e from Armentieres,
_Parlez vous_,
Mademoiselle from Armentieres,
_Parlez vous_,
Mademoiselle from Armentieres
Hasn't been kissed for forty years,
Hinkey Dinkey _Parlez vous_!"

Slush, slog! Slush, slog! went the heavy hobnailed shoes slithering
through the mud and water of the roads. Mile after mile, hour after
hour. At the end of each weary hour a short rest, an easing of the
shoulders from the cutting pack straps. Ten minutes only did they rest.
Then down the long columns rang the sharp commands, "Fall in. Fall in!
... Com-pan-ee ... Atten-shun! Forward, March!" A few minutes in
cadenced marching and then the command, "Rout step--March!" Again the
confident, boisterous giant took up its song:

"Good-bye Ma, good-bye Pa,
Good-bye mule with your old he-haw.
I may not know what the war's about
But I bet by Gosh I soon find out!
O, my sweetheart, don't you fear,
I'll bring you a king for a souvenir.
I'll bring you a Turk, and the Kaiser too,
And that's about all one feller can do."

Marching, singing, jesting, they pressed on until their advance guard
met the plodding, cheerless, downcast refugees. The French peasants
halted in their tracks, staring, unable to believe their eyes. Here, in
the flesh, by thousands upon thousands, was the answer to their prayers.
Perhaps it was not too late, after all. Here was new strength, new
courage.

Old men danced with joy, embracing their wives and children, embracing
one another, and tears of joy coursed down their wan, lined faces.

"_Les Americains!_" they shouted. "_Vive l' Amerique! Nous
sauveurs sont arrivee!_" (The Americans! Long live America! Our
saviors have arrived.)

The cry spread; it ran up and down the roads and bypaths; it became a
magic sentence restoring courage throughout all France.

As for the resolute Americans, they merely plodded on, questioning one
another as to what all the shouting was about. Oh, so that was it? Sure
they were here, but why get excited about it? ... The Boche is breaking
through, eh? As you were, Papa, and keep your shirt on! And as for that
old lady over there by that cart, crying so softly--say! somebody who
can parley this language go over there and tell that old lady not to cry
any more. Tell her we'll fix it up, toot sweet. O-o-o! La, la! Pipe the
pretty mademoiselle over there driving that dogcart. Ain't she the
pippin though! Say--

"Fall in! Fall in!