" It was astonishing how frequently
that answer was given. Apparently some men were quite content to be
moved about like pawns in a game of chess without question as long as
they were fed and clothed; they seemingly had adopted the attitude of
the Mohammedan, "It is the will of Allah."
We had dinner with Colonel Rennie and his staff that night, and a
pleasant dinner it was. I remember yet how envious we were of Major
Kirkpatrick who took us up to his room and there opened up a box just
received from his wife in England--a box containing cigarettes,
chocolates, taffy, gum, magazines and other things so greatly
appreciated by the soldier in the field, and so liberally shared by
them with less fortunate ones. Some men were very lucky in having
wives who seemed to spend a great deal of thought--and money--in
things that would be appreciated by their husbands in France. The
Major was taken a prisoner a fortnight later and I sincerely hope that
he was as lucky in having his boxes come through to him in Germany.
After dinner we accompanied some of the younger officers to a
mysterious place called "The Club"--an Estaminet in the village,
operated by a French woman and recently "out of bounds" for several
days because of failure to observe the early closing law.
The scene in that little French "Pub" that evening might have been
from a comedy written of the period of one hundred years ago.
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