The morning call., 1891-08-10
Pho NONO'S SERVANT.
Memories of a Soldier Who Was
in the POpe's Army.
BE Is Now Sergeant at the Presidio- Ere.
quent Church Parades and Merry Life
on Six soldi Day.

Sergeant-Major Carl Kreh looms high
above his fellow officers, commissioned and
non commissioned, at the Preside. He has
magnificent pbysique-the legs, the torso
and the head, with mustache and goatee
adornments of the ideal soldier, and
soldier he has, been for twenty years.
He first saw the sun rise in the domain of
the King Of Wurtemburg, which is now
one of the provinces over which young
Wilhelm of the German Empire is lord.
While yet young man, a very youth in fact,
he entered the service Of his Holiness
Plus Ninth, Pope of Rome, as private in
the Papal Guard. From there he passed
into the German army and beheld the
storming Of Sedan and the capitulaton of
Paris.
He was In a reminiscent vein yesterday
afternoon and brought forth his discharge
from the army of the Pope at the request Of
CALL reporter, who was welcomed to his
coy quarters at the reservation. The docu-
ment was yellow with age and as ragged as
the letter that was displayed during the
trial of Henry Ward Beecher and which in
spired an enterprising paper manufacturer
to produce ''ragged-edge stationery" The
arms of the Pope, Plus. appeared on the
left-hand upper corner and below in choice
Italian were the words:
HIS DISCHARGE.
MILITARY service of the Holy See.
First Regular Zouaves discharge.
carl Eugene Krch. second-class."
Carts conduct while a member of the
army was described as "buona," and he
says he merted the commentator, for he
had good time.
" was young fellow" he said. "when
1 entered tho army of the Holy Father. l
was German, and. strange to say, a Prot
estant but said nothing about that when
l enlisted. But my comrades were not long
in finding il out, for l blunderPd fearfully
while at church. and the padres soon gave
me TO understand that man who serves the
Pope must not only serve him outwardly,
but inwardly. They came TO me frequently,
and finally resigned and entered the Ger
man army, leaving. | must confess. the
mildest for the harshest military Govern
ment | have ever known.
" was a member of a regiment of
zouaves while l served the POpe-that was
III 1S69--and life was what we call soft
snap Our quarters were in an ancient
building not very far beyond the shadow of
st. Peters. We wore n blush grey uni
form with red faciDgs, our head buried
under caps like those worn by hussars.
Our uniform was very much like one that is
worn in the French Army to-day.
THE NOBLE GUARD.
" We had in the army, which contained
about IL, 600 men. what was known as the
Noble Guard which, as the name indicated,
was composed of noblemen. 1t was re-
cruited from the bue-blooded families of
Europe, who believed in the church. They
did little but carry messages from the Pope
to kings and cardinals in foreign lands
They carried briettas to bishops who had
been promoted, and l think it was one of
them who appraised Cardinal Gibbons, then
Archbishop, of his creation.
THE mobiles wore dark blue tunics with
white breeches thrust into top boots. They
lad cuirasses upon their breast, with star
of gold in the center. They carried swords
1--WE. the rank and file, were armed with
Remington rifles. We arose at o'clock In
the morning and drilled for two hours.
Then came church parade and our work for
the day was over. But we were obliged to
remain around the barracks until o'clock
in the evening, when we were given liberty
until o'clock.
''Our fare consisted of coffee and hash for
breakfast, excellent soup and macaroni for
diGner. and coffee, bread and meat for sup
per. l have worked for the Pope, the
Kaiser and Uncle Sam, but | have never
tasted better fare than the Holy Father
provided"
And you were paid?"
Six soldi a day; that is about 6 cents.
But one can live we'll on cents day in
Rome"