The North Mississippi herald., February 21, 1919, Image 2

About The North Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929

Image provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History

                
SOLDIERS’ LETTERS
W ritten to The Herald, The Public, Home Folk and
Others by Yalobusha Boys With the Colors
PVT. WESLEY BRISTER WRITES
FROM CAMP COETQUIDAN
Camp Coetquidan, France
Jan. 26, 1919.
Mrs. C. M. Brister,
Water Valley, Miss.
Dear Mother and family:—
With the greatest of pleasure I
will endeavor to answer your most
kind and welcome letter which I have
just received. I was more than glad
to hear from you all and to hear that
you all were well. This leaves me
well and hope it will find you all the
same.
Well, I guess you all have moved to
the country by this time and father is
planning for me. Tell him not to
plan for me for I don’t know when I
will come home. I don’t have any
idea when I will get there, it may be
in a short while and it may be a long
time. It is not for me to say when
I will get home. I know our turn will
come some sweet day. Some of the
boys have been going home every
wcclc or so.
Tell Mr. Ashford that Frank Wal
son is not with me and I haven’t seen
him since we were in Jackson, Miss.,
but I heard that he was a Sergenat
in the Equipment Corps. I don’t
know where he is and I don’t know
for sure that this is true.
We are getting seven dhy furloughs
now, but I haven’t had my furlough
yet. The boys who have been off say
they have a nice time. We go to a
sea coast town and they say that it
is a beautiful place. I guess I will
go down there soon.
We’l, as I don’t know anything to
write I will close hoping to hear from
you all real soon. With love to all,
I am, Your son,
PVT. WESLEY BRISTER,
Battery A, 141 F. A.,
A. E. F., France.
A. P. O. 711.
“JACKIE’* J. J. CARDWELL *
WRITES FROM CUBA
Santiago, Cuba, Feb. 9, 1919.
Mrs. Victoria Cardwell,
Pine Valley, Miss.
My dear mother:—
We arrived here Saturday morn
ing at 8:15. The trip was very good
all the way over. The third day out
we had movies on the deck and also
changed uniforms front blues to
whites and I suppose it will remain
white until after we leave for the
States. The weather is awful hot
and the sun shines so bright one can
hardly see when its coming of from
the lower decks and seamans. It is
noted for mountains and clay hills,
prickly pears, negroes and hot weath
er.
The bugler sounded swimming call
yesterday at 4:00 p. m. and I wish
you could have seen the gobs diving
from tine ships into the water. They
were sliding off like musk rats.
Some of the crew was ashore yes
terday afternoon and today also. I
haven’t gone yet, but I think I’ll go
tomorrow. Tnere isn’t anything
here to see much. Of course there
would be for any one who never saw
this place before.
Hereafter we will get 48 hours’
leave on Saturday and we can go to
a little city down the bay about 30
miles from'Santiago, and it’s a very
beautiful place. I suppose we will
be here until April for target prac
tice, war drill and maneuvering.
Then we will go back to old New
York.
I wrote to you the day before we
ft Hampton Roads, but the letter
issed the last boat that carried off
le mail about 15 minutes. I was
>rry it failed to go but hope you
ot the other one I wrote and I'll
;on hear from you. We are look
lg for mail now at any time. The
rail we Bend leaves the ship at 7:00
. m. each morning and we are sup
iosed to receive mail something like
wice a week. And mother, I want
rou to write to me just as often as
rou possibly can. This is a very dis
igreeable place to be when you can’t
;et letters from home. I’ve lost all
ny lady friends so you will have to
vrite to me often. And another
hing mother dear, I want to know
ibout your health. Write me just
iow you feel. I am afraid you are
>ot well from the way you wrote.
do hope and pray that I am mis
aken and that these few lines will
ind you well and happy for, mother
tear, my love and thoughts grow
or you each day and I do hope and
rust that some day before so very
ong I can be with you again and that
can be with you more in the future
han t have in the past. No one can
ealize how dear a mother is until
hey have been away like I’ve been.
Lme day, mother, I am coming back
o please don’t worry for you know
hat you have been prouder of your
bsent boy than you would have been
ad I stayed at home. So cheer up,
nd be ready to greet me about the
5th of April for I am coming with
ells on and maybe I be there to stay
or I think I’ll be a short times boy
len. It’s like they say about the
ountry boy who once seen Broad
ay, he’s never any more good for
ie farm, but I think it can’t make me
ny worse than I was before and you
now that’s saying a lot
Well, mother as I’ve nothing mere
> write of interest I will close. I
ave to devote the rest of the after
oon to doing some things for my
css and after I have gone ashore a
;w times I hope to have lota to tell
au in ray next letter.
With love and best wishes to all.
Your loving sailor boy,
J. J. CARDWELL.
DEATH OF FOSTER PROVINE
The news reached Coffeeville yes
rday of the death of Foster Pro
ne, a Yalobusha County boy who
as raised at Coffeeville. He was a
ember of the U. S. Navy and con
acted influenza which caused his
j:ath. His body will be brought to
jffeeville where the funeral servi
« will be held and burial made.
FROM PVT. T. W. M’CORMICK
France, Jan. 18, 1919.
Mr. and Mrs j. L. McCormick,
Water Valley, Miss.
j My own dear mamma and papa •_
| How are you all standing this cold,
^dh„Tather!v 1 su.re hoPe it; isn't
as bad over there a& it is over here,
tor it has either rained or Snowed
every day since Christmas.
d°5,ie fine, am as fat as a pig.
, * ,eft honie I wore size 31
pants but now I ckn’t wear size 32,
| so you see I am doing fine. I haven’t
taken but two doses of medicine and
I took them while I was on the boat
coming over. You should have, seen
mu-’i LWaSrBome s*ck chicken tor a
while but I soon got over it.
! , Y°u asked me what I do now. I
don t do much of anything. The
hardest thing now is guard duty. I
drill a little and take big hikes. ' We
pro from 30 to 35 kilos a day with our
packs. It takes 8 klos to make 6
miles in our measure.
I !Sre„*nl you all are over
the flu. I have not had it, hut
nave had two bed-fellows to trke it
and go to the hospital.
You were asking me if I fired my
gun while in the trenches. Yes, T
fired over 100 shots and there were
times when I could hear the shrapnel
whiz around. I got one little whif
of gas one night, but not enough to
make me put my mask on. I think
myself lucky to get through without
a scratch of any kind.
What do you all do these lonesome
Sundays? I hope you go somewhere
and don’t stay at home for it is bad
enough for me to be lonesome with
out you all staying at home all the
tiiAe. How often do you go to see
Annie Mae, and when was she to see
you last? You must go to see her
and the other kids. When have you
seen Aunt Earlie and Uncle Emanuel’s
people? Tell them all hello for me.
I have asked you once, but I am
going to ask again what Santa Claus
brought you all. I hope he was good
to.you. I wonder if he forgot me or
if I was just too far from home. I
don’t feel like I was forgotten, for I
believe I will get mine when I get
home. I did get a box from the Y.
M. C. A. I got chocolate candy, two
boxes of cigarettes, a cigar and a can
of Prince Albert.
You should have seen our Xmas
tree. There were 800 of us boys in
my company and we all got some
thing. It was a big fir tree and we
had it out of doors. It was snowing
and of course that made the tree
prettier than ever. We had the big
flares like we used in the war and
they would light up the country so
you could see a man a half mile off.
I^ruess you can imagine how it look
! Have all the boys who were in
camps gotten home yet? I sure hope
they have for I know what it is to be
away from home so long. I am in
hopes of being home soon.' The
hardest part now is having to stay
away from the ones I love and home
when our work over here is finished.
But cheer up, mamman and papa, I
will soon be back. The worse is over
and I will be there as soon as my
time comes, and believe me, I will be
glad when the day comes.
Hel’o, Johnnie and Lang, how is
everything with von all? I guess you
are# going to schcol every day and
learning fast. I sure hope that you
are and that you enjoy going, for
school days are the happiest days of
all. If I had my school days to go
over I sure would study and not be
thinking of the girls so much, like
all of us school kids do.
Lang, you ought to be with me on
the rifle range. I can hit a Bull’s
eye as small as the bottom of a tea
cup 3 times out of 5, three hundred
yards .off, but I am not called a good
shot yet. Believe me, I certainly
hope I will never have to fire one of
these guns again after I get home
as long as I live. The next time I
go hunting I want a double barrel
shot gun and I’ll go for the birds and
rabbits.
Ijlow are all the others? I am sure
Roxie was proud when Aston got
back. What is Ora and Wilton doing
this year? I guess Rosa and Roy
have moved before now. I am sure
Maifred is a sweet little trick, and
spoiled to death. Next time you see
her kiss her for Uncle Tom.
If you see anything about the 35th
Division you may know I am among
them, for I am in the 35th Division.
I am living in hopes of being home
to go to Fords We'l picnic the 4th of
July, if I don't get back before.
Well, I will close hoping to hear
from you all soon. If you don’t get
my letters regularly it is the fault
of the mail for I write two or three
times every week and I intend to as
long as I stay well. Take care of
yourselves and think of me some
times. Write soon and don’t forget
to tell everything you know. Love
and best wishes to all.
Your son and brother,
PVT. T. W. McCORMICK.
Co. F, 137 Infantry, A. E. F. France.
A. P. O. 743. _
CALHOUN COUNTY BOY
FREED FROM GERMAN PRISON
The Monitor boys learn with sin
cere pleasure that our kinsman and
friend Ernest Bounds, son of Andy
Bounds, of Pine Ridge, ^ has been
freed from a German Prison Camp
and has returned to the Amencan
lines in France. Young Bounds join
ed the Volunteer Company at Pitta
boro and trained with them _ at Jack
son and Beauregard. Arriving In
France he was plunged into active
service and was taken prisoner by the
Germans. So far as we know, he is
the only boy from Calhoun who fell
into the hands of the enemy and we
expect to hear some interesting ex
periences from him when he returns
home.—Calhoun Monitor.
PVT. WAVELY WILBORN WRITES
FROM FRANCE
Camp Etat, France
j Jan. 23, 19.9.
i Miss Mary Wilbourn,
Water Valley, Miss.
Dear Sister:—
I received your first letter a ftw
j days ago and I was glad to hear from
you all and to know that you were
| well. You said that you had wrut*R
me twice but I have onl$ gotten one.
I have written you several times,
i You asked me what kind of a time
I had Thanksgiving. All I can say is
that every day seems alike in the
army.
No, I’m not with Earl Wilbourn
now. I haven’t seen him in about
two months and have not seen Ellise
since I left New York. I would like
, to know where they are, I might get
j to see them sometime.
' I’m railroading now. I don’t
know how long I will have to work.
I’m breaking on the road for the
Etat Railroad Co. I am near Lemans.
I sent some postal cards of that place
last week, did you get them? I’m
going to send some more today. j
: I think maybe I will get to come
! home by May, I don’t know for sure.
You said that you all had heard from
Ellise. Has he gotten married yet?
I sure would like to see him trying
to talk to some of these French girls.
You said my girl hadn’t heard from
me. I have written her two or three
letters and didn’t get any answer, so
I decided I would rest awhile. I don’t
guess she cares anyway and I
shouldn’t be worried about it.
Well, I will close for this time. If
you get this letter and Earl, Albert
and Ellise are still over here send me
their addresses. Be good until I see
you all.
Your brother,
PVT. WAVELY WILBOURN.
Co. F, 118 Engineers,
A. P. O. 762, A. E. F., France.
FIRST GERMAN PRISONER
RETURNS TO TUTWILER
The following from the Jackson
Clarion-Ledger anent the visit to
Jackson recently of Mr. J. P. Lester,
Tallahatchie county hero, who was
one among the first prisoners of the
war, will be of interest to our readers:
Volunteered for service May 12,
1917, embarked for France, June 14,
1917, arrived “over there” June 26,
1917, in training to Nov. 1st, put into
the front line trenches on the even
ing of Nov. 3d, and captured by a
German raiding party eight hours af
ter, is the war record of Private J.
P. Lester, who is spending a fw days
in this city with friends.
He was one of the eleven first
prisoners taken by the Germans and
talks most interestingly of his experi
ence during the fight which led up to
his capture and of *his imprisonment
which covered several months, and
during which time he was moved from
prison camp to prison camp, finally
landing up near the Russian border,
where there was no possible chance
of escape.
Private Lester at the outbreak of
the war went to Jefferson Barracks,
Missouri, to join the regular army,
enlisting with the 16th Infantry, Co.
F. Landing in France, his company
was sent to the Tool Sector, about
twenty Iniles from Nancy, where they
were moved up to the front line
trenches.
It was just after dark on the night
of the third of November that the
Germans threw down a terrific bar
rage, with which they cut off all but
a short sector of the trench held by
the Americans and which was in the
shape of a horse-shoe. Private Les
ter and the ten other men captured
were caught in the toe of this shoe.
They saw the Germans coming across,
about three hundred in number, and
greeted them 'with continuous fire,
only about two hundred of them
reaching the trench; these came in
from the right and left, and while
they were being engaged by the
Americans, others suddenly dropped
in on them from the center. It was
in this way that Private Lester was
captured; he had emptied his gun
and was charging the men to his left
with the bayonet, when others came
over the top on him and captured
him. He was wounded in the leg and
in the side, but was able to walk.
There were only three Americans
wounded in this raid and eleven cap
tured, although the Germans esti
mated that they lost approximately
100 of the 300 men who were sent
over to capture the '‘Americans ;Jil
make them talk.” He was sent tc
the hospital at Metz and remained
there for twelve days, during which
time his wounds healed. Outs:de of
being practically starved until the
Red Cross got supplies to them, Pr;
vate Lester states that the y were not
treated with much cruelty. In West
Prussia they received the worst treat
ment.
Private Lester was with General
Pershing’s army on the Fourth of
July parade, and was in line with a
(company of eight hundred not far
from LaFayette’s tomb when ?er
; uliing uttered these words which will
go down in history, “LaFayette, the
Americans are here; Paris will be
! saved.”
MISSISSIPPI LIFE INSURANCE
DOPE
Insurance Commissioner T. M.
Henry has issued a statement show
ing the condition of life insurance
business in Mississippi the past 16
years, which is of exceedingly great
interest.
For the 16 years there was collect
ed, by the licensed insurance com
panies, from the citizens of this state,
the sum of $57,4011,601.61, and was
! paid out on account of death losses
$19,666,295.37, or about 34 per cent
of the premium receipts. This does
; not include amounts paid oi^ divi
dends, mature endowments end the
like.
During the seme period new busi
ness was written amounting to $323,
071,547, or an average og $20,191,
346 per year. During the 16 years
the lapses in policies amounted to
$209,297,937, or a fraction over 64
per cent of the business written, leav
ing only a net increase in business
5laced on the books for the period
113*773,610.
W. S. P. DOTY
(Acrostic)
With untiring zeal and effort to
Assist the brethren, it matters not
who—
Leaving off not a single one or two—
True friendship and benevolence for
you,
Each one, it matters not, many or
few,
Renewing interest is his job too.
Since he began in eighteen and
ninety-three,
Counseling the boys as they cmae
in F. L. & T.;
Over twenty-five years, or a quarter
century,
The aim of his life is to aid intensely
The boys of the three link fraternity.'
Proving his worthiness and value in
every way
In standing for the higher ideals ev
ery day,
Never failing to do his bit, answering
aye and aye
Concerning the Grand Lodge in the
month of May,
Knowing his duties, he was always
there to stay,
Never too busy to allow your per
diem or fare on railway—
Evading not a single duty, nor fail
ing to repay
You in kindness, all without any dis
may.
Doubt not his willingness to do things
right.
On every occasion day or night;
That the fraternity may show its
brilliant light—
Yielding no fraternal grounds that
are in sight.
—Dr. S. J. Smith.
BREST AND THE ARGONNE
FIGHT
There were two revelations of al
leged army efficiency in the days’
news that commanded special atten
tion. One referred to the needless
loss of American lives in action
through lack of preparation and bad
artillery work; the other dealt with
the useless sacrifice of• some more
American lives through insanitary
conditions at a port of embarkation.
In the first case an investigation is
demanded first and action later if
necessary: ;n the latter action is the
first essential with the inevitable in
vestigatian to determine guilt to
follow if the facts justify.
Before the House rules committee
Gov. Allen of Kansas made some
grave charges cf army incompetency
in the fighting in the Argonne. Ac
cording to his story the greater part
of the casualties suffered by the
Americans in this battle came from
their own guns. Our forces, he says,
were insufficiently suppliel with air
planes, telephones, signal appliances
and flares. The observers were un
able to properly communicate with
the supporting batteries and a num
ber of the shells fell short and right
in the midst of our advancing sol
diers.
Gov. Allen told the members of the
committees that the infantry did not
have proper artillery assistance in its
advance because of shortage of hors
es to haul the guns forward. Our
doughboys were compelled to fight
against German machine guns, gre
nades, trench" mortars and artillery
with their service rifles. We were
not supplied with tanks to break up
enemy gun nests or even with ma
chine guns.
There was certainly gross incom
petency somewhere if all the charges
of the Kansas executive are based on
facts.
In his recital Gov. Allen claimed
that our hospital facilities were in
adequate and that wounded men had
to lie for 48 hours before they were
picked up and given attention. There
was also an insufficient supply of
blankets and litters and suffering was
increased among the injured by this
shortage.
Seated alongside the governor as
he told his story was Brig.-Gen. I. C.
Martin, one of two commanding offi
cers "Who had been dismissed on the
day before the battle began. The
dismissal of this officer may have
been a motive for the revelations, but
it does not settle the authenticity of
the charges and it does not assess the
guilt. if guilt there be.
Insofar as the charges have been
made by responsible authority, it is
I the dear duty of Congress to go to
! the - bottom of them. Every fact
bearing on the situation should be de
! velopea. There should be no respect
, for feelings and the whitewash bucket
should be thrown away. If the facta
develop such glaring incompetency
and lack of preparation as has been
alleged the guilt should be placed
where it properly belongs, no matter
if it be at tne very top of the com
mand in the field or the war office
at home. It is due the American
people to know the real situation, and
to have the satisfaction of seeing
punished those who were blamable
! for the use’ess loss of American lives,
if such really has been the case.
It a well known fact that in the
u?e of artillery for barrage work ac
count has to be taken of a certain
small percentage of loss among the
troops whom the guns are supporting.
This ie due to unavoidable mistakes in
I material, wind changes and the ordi
nary fallibility of human computa
tion. There should be no percent
age of losses, however, as Gov. Allen
z» ih*ges.
It will not do to allege politics on
the pert of Gov. Alien or disgruntled
peevishness of the discharged officers
es an explanation of these grave al
legations. The only way to prove
whether these persons are acting from
pure or ulterior motives is to bring
out ell the facts. The people will
either justify or damn those who
have made the sickening revelation*.
I Let tie investigation go on in frank,
9p«a manner and 1st the results bs
determined without fear or favor.
For seme time we have been hear
ing: stories of terrible conditions that
prevailed in the American embar(ca
tion camp at Brest. We have been
told that the mud here is perpetually
knee-deep; that the men have to
stand in line for hours in this mire
to be fed; that they are insufficiently
supplied with beds, and that mary of
them have to stretch their blankets
in this filth and lie down to sleep like
hogs. The stories have been circu
lated that sickness has been wide
spread as a result of these deplorable
conditions, and that the death rate
has increased in a dangerous manner.
Credibility has been given to these
vagrant rumors by the arrival of sol
diers who have repeated the tale »f
the distressing conditions there. Sen
ator Owen is back from France and
he substantiates the charges. Secre
tary Baker says that the lack of train
accommodations in France and the
uncertainty of ship accommodations
has ccmpe'led an overcrowding at
Brest in order that there might be
soldiers there when the ships arrive i.
The French are using their trains for
the demobilization of French and Brit
ish soldiers and the Americans ha/e
to use these cars when they can get
them.
The remarks of the war secretary
may be taken as an explanation of
the situation; they cannot be con
sidered as a justification. Conditions
at Brest should'be remedied at once
or our soldiers should be withdrawn
to some place where more sanitary
surroundings prevail and where they
can have at least some crude com
forts. The lives of our boys should
not be made subject to the vagaries
of French railroad service or ocean
transport
We should get these boys who are
awaiting return home back hire ns
quickly ap possible. Chairman Hur
ley of the shipping board is asking
for more space in order to take care
of the congestion of shipping at
American ports. He says that Amer
ican products are going to waste be
cause we have no ships to take these
articles to their destination. It
would seem, from the stories of con
ditions at Brest, that American lives,
too, are going to waste from "the
same cause.
Our soldiers are vastly more im
Kortant than our shipping. Get the
oys home first, then we can look
after the trade.—Commercial Ap
peal.
RED CROSS ORGANIZE
FOR DISASTER RELIEF
A permanent Disaster Relief Sup
ply Unit is the latest organization of
peace times of the American Red
Cross for Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama.
The Gulf Division, American Red
Cross, headquarters in Washington
Artillery Hall, New Orleins, an
nounced the formation of the unit as
an adjunct of the Department of
Civilian Relief.
The Relief Unit is a result of the
Lake Charles storm, in which the Red
Cross took a great part of "relief
work, and the recent influenza epi
demic when the Red Cross through
many chapters established hospitals,
nursing bureaus and other work.
The Relief Unit, equipped tcj move
on two hours’ notice, is being assem
bled at the old U. S. Mint in New
250 tents, 1,000 cots, with blankets,
sheets and pillows, etc.; 2,000 refugee
clothing outfits for men, women and
children, and complete paraphenalia
for a fifty-bed hospital.
Floods, explosions, storms, ship
| wrecks, fires and any other civilian
! disaster in the three states can be
handled, it is stated, with the Relief
Unit equipment.
Says It Is The Best la The World
Are you looking for a safe, reliable
remedy for coughs, colds, croup and
whooping cough? A. H. McDaniel,
Box 61, Lindside, W. Va., writes: "I
am glad to tell you that Foley's Hon
ey and Tar is the best medicine in
this world. I had a severe cough.
Someone recommended it and before
I used half a bottle 1 was better.”
. Knox Drug Co.
MISSISSIPPI TO KILL
LAST CATTLE TICK
Mississippi is ready to kill the last
cattle fever tick in the State accord
ing to report to the national tick
eradication conference at New Or
leans by Dr. J. A. Barger, inspector
in charge, assigned to Mississippi by
the Bureau of Animal Industry, Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture.
His report said:'
“The absence of reports of out
break of Texas fever during the past
year is significant of the fact that the
t:cks are not only being controlled but
that the ticky cattle are being dipped
and the ticks eradicated, and that con
ditions are now safe for increasing
the number and improving the quali
ty of the cattle in every section of
every county in the state.
“The records of tick eradication in
Mississippi show that of the 30,000
herds of cattle in this state, only 872
herds are under local quarantine.
These local quarantine areas are con
fined principally to a few of the
southern counties, several of which
border on the quarantined territory
of other states. There are now 40 of
the 82 counties that are absolutely
free from infection and 20 of the re
maining counties have no more than
5 quarantined herds each. The grow
ing favorable public sentiment and
the means now being employe^ to
control and eradicate the remaining
infestation should result in the entire
elimination of these pests in the near
future.
ouiiaoie arrangements nave neon
made for the dipping of all cattle that
are under local quarantine, or on in
fested range, at intervals of two
weeks, beginning the early part of
March.
“The records show that Mississippi
creameries produced 3,600,000 lbs.
of butter during the year 1913, as
against 1,600,000 pounds for the year
ending 1016, while the sales of cat
tle for beef purposes made even a
f reater per cent of increase. These
acts are on great contrast with the
; conditions of six years ago, when
there was not a creamery in the state
and many counties were without a
pure-bred bull and virtually all of the
cattle being infested with ticks and
of poor quality were shipped to the
quarantine pens for immediate
slaughter.
“The probability of Mississippi be
coming one of the leading catt’e states
can no longer be regarded as specula
tive, even by the most pessimistic
mind.
“Evidence of the interest in cattle
raising is apparent on every hand.
There is nbw, and has been for some
time, a continuous influx of desirable
breeding cattle and the time is not rar
distant when a typical Mississippi cow
will be as scarce as a long horn Texas j
steer. Large number of pure bred
and grade cattle of both the beof and
dairy type are located in every coun
ty and pure-bred bulls are being
eagerly sought both upon the farm of
local producers and at the cattle
sales.”
GEN’L. PERSHING KISSED HER
PARIS—Gen. Pershing has kissed
“une Francai>e”—French scholars
notice the gender. This was no offi
cial embrace of a bearded general.
It was a round smack on the two
cheeks of a dear old French lady.
Gen. Pershing is known to have
acquired such remarkable facility in
the French language that he makes a
rattling good speech in French. It
remained for “La Carent de la Se
maine,” a French weekly paper, to re
veal that the general in chief of the
Yank forces has not lagged behind
his subordinates in acquiring French
manners. In a recent issne “La
Carnet” says:
“Gen. Pershirij? is a great American.
Learned, restrained, always calm, he
symbolizes that American simplicity
which looks on and learns.
“The-general’s manners likewise are
characterized by the most spontane
ous frankness and his actions remain
graven in the memory of those who
have seen him.
“At D-r-Gcn. Pershing arrived re
cently with his staff. The armistice
| had been signed the evening befoi e
—delirious enthusiasm, ovations. In
this little northern village a little
crowd quickly surrounded the glori
ous American liberators and their
chief. Such a riot ensued that an
old mistress of ceremonies raised her
self amid the rout and demanded
silence so that, in the name of all,
she might thank the general. Silenct
was restored and an old woman, a
very old and trembling little woman,
approached him in all her dignity and
murmured words of gratitude. As
she went on she became confused
with the unaccustomed honor. Har
words became mixed. Finally, know
j ing nothing else to do, she suddenly
seized both hands of Gen. Pershing
and shook them heartily.
“And the general mutually squeez
ed the two hands of the old lady.
; Then, suddenly, without a word, he
removed his hat—and kissed her on
, each cheek.”
“One other day,” the paper con
tinues, “the president and Madame
Poincare, with the general, chanced
j to meet at an official luncheon in St
i Mihiel. At St. Mihiel the family of
j the preident of the -republic are
i only as ‘Monsieur et Madame Ray
| mond.’ Owning the luncheon, which
was a vpry cordial one, they talked
a little politics.
“ ‘For example,* the president hap
pened to say, ‘we must seek peace in
Berlin.*
“ ‘In Berlin ! Then you will go
there, madamel* cried the general to
Madame Poincare.
“Then they talked of other thing*
and after the luncheon the presiden
tial motor car took the guests on a
tour of the region. Learning that
the presidnet’s personal estate was
near St. Mihiel, Gen. Pershing asked
to visit it, and the car was directed
thither.
“It drew up before a mass of grey
cinders, once the Poincare family
home.. Pershing bowed his head.
Madame Poincare, silent and full of
memories, stood beside him. The
Seneral turned and said quietly to
er:
“ ‘At Berlin, madame, now I under
sauiL' »•