The morning call., 1891-04-05
TIE FRENCH ARMY.
The wonderful Changes Since The Days Of The
Reorganization.

"Eh, my brunettes! Ehl You are do
ing u work there. That does not help on
the moving to stretch out your necks and
strain your eyes to see if there are any hus-
bands growing in the young wheat"
Two fine girls, tiptoe on the points of the
wooden shoes, clinging ike goats to the
branches of the green hedge. replied. gayly:
"We are not losing our time perhaps after
all, Maitre Durevoix; the regiment is COM
ing back from the maneuverS; it will be
passing here in few minutes. Come and
see."
Maitre Durevoix approached, followed by
all the workmen. Each one. leaning on his
rake, his fork, or his scytte, scanned the
valley.
81 see nothing" said one. "Where is
the regiment?" asked his neighbor. THE
brunettes are making fools Of u" cried a
third. what! Why. it is passing at the
bottom OF the hill along the new road; you
can see it through the trees" "There's
patrol on the hilltop close by u.s." True"
"There's another by the river, and another
by the ruined house When the troop is on
the march it places scouts all around it. as
if it were going to meet the enemy at any
moment" "Ahl now they are leaving the
road, wheeling round the burnt field. They
don't have to ask their way. The officers
all have papers in their hands. They look
at them and then they know the way better
than we dc. Yes, sure. Ask Remy, who
has been soldier"
That's true" said the mower questioned
SIN my time, before the fatal war, we knew
nothing about those matters. We Went
through the Regular drill, target practice
and marching without ever thinking of war;
and learning how to make war in the best
way. Formerly we soldiers did not know
anything. Now the law obliges Us to send
our children to school, and when they have
learned their book they will become finer
soldiers than VIC were"
so much the better" replied Maitre
DurevoiX; land now TO work, and sharply"
''Ob. one Minute more, patroni; cried the
girls. They VIII pass close by here. We
shall see them splendidIy. Who knows?
Perhaps we shall see our future husbands
in the ranks.
I" Ah then there are none but soldiers TO
make husbaLds?"
Certainly, patron. One can't marry a
would not. -" Nor |, Nor L. cried all the
girls.
Let us fetch our pitchers; we will give
to drink to some of the men; it IS so hOt."
Z" And they have to work so hard. This
morning they started oat before daybreak,
and they will not get home until after sun
down"
They must be tired.
" No. They are accustomed to these long
marches. Look how quickly they 90. They
don't look as II they were tired"
The regiment advanced smartly. II was
not simple march, but q maneuver; step
correct, easy bearing, rapid pace, the differ
ent movements effected with precision, with
ont noise and without word spoken.
Neither bngles nor drums; from time to
time whistle. Absolute silence in the
ranks; no talking, no singing, no joking.
Kenny, the mower, noticed this. In my
time" lie said, I'VE used to leave behind
lot of weak and lame. Now there are no
laggards; all are hardened We used to
make a terrible noise; yOu could hear us
long before you could see us. The General
commanding yonder men will have no nom
sense. He has said no laggards, no chatter
erS, and there are none. Who would have
thought that Gascons could be made to
march like mountaineerS? VINO would
have believed that they could be prevented
from talking? Well you see, they march
and they don't talk, and nobody complains.
Men and ideas have changed, l can tell
you"
Indeed. since the war OF 1870 things have
been greatly modified in the army. The
country people are not alone IL: remarking
the progress made. More expert and less
kindly disposed critics abroad have noticed
it, too.-From 1.-THE French Army" by
General Lewa. in Harper's Magazine for
April.