Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-08-11


Gosss TO rss FEoxr oorrespoad-
eus 81 London paper thus describes Tie
march VI the Frsnch soldiers tArsssh
Paris: - -
As these regiment. march through the
streets on their way 81 the railroad ,rrmi-
nj. some peculiar fr.sares of the Frrach
military system are visible. Tia, disri-
pine appears 10 be q combination of the
very strsfesf rules IN material points, ccsn-
bined with the utmost toleraiions in miner
matters. and the practical working If the
system would appear TO he emirently sue
cessful. There is plen,itude of powder.
bat . well-nigh total abscnce Of pipe-clay.
The soldiers are allowed to march anyhow
-arm-in-arm with their relations. friends.
and sxee,hearts, who insist on carving
the packs, the shelter tents. the intrench-
ing tools. and cooking utensils. Nor in
many cases does any breach Of discipline
seem to be committed when q gray-hair-
ed grandfather, the tears streaming down
his face, trudges BY the side Of the lad
who is going to the front for the FIRST time.
and actually shoulders the musket which
the boy is to wield before the enemy
Nor 10 authority shocked when private X
wears bullyeock hat rakishly on one side
OF his head. while civilian friend in q
blouse is crowned with rs shake, which
is much too large for him. Nor do ser
geants frown at any amount Of hugging
and kissing en- route. The principle adop-
ted seems to be that the soldiers are going
in for real hard work. and that to the
childish pedantry Of the drill ground and
the orderly room. there may be a tempo
rary surcease. The shopkeepers on the
line Of march press ON the troops, and load
them with bottles of wine. bundles Of ci-
CARS, and strings of sausages. You may
see one gallant defender If his country
with an entire sugarloaf tucked beneath
his arm, which some patriotic grocer has
bestowed on him. while another hugs a
huge melon; for VI Prud 'nomme. the
epieier. has heart. and a very warm one
on occasion. As for tobacco. the outgoing
regiments seem to be supplied with suf-
ficicncy to last them six months at least
Let us hope that they will be enabled t,
capture an adequate supply of meerschaums
in Rim, lind. Arrived at the railway
station full half hour is given loitcrers to
come up; and then sudden transforma-
ton scene occurs. The free and easy war
riors become as solid and we'll dressed
up a. Roman lsgionaries captains and
adjutants are stern. and sergeants and cor
porals look black as thunder; only the
kind old Colonel-say that it is the forty
fourth of the line, and that the command
ing officer wears by his side. en- sauioi'r.
the traditional gourd which is the palla-
dunn of the regiment. and was worn by
his predecessor Il, Austcrlitz only this
old gentleman with his bronzcd face and
white noustachccs. a he di-m"unt> from
from his horse, takes off his lcpi. Gi-clo-
scs his GriLLle,l. closely cropped poll, and
cries. Mes enf,nfs, rir, Ia France ," He
does not cry Il b,ts anybody. He has been
fighting so long tina, he rcsrc, Is his foes.
Les entan's echo the shout. fall in with
mechanical regularity. and are speedily
engulfed by the railway ears. Everything
is done with mathematical strictncss but
in contradistinction to the English militia
~ rule of silence in the ranks, the troops
are allowed to sing La MarSeillaise." AMI
"Mourir pour Ia pa,rc,' until they are
hoafse. Are not sailors encouraged to
sing as they work At the capstan? And
SO. with this farewell, they are borne awa V
to the Distant Land. to return God knows
when. Ii must bc noted that many of,hc
officers are not to" proud to carry KNAPP
sacks containing their personal needmcn,>,
and that. almost universally. cpaul,ttc-
have been discarded. the only emblem Of
rank being a gold stripe or gallon on one
arm. They are paid bounty when they
march. under the title of entrees en- cam
payne, the lieutenants drawing four hun
dred and the captains six hundred francs