" which continued for hours.

This subject of soldier's songs would make an interesting study for a
psychologist. Not being versed in this science I can only note some of
the peculiarities which impressed me from time to time.

The first thing that one notices is the fact that the so-called
soldier's songs, written by our multitudinous army of "popular"
song-smiths to catch the fleeting-fancy of the patriotically aroused
populace, are conspicuous by their absence. No matter how great a
popularity they may achieve among the home-folk and even the embryo
soldiers, during the early days of their training, they seldom survive
long enough to become popular with the soldiers in the field. When in
training, far away from the field of battle, soldiers appear very fond
of all the "Go get the Kaiser" and "On to Berlin" stuff and are not at
all averse to complimenting themselves on their heroism and
invincibility, with specific declarations of what they are going to
do. Sort of "Oh, what a brave boy I am," you know. But as they come
closer to the real business of war, while their enthusiasm and
determination may be not a whit less, they become more reserved and
less prone to self-advertisements; so, as they _must_ sing something,
they fall back on the old-timers, such as _Annie Laurie_ or _My Old
Kentucky Home_ when they feel particularly sentimental, and for
marching songs, any nonsensical music-hall jingle with a "swing" to it
will serve.

Our crowd was what might be called "a regular singing bunch" and had a
large and varied repertoire, including everything from religious hymns
to many of that class of peculiar soldier's songs which although
vividly expressive and appropriate to the occasion are, unfortunately,
not for publication. Among the most popular were _The Tulip and the
Rose_, _Michigan_ and _There's a Long, Long Trail Awinding_, together
with several local compositions set to such airs as _John Brown's
Body_ and _British Grenadiers_. You might hear _Onward, Christian
Soldier_ sandwiched between some of the worst of the "bad ones" or
_Calvary_ followed by _The Buccaneers_. You never heard that last one,
and never will, unless you "go for a soldier."

I've heard men singing doleful songs, such as _I Want to Go Home_,
when everything was bright and cheerful with no sign of war, and I
have heard them, in the midst of the most deadly combat, shouting one
of Harry Lauder's favorites, as _I Love a Lassie_. I once saw a lo