GENERAL GOURAUD'S POILU, CHAMPAGNE.
_December_, 1916.
General Gouraud, when speaking of his _poilus_, never fails to tell the
following story: "It was during a violent bombardment--The men are in
their dugouts, save only the lookouts----
"One of them, every time a shell broke near him, responded with a shot
from his rifle, so that several times his comrades, passing by the
opening in the shelter, got ready to dash out, believing the enemy was
attacking. Finally they shouted at him:
"'_Nom de Dieu_, what do you mean by shooting like that with your
rifle----'
"'Eh! _les vieux_, I'm laying down a barrage!'"
NENETTE AND RINTININ! CHÂLONS-SUR-MARNE.
_March_, 1917.
"The morale of our _poilus_," cried our comrade Delormes, "is simply
magnificent!" I have just bought some writing paper at the store of
_petite Antoinette_, who was literally jubilant the moment I entered
her shop. She received a letter from her husband, who is fighting on
Maisons-de-Champagne Hill. She made me read the missive, which I would
like to see awarded a prize by the Academy:
"Do not worry, my Nenette," it read, "we will beat these brutes! Here,
our bowels are firm! But what we are doing to _them_! But above all,
don't worry!"