor up or down to the bell boy The taxicab driver, after you have paid him his fee, ex- poets an additional amount for him self.
 At Belleau Woods cemetery there was a man at the gate who aSsisted us and as we came out rendered him two francs. "No thank you" said ne. T am an American" An fnsignitl- cant incident you may say, but in my own experience during two and hall months travel in Europe none sim
 liar has come to me. All of which hut makes one feel the produder Of Americanu and glory in its spirit and ambitions
 The simple French folk that live Tn and around Belleau Wood have an appreciation and respect for Amerf- cans that seem akin to love, The same officer referred to above as having charge of the removal or the hodies to America told story that itself speaks volumes. Said he; Tn some cases when we went to remove
 the bodies we found that certain fam flies in the village had adopted par ticular grave as their own, and had
 made it the object of their care and
 attention. In many instances they expressed regret that the body was to be removed and in others begged us not to do so"