and we have real
sings. My third night, while a group of us were singing, Corporal
Johnson, of F Company, huge and sandy-haired, and Corporal Martin,
stalwart and handsome, burst into the crowded room followed by other
members of F Co. "Clear the way!" shouted Corporal Martin, making his
way toward me, and then with a sweeping bow and with a grand manner he
invited me to "mess" with the men of the best platoon of the best
company of the best battalion of the best etc., etc., on the following
evening. Of course I accepted on the spot. "Now shall we give the lady
a song?" said Sergeant Riggs, stepping out. And they sang. They raised
the roof! Great songs they were too. Then I was presented with a mess
kit just like the soldiers and with mock solemnity was given a lesson
in how to use it. Then I rehearsed it for their benefit, my purposeful
blunders calling forth roars of laughter.

The next evening they called for me. In army style we marched snappily
through the streets to F Co. mess hall, a long wooden building with
dirt floor. I was placed in the front row with a corporal on either
side to keep me in position. The mess was a real and delicious feast.
Those boys had contributed extra to it, and a whole pig had been
roasted, not to mention caldrons of vegetables, jelly-cake, doughnuts,
and coffee--_sweetened_ coffee! I drank a quart of it at least. Then
Sergeant Riggs, a humorous character and my staunch friend now, gave a
speech welcoming me to Pouillenay. I can tell you it made the tears
come to my eyes, these men, so chivalrous, so unreserved in their
welcome of a woman into their midst; and I dedicated myself there and
then to them, resolved to do everything in my power to make their stay
here brighter and better. But the biggest thing that I do is not of my
doing at all; it lies in simply being a woman. You really wouldn't
laugh if you were over here and saw these boys hungering for love and
for home. Well, of course I answered the sergeant's speech, and then
there was cheering and then singing. Corporal Martin then stepped
forward and said in his oratorical manner. "We have now come to the
conclusion of this ceremony, which consists in your washing your mess
kit." Roars of laughter! I was placed in the line and we all moved up
to the garbage pail; next, to a huge tank of decidedly greasy hot
water into which we plunged our mess kits; then on to a kettle of
rinsing water where we gave them another dip. That being ov