From "Funny Stories Told by the Soldiers," published in 1919:
GOING SOMEWHERE
A colored soldier on the fighting front got a two
days' leave shortly after the signing of the armistice,
and immediately prepared to make a date in the
French capital. When leaving the front, however,
he got held up by a French sentry, who was unable
to understand Sam's explanations. Sam accordingly
talked louder and louder, shaking his fist at the
Frenchman, who threatened to shoot if Sam proceeded.
Finally Sam said: "Looka here, boss, I got
a mother in heaven, a father in the other place, and
a sweetheart in Paris, and I'm agoin' to see one of 'em
tonight."
I'm not sure why this story is about a "colored" soldier. Was it funnier that way in 1919?
8 comments:
Possibly it was a true story, in which case the soldier is "colored" just because he really was.
Perhaps the 92nd Division? They served alongside the French Army (because the American Expeditionary Force proper refused to have them).
Assuming of course he did not some how end up in purgatory. Which would just go to show him.
What are the odds of a soldier having unresolved penance for his sins? :)
That sort of humor was pretty much standard for 1919.
As I read further in the collection I found that at least half the stories involved "colored" servicemen, and quite a few of the remainder concerned the Irish or Jews.
Here's a non-ethnic one:
"Were you happy to be sent to France?"
"Happy? We were in transports!"
What are the odds of a soldier having unresolved penance for his sins? :)
Had to laugh at that...
True story about WWI soldiers (or A soldier at least). My maternal grandfather was in the cavalry, and got kicked by a mule in France. But the funny story is that between his camp and the stables was (in his words) "One of those places. You know, where women, you know." And that every day when he walked past the house of ill repute, he'd avert his eyes to avoid sinful thoughts.
Near universally, everyone who hears/reads that story says "Yeah, right". Everyone who knew my grandfather says, "Yeah, that was Chris, alright."
Note: Yes, I mean WWI. My Mom's dad was almost 50 when my mother was born in 1941. He had served with General Blackjack Pershing both in chasing Pancho Villa and in the AEF in WWI. Most other guys my age talk about how their grandfathers fought in WWII. Mine was a bit older.
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