St. Landry democrat., 1885-05-09
SOLDIERS WIVES.
The Married strength of British Infantry
Regiments.

probably, about the solar system than
about the details of regimental life;
though he is always ready to listen to a
tale of wrong like that which was lately
told about soldiers wives. 1t will be
news to many that a soldier can not
lawfully get married, or is not recog-
nizcd as lawfully married, until he has
completed six years service, and is also
the rossessor of o good-conduct badge.
Having served the allott A period, leave
has to be obtained from the command
ing officer of the regiment; but as o
rule permission is granted readily
enough. But even then it may be some
time core the newly-eIected Benedict
can avail himself of the privileges of
''frcc quarters. -
The prorort:on of married men for
whom acc0 nmodation is provided by
Government is about ten per cent. of
the total strength Of the regiment, and
when man has obtained the necessary
permission to enter the holy estate it
may happen that the @ married
strength OF the regiment is already
above the limit, in which case he has to
support h S wife and self on his regi-
mental pay and rat;ons. But he is al
lowed the privilege Of Giving out Of
NESS that is to say, instead of taking
his meals in barracks with the other
men, he is permitted to draw his rat 'ons
and do his best to make three-quarter
pounds Of meat per diem and one pound
of bread fiji two mouths instead of one.
How the men contrlve to make both
ends meet under such circumstances is
mystery; but they do, and as a rule
the married men of regiment contrIve
to keep up a better kit than their unen-
numbered companions. Of course there
are exceptions; and many an officer
will be able to call to mind some start
ling effects encountered in his subaltern
days on the occasions of exit inspec-
tionsn las when what TO all intents and
purposes seemed to BE- neatly folded
linen shirt or flannel vest has proved on
clozer inspection to be the remains of
an article Gf female at ire not usually
worn by the male sex.
When once married man has be-
come enrolled on the strength" his
position is materially improved. He
has his single room in barracks, with
coal, gas and wood free; his wife gets a
share of the regimental washing, and if
she is a good laundress frequently has
some of the mess and officers linen
to wash. BY the practice of strict
economy a soldiers wife can, under
such conditions, enjoy q more comfort
able existence than if she is mated to
an agricultural laborer or mechanic.
But even under the most favorable con-
ditions it is hard to lay by for rainy
day; and we may be sure that many of
the wives of the brave fellows who have
lately set out for the Soudan had not
more than a few shillings to make q
fresh start with. In civil life a thrifty
housewife will endeayor to lay by a
store against bad times occasioned by
slackness of work, when the bread
winner may, through force of circum-
stance, be compelled to endure a spell
of enforced idleness; but with the sol
dier's wife this necessity is not so ap-
parent. So long as her husband re-
mains in the service (ill or welD, so
long will he receive a certain amount of
daily pay; and although the contin-
gency of his services being required
abroad may at times present itself to
her mind, the possibility of such an
event is usually overlooked until it ar
Tiyes to find her quite unprepared.
Putting aside the men married with
leave there are in nearly every regi-
ment large proportion of men who
have got married without the necessary
permit to do So Although they do not
actually offend against military law,
their status as married men can not be
recognized by the authorities. The man
who marries without sanction is to all
practical intents and purposes looked
upon as single. He is compelled to
continue to mess with his comrades in
barracks, although as a rule a certain
amount of laxity is observed in allow
ing leave to sleep out of barracks.
When a regiment moves from one
station to another the wives of such
men often find it a matter of extreme
difficulty 10 scrape together the neces-
sary funds for the railway journey; al
though. to their credit be it said. they
as rule do manage to solve this diff
cult problem some way or other, and
before their husbands have fairly settled
down in their new quarters they are
generally located in 4 lodging within
easy distance of the barrack gate.
Incredible as it may seem, not very
many years ago as many as three or
four soldiers families had to accom-
modate themselves in single room
in barracks, the only divisions being
curtains stretched across. After time
the authorities awoke to the fact that
this state OF things was not quite what
it should be, and q single room to each
couple has long been the order of the
day.-SL James Gazette.