The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-25
1.-THE FRENCH AT WAR.
Interesting Information About the Army
and It's Members from the Highest to
hR Lowest Rank


the Lowest Rank.
Jacques Bonhomme does not love his
army as John Bull loves his.
John gives ovations to his soldiers,
showers decorations on their heads when
they return home from little expedi-
ton that will enable him TO publish
new map with one more little corner
marked in red; but if he goes to a pub
lie place of entertainment, and meets
soldier i'll uniform there, away he hur-
ries, exclaiming: "This place is not re-
spectacle; soldiers are admittedr In
the singular the warrior loses all his
prestige.
Very different are the feelings of
Jacques towards his army. He loves it
in the singular because his boy belongs
to it every Frenchman has to serve in
the army. In the plural, however, it
represents authority, and he is well aware
that the army is ready for use as a police
force in case he should ever be tempted
to make his voice heard too loudly in de-
handing a reform. This is why French
soldiers in their different garrison towns
live life apart. They do not mix with
the people, and have to put up with
Coventry"
The French army is viewed through
many spectacles. The Conservatives see
in it the preservers of order; the Radi-
Gals danger to the liberties of the ma
ton; the League of the Patriots call it
the hope of France. To the French Mary
Jane it is the repository of tender senti-
ments; to the tradesman of the garrison
town, source of income. Ball giving
ladies like it because it provides them
with dancers who are as ornamental as
useful, though the officers uniform is no
longer the gorgeous dress it was in my
time, when heutenant's full uniform
cost from half to a whole years pay.
French girls have deep conviction that
no man can make love like young lieu
tenant; but papa was always apt to
frown on him, knowing that this Romeo
had generally more gold on his shoulders
than in his waistcoat pocket, and that,
according to the army regulations, no
officer might marry lady with less than
10000 francs dot.
But here comes the regiment. Let us
open the window and have a look at the
Children of France, as Beranger called
them.
In front march the sapeurs, with their
long, bushy boards covering their chests.
Look at one and you will see them ALL
Sapeurs are all alike; to be able to tell
one from another is proof of marvel
GUS perspicacity. Under the empire the
sapeurs used to march with large white
leather aprons covering their chest and
legs, hatchets over their shoulders and
huge BUSHES on their heads; and they
formed an imposing looking body. The
aprons are now done away with, but the
hatchets are retained. Most of the Off
GERS orderlies were taken from this part
of the regiment, and it was a pleasant
sight to see one of these good fellows,
who are mostly middle aged, fatherly
looking men, with his apron on, leading
about the children of some married Off
Ger, who made use of him as a dry
nurse mot SO dry either, for we still say
in France ''to drink like sapeur'0.
These big, kind, bearded nurses have
always been favorites with their little
charges, and are great at telling stories,
long stodes, ending in the heroine's
marrying a general. The Office of the
sapeurs being to precede the regiment
and clear away all obstacles that could
impede its march, the Ratchet was ORR
ginally a very important part of their
accouterment. But in these days virgin
forests are not plentiful in Europe, the
high roads are excellent, and the colonel
prefers to use them; so that now the
chief utility of the formidable tool is to
chop wood to make the pot boil.
Next come the drummers and buglers.
How martial they look with their heads
high, every head turned to the right and
every bugle parallel, making the air re-
sound with their fanfaresl They are
very popular with the soldiers. 1t is the
buglers who, with their stirring notes,
cheer the men when they show signs of
tagging on a long, weary march.
have seen them at the foot of steep hill,
tired, perhaps, with hours of marching.
"Sound the charge" says the colonel,
and Immediately, as if by magic, the
limp legs and backs straighten, and the
column of men step out braveiy, singing
to the notes of the bugle:
nya la goutte a boire la-haut
nya goutte boire.
The summit of the hill reached, the
goutte is dispensed by the Cantiniere, and
generally takes the form of small glass