Dear Ones at Home:
As you see
we are still at the old stand, and so I’ll take time tonite to make up for the
short typewritten notes of a couple of evenings ago. I’m still of the opinion we may move sometime
soon, but was afraid then that no further opportunity would present itself to
write you, so took the little time at my command to let you know I was well at
least. I wonder how you folks enjoyed
your New Year.
We
celebrated by getting up late, and doing little. The night before New Years we went back to
the old stand and got the Herr to go out and buy us a goose or chicken for the
Frau to prepare for a New Years spread.
He got the Goose all right and thereby hangs a tale. It was about eight P.M. when he started out
to buy it. We told him the maximum price
we could pay and that he could report what luck he had at the Schoolhouse where
our Office is the next morning. Well, we
had also told him where we lived. About
8:30 I was sitting in the living room partying along as best I could with
Frauline Helene and the rest when pandemonium broke loose in the hall
outside. Then the door burst open and in
strode our Luxembourger with a white goose under his arm, and a mob of American
soldiers on his trail, almost falling over him, and such a racket. It sure was funny and I stopped off in the
middle of one of my labored attempts at German to laugh. Then the fellows started to jump on me to
find out about that goose. After about
five minutes they and I cooled down enough so that I was able to explain that
we had already bought the goose for the Office Force. Then they wanted me to negotiate for another
for some of them. I finally made out that this was the only available goose in
the town and that thinned out the rabble some, but two insistent friends hung
on. Then some more noise. The less I understand and other understand me
the louder I talk (I guess you remember that trait). Well, everybody talked at once, two in
English, two of us in broken German and the rest plain Luxembourg German. At first the old guy wanted the two to come
in on the goose, but as we already have five of us for that goose to feed. So after much discussion we finally came to
an understanding that the Herr went out to buy the other fellows a rabbit like
we had Xmas. Anyway, that goose was sure
good, tho she fried it which was a new departure in preparing goose. After dinner at 7 P.M. we came back and
played cards while the old year rolled away and the New Year rolled into
existence. And just at 12:00 some of the
fellows who had got to feeling a little too good, forgot the orders regarding
shooting, and broke loose with the 45 automatics and rifles. Immediately “Call to Arms” blew and I flatter
myself, we showed the people of the house a little real Americanism in the
exit. Of course, you can imagine the
sensation they must have experienced. Of
course we were not expecting anything either, and didn’t know what might be up
when we heard the shooting and repeated bugling of “Call to Arms.” But Imagine how you would feel if you lived
in a small town and it was taken over by an invading army of strangers after 4
years of German Occupation. Then in the
middle of the night the crash of guns breaking out, the blare of bugles, and
the five soldiers you have sheltered under your roof drop their cards and with
a few hasty words in a strange tongue thrown on belts bulging with cartridges,
grasp rifles hastily and rush out of the house.
As I passed thru the living room, I noticed an anxious look on their
faces, and in answer to a hasty question I tried to allay their fears, but as I
was not at all sure of what the trouble was or how serious. So I guess they did not understand. Anyway, I know it was only about a minute
from the time things broke loose, before we were gone, cards lying on the
deserted table, almost like a prearranged scene from some play. Of course, we were soon confirmed in our suspicion
that it was Americans having too strenuous a celebration, but I didn’t realize
how frightened and impressed the people were until we returned about an hour
later. It has been a long while since I
have seen anyone so anxious and nervous as the little Frauline from
We got to
bed about 3 A.M. Real early birds,
eh. Yesterday the Band gave a concert
for the townspeople and soldiers together.
Colonel Allen and the Chaplain gave short talks, but I guess about all
the people could enjoy have them was their Military appearance and gestures, so
probably they enjoyed the music most.
Well, here
I intended to write three or four letters, and we have talked and loitered over
it so much that this even isn’t done.
So
Goodnight to All
With
love
George
Sherwood
108th U.S.
American Exp. Forces
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