WHEN THE GENERAL CAME TO TOWN
We wuz workin’ in th’ offus—That is, all exceptin’ me—An’ I wuz jest a-settin’,As a orderly should be,When a feller wearin’ eaglesPerchin’ on his shoulder straps,Poked his head right in th’ winder,An’ he talks right out an’ snaps,“Who’s th’ officer commandin’Over this detachment here?”An’ th’ looey he salutes him,While us rest wuz feelin’ queer.“I am, sir,” th’ looey tells him,Wonderin’ what th’ row’s about.“Pershing’s comin’ in five minits,”Says th’ kernel. “All troops out.”Gosh, how we did hurry,For we looked a doggone fright—Some had hats a-missin’,An’ they warn’t a coat in sight.First we cleaned up in th’ offus,Then we swept up in th’ street,An’ it wasn’t many secondsTill th’ place wuz hard t’ beat.Next we hunted up our clothin’,Borried some an’ swiped some more,Then th’ looey got us standin’In a line afore th’ door.Mighty soon around th’ cornerCome two scrumptious lookin’ cars,An’ they wasn’t any licenceOn th’ first one—’cept four stars.When the car had stopped right sudden,Then th’ gineral he stepped out,An’ without much parley-vooin’He begin t’ look about.They wuz lots o’ darkey soldiersWhat wuz lined up in a row,An’ he shore looked at ’em careful,Walkin’ past ’em mighty slow.An’ th’ Frenchmen come a-flockin’,An’ they couldn’t understandWhy he warn’t a-wearin’ medals,An’ gold braid t’ beat th’ band.Then he made a little lectur,Givin’ all them Frenchmen thanks,Since they’d acted mighty kind-likeIn a-dealin’ with his Yanks.All th’ peepul started clappin’When his talk kum to a close,An’ a purty little lassieOffered him a dandy rose.Shore he tuk it, smilin’ pleasant,Like a gift he couldn’t miss—An’ th’ little maid wuz happyWhen he paid her with a kiss.Then he stepped into his auto,An’ he hurried on his way—While us guys went back t’ workin’,Feelin’ we had had SOME day.Vance C. Criss, Corp., Engrs.
We wuz workin’ in th’ offus—That is, all exceptin’ me—An’ I wuz jest a-settin’,As a orderly should be,When a feller wearin’ eaglesPerchin’ on his shoulder straps,Poked his head right in th’ winder,An’ he talks right out an’ snaps,“Who’s th’ officer commandin’Over this detachment here?”An’ th’ looey he salutes him,While us rest wuz feelin’ queer.“I am, sir,” th’ looey tells him,Wonderin’ what th’ row’s about.“Pershing’s comin’ in five minits,”Says th’ kernel. “All troops out.”Gosh, how we did hurry,For we looked a doggone fright—Some had hats a-missin’,An’ they warn’t a coat in sight.First we cleaned up in th’ offus,Then we swept up in th’ street,An’ it wasn’t many secondsTill th’ place wuz hard t’ beat.Next we hunted up our clothin’,Borried some an’ swiped some more,Then th’ looey got us standin’In a line afore th’ door.Mighty soon around th’ cornerCome two scrumptious lookin’ cars,An’ they wasn’t any licenceOn th’ first one—’cept four stars.When the car had stopped right sudden,Then th’ gineral he stepped out,An’ without much parley-vooin’He begin t’ look about.They wuz lots o’ darkey soldiersWhat wuz lined up in a row,An’ he shore looked at ’em careful,Walkin’ past ’em mighty slow.An’ th’ Frenchmen come a-flockin’,An’ they couldn’t understandWhy he warn’t a-wearin’ medals,An’ gold braid t’ beat th’ band.Then he made a little lectur,Givin’ all them Frenchmen thanks,Since they’d acted mighty kind-likeIn a-dealin’ with his Yanks.All th’ peepul started clappin’When his talk kum to a close,An’ a purty little lassieOffered him a dandy rose.Shore he tuk it, smilin’ pleasant,Like a gift he couldn’t miss—An’ th’ little maid wuz happyWhen he paid her with a kiss.Then he stepped into his auto,An’ he hurried on his way—While us guys went back t’ workin’,Feelin’ we had had SOME day.Vance C. Criss, Corp., Engrs.
We wuz workin’ in th’ offus—That is, all exceptin’ me—An’ I wuz jest a-settin’,As a orderly should be,
We wuz workin’ in th’ offus—
That is, all exceptin’ me—
An’ I wuz jest a-settin’,
As a orderly should be,
When a feller wearin’ eaglesPerchin’ on his shoulder straps,Poked his head right in th’ winder,An’ he talks right out an’ snaps,
When a feller wearin’ eagles
Perchin’ on his shoulder straps,
Poked his head right in th’ winder,
An’ he talks right out an’ snaps,
“Who’s th’ officer commandin’Over this detachment here?”An’ th’ looey he salutes him,While us rest wuz feelin’ queer.
“Who’s th’ officer commandin’
Over this detachment here?”
An’ th’ looey he salutes him,
While us rest wuz feelin’ queer.
“I am, sir,” th’ looey tells him,Wonderin’ what th’ row’s about.“Pershing’s comin’ in five minits,”Says th’ kernel. “All troops out.”
“I am, sir,” th’ looey tells him,
Wonderin’ what th’ row’s about.
“Pershing’s comin’ in five minits,”
Says th’ kernel. “All troops out.”
Gosh, how we did hurry,For we looked a doggone fright—Some had hats a-missin’,An’ they warn’t a coat in sight.
Gosh, how we did hurry,
For we looked a doggone fright—
Some had hats a-missin’,
An’ they warn’t a coat in sight.
First we cleaned up in th’ offus,Then we swept up in th’ street,An’ it wasn’t many secondsTill th’ place wuz hard t’ beat.
First we cleaned up in th’ offus,
Then we swept up in th’ street,
An’ it wasn’t many seconds
Till th’ place wuz hard t’ beat.
Next we hunted up our clothin’,Borried some an’ swiped some more,Then th’ looey got us standin’In a line afore th’ door.
Next we hunted up our clothin’,
Borried some an’ swiped some more,
Then th’ looey got us standin’
In a line afore th’ door.
Mighty soon around th’ cornerCome two scrumptious lookin’ cars,An’ they wasn’t any licenceOn th’ first one—’cept four stars.
Mighty soon around th’ corner
Come two scrumptious lookin’ cars,
An’ they wasn’t any licence
On th’ first one—’cept four stars.
When the car had stopped right sudden,Then th’ gineral he stepped out,An’ without much parley-vooin’He begin t’ look about.
When the car had stopped right sudden,
Then th’ gineral he stepped out,
An’ without much parley-vooin’
He begin t’ look about.
They wuz lots o’ darkey soldiersWhat wuz lined up in a row,An’ he shore looked at ’em careful,Walkin’ past ’em mighty slow.
They wuz lots o’ darkey soldiers
What wuz lined up in a row,
An’ he shore looked at ’em careful,
Walkin’ past ’em mighty slow.
An’ th’ Frenchmen come a-flockin’,An’ they couldn’t understandWhy he warn’t a-wearin’ medals,An’ gold braid t’ beat th’ band.
An’ th’ Frenchmen come a-flockin’,
An’ they couldn’t understand
Why he warn’t a-wearin’ medals,
An’ gold braid t’ beat th’ band.
Then he made a little lectur,Givin’ all them Frenchmen thanks,Since they’d acted mighty kind-likeIn a-dealin’ with his Yanks.
Then he made a little lectur,
Givin’ all them Frenchmen thanks,
Since they’d acted mighty kind-like
In a-dealin’ with his Yanks.
All th’ peepul started clappin’When his talk kum to a close,An’ a purty little lassieOffered him a dandy rose.
All th’ peepul started clappin’
When his talk kum to a close,
An’ a purty little lassie
Offered him a dandy rose.
Shore he tuk it, smilin’ pleasant,Like a gift he couldn’t miss—An’ th’ little maid wuz happyWhen he paid her with a kiss.
Shore he tuk it, smilin’ pleasant,
Like a gift he couldn’t miss—
An’ th’ little maid wuz happy
When he paid her with a kiss.
Then he stepped into his auto,An’ he hurried on his way—While us guys went back t’ workin’,Feelin’ we had had SOME day.Vance C. Criss, Corp., Engrs.
Then he stepped into his auto,
An’ he hurried on his way—
While us guys went back t’ workin’,
Feelin’ we had had SOME day.
Vance C. Criss, Corp., Engrs.