who had been killed. The day was
beautiful. The Battalion assembled in a beautiful little field on the
outskirts of the town, the four companies drawn up facing each other.
The choir, which I had drilled, composed of about twenty men, stood
together. A platform had been built in the centre, from which Major
S., always fine, gave a splendid short address. The chaplain then
delivered a sermon, less impressive. The choir sang "Rock of Ages,"
which was quite solemnly beautiful. Next the roll was called, which
was astonishingly long. It was a strain on those standing ranks of
boys to hear the names of their dead comrades, and the tears were
coursing down many cheeks. The choir sang "My Faith Looks Up To Thee."
Taps were sounded, followed by a roll of drums. There was a moment of
tense silence. Then to the relief of all, the little Battalion Band
struck up a quickstep and the Companies marched off cheerily. It was
truly a beautiful service, and the warm sun and birds warbling in the
trees gave it an added sweetness. It meant a great deal to the men.

After the service I walked back to the tent with the Colonel and the
Major, who came in and admired my decorations as much as I could wish.
In the afternoon was a thrilling baseball game between our Battalion
and the 1st Battalion of the 312th Infantry. (Baseball has been our
great amusement of late.) I slipped away before it was over to get my
kettle boiling, so that afterward I had hot chocolate and cakes for
all the boys that wanted it; it never has to go begging. In the
evening we gathered round the poor rheumatic piano and sang and sang
till old Mathieu, the electrician, turned the lights off. Now doesn't
that sound like a happy Easter?

Meanwhile preparations for moving were going on. All the stoves were
taken from the billets and of course the weather turned cold and rainy
again. We froze, and we waded in mud, but we didn't care; we were
"going home."

The next big stunt I pulled off was a candy pull. It took me a day's
journey in the side-car to get the ingredients, two whole crates of
Karo corn syrup and ten pounds of margarine. Company F allowed me to
use their kitchen which was next to the tent, and I found a
professional candy-maker who superintended the cooking. What a time we
had! Rain pouring outside, our merry little orchestra playing for all
it was worth in the tent, tent packed with soldiers, I in my blue
apron dashing back and forth from mess hall to tent w