The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-06-23
FRENCH CONSCRIPTS.
How Raw Recruit Is Transformed Into
an Artfiferyman.

an Artilieryman.
The conscript has listened to so many
stories that in his eyes the regiment has
come to assume the aspect of sort Of
ante-chamber to the penitentiary. The
way he is received at headquarters is
not calculated to remove such ideas OF
to please lad of twenty, fresh from the
tender solicitude of mother. From
the storehouse, where he is furnished
with an ill-titting and ugly uniform and
stout stogies that hurt his feet, he is
taken to the artillery school, where he
is armed with saber and brace of re-
volvers, of which he is, of course, very
much afraid.
He knows from hearsay that he owes
respect to his superiors, but how is he
| to know the Colonel from the Adiutant,
! and if he makes a mistake he is not
merely severely reprimanded. but also
becomes the butt of no end of imperti-
nent ridicule. Never has he experienced
so severely as during the first days of his
military life that he is alone and aban-
doned He lacks the experience and
GOODNESS necessary in order to make the
best of every thing, and no matter how
Jealous may be the corporal whose duty
it is to instruct him, he is apt to think
that no one takes the slightest interest
in him. What really is the matter is
that he is homesick and Disguised with
The promiscuity of barrack life, with the
| food ne is forced to eat, and with the
way it has to be eaten.
Buttoned up in new uniforms which
impede their movements, the con-
scripts are drawn up at the entrance of
the riding-school, a gloomy-looking
building which has nothing reassuring
in its aspect. The solitary horse which
Is about to serve as the "piece de
demonstration assumes, in the eyes of
.he raw recruits, the proportions of
monster; the track runs around bare
Stone walls. and each young fellow asks
himself what will become of him if he
happens to be thrown from the saddle
and strikes his head against the wall.
The riding master has not an unkindly
manner, and all the sous officers are
smiling, so it can not be so very dam
gerous after all.
The first lesson consists of instruction
n saddling I'd unsaddling horse Sc
!ected for its quietness. The Lieuten-
ant-instructor names the different parts
Of the saddle. This is the pommel;
when you are afraid of falling off catch
mold of it with both hands; but try to
I'd yourself of this bad habit as quickly
as possible, and so ON. Two days later
The conscripts are placed on horseback.
Their spurs have been carefully wrapped
up and their caps are strapped on. They
move around the riding-ring at walk
while the instructor explains to each
how he must hold the reins, throw back
the upper part of the body and keep his
elbows close in to his hips. The lessons
end with a slow trot which the horses,
well accustomed to carrying experienced
riders, execute with sort of contemnt-
uous gentleness.
The new-tiedged cannoniers lead their
horses to the stable, where they are
taught to use the curry-comb and brush.
to till the rack with hay and straw, to
measure out the ration of oats, to repair
the stalls, to arrange the litter and to
clean the bridle-bits All this fills up
the time until eleven o'clock, when the !
barracks courtyard all at once becomes
very animated. The men on fatigue
iuty pass around carrying tin bowls
filled with savory-smelling soup. If
the kitchens of a French rack bar ara |