The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-09-29
The French COnscriptiOn Annual
Drawing OF Recruits for the Army.

An annual drawing for the conscrip-
ton of the yearly military contingent
the French call it the IGrGge an Sort
is now going on in Paris. The draw
ing in Paris lasts about three weeks.
The young men of each of the twenty
ACCOMPLISHMENTS of the Capital are
called out in their turn. The ceremony
takes place on the ground floor of the
Palace of Industry, in the Champs Ely
sees. A large temporary sale is formed
for the reception of the recruits. At
the end of it rises platform, on which
the Mayor of the district, with his tri-
colored scarf, and the military authori-
ties in multi, are seated round q large
green -baiZed table. The I3idge takes
place in alphabetical order, SO many
letters being called up ut the same time.
Each young man has his paper contain
ing his name, address, profession, etc,
and as he ascends the platform he hands
| it to an official. On his name being
called out the youth passes in front of
the President, advances toward kind
of urn, thrusts his hand into it and
draws out a number, which is at once
proclaimed by another official standing
by, who takes good care that the youth
shall not draw two numbers or replace
the one drawn by sleight-of-hand trick
"a maneuver which is sometimes at
tempted. AS the number is announced
feeling of sympathy, whether it be a
bad or good number, is expressed by
the other youths whe are waiting.
Formerly those who who drew the good
numbers, which are the low ones, were
exempted from the service, and only
the bad numbers, or high ones, had to
serve; but now all of them have to enter
the army, with this difference, how
ever, that the good numbers serve
only one or two years, whereas
the bad ones are bound for the whole
five years with the active army.
A proposal now before Parliament
would abolish the ItrHge az Sort, by
making all the recruits serve three
years and half. AS the youths de-
scend from the platform they naturally
demonstrate their good or bad luck;
those who draw low numbers wave
their caps with delight; the others man
ifest their dependency, not to say de-
spair. These feelings, however, are
calmed down and blended together as
the conscripts emerge from the build
ings.
The scene outside is even more curl
, Gus than inside. Here the friends and
families of the future soldiers congre-
, gate in large numbers, for they are not
allowed to enter the conscription-room
Fathers and mothers are awaiting fol
their sons. sisters for their brothers
and sweethearts for their lovers. Many
a touching episode may be witnessed as
, the young man returns and announces
: his fate to those near and dear to him.
The first emotion over, the conscripts
throw care to the winds and prepare tC
: celebrate the day which is to mark sucl
' an important epoch in their lives They
! bedeck themselves with tri-colored rib
bons and rosettes, and pin the numbe
\ they have drawn. painted on coloret
r paper, on their breasts and caps. Som,
$ of them, who belong to musical socie
n ties, bring down their Instruments ant
h enliven the crowd with patriotic airs
o They next adjourn to the wine shop
r where they baptize their colors ant
# drink to the corps to which they vii
: ere long belong. The flow of soul oftel
o. goes on till dusk sets in, and then the
4 resolve to turn home. Headed by flag
O. bearer, they march through the street
I singing the Marseillaisen and simila
!. songs. Others who live further off clu
/ together and hire van, which the,
Il decorate with bunting and rs they driv
o along the boulevards, singing, shouting
[ and laughing, the passers-by stop AM
n gaze and maybe ask themselves wher
l. these gay recruits will lead the flag o
v France when the irrepressible revanch
a comes of.-LO7ltiOH StlilGlaTd.