The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-12-22
.IHls 1KIsH sTANDARD:= ATURDAY DECEMBER y Nh
a SOLDIER or FRANCE

a SOLDIER or FRANCE.
How They We're Made 1t tina niutary
School 1t st. Cyr.
In "A Boy of the First Empire Ell.
bridge s. Brooks story Of Napoleon in
st. Nicholas. is told how the youthful
hero was made into "a soldier Of
France"
So it was soon oyer, for all the world
like some wonderful fairy tale, and
Philip Desnouettes, son of the emigre.
bound boy of the washerwomen's
quarter, protege of the emperor,
turned his back upon the mar
row and dirty street he had once
called his home, and, riding away
from the past, was entered as
pupil in the military school of St. Cyr.
From the day when. as new boy, he
was introduced into the new school of
St. Cyr, and was gradually transformed
from an uncouth street-boy to little
machine, to the day when, four years
later. he left it for other scenes,
Philip Desnouettes' life was one of con-
tinuous training. He got up by the
drum, he ate his meals by the drum, he
went to bed by the drum. He learned
to drill, to ride. and to build fortifica-
tons; he received instruction in Ian
guages, literature, history and mathe-
mates; he toughened without fires,
developed by austere discipline, lived
by rule, played pranks and took his
punishment as he did his medicine
! without grumbling, grew, strength
! ened, broadened in mind and body.
learned to be a French schoolboy, a
French soldier, French gentleman.
Then came 1870 Great things had
been happening while Philip was a
schoolboy at St. Cyr. The map of
Europe had been changed again and
again, and Napoleon was the map
maker. There had been wars and
rumors of war; there had been mighty
marches, bloody battles and terrible
triumphs; and with march and battle
and triumph the fame of Napoleon, en-
peror of the French, had grown to
mighty proportions. In 1910 Francs
and Napoleon were the greatest names
in all the world. And Philip had met
Corporal Peyrolles.
Peyrolles. the wooden-legged, had
left his good leg of flesh on the bloody
field of Austerlitz, and, pensioned by
the emperor, had been made one of the
drill sergeants in St. Cyr school.
To Peyrolles the emperor was not a
mao, he was ''the EMPEROR; and Pey-
roll s worshiped him even as did the
Romans of old worship their highest
and bravest--as something more than
mortal. And yet the boys at St. Cyr
declared that but for Peyrolles the
emperor would never have been; for it
was Peyrolles' delight to recount for
the boys of St. Cyr how II and the
emperor conquered the world!
But it was largely by Peyrolles'
friendly promptings, plus the instruc-
ton of the st. Cyr school, that Philip
became proficient in drill and ambi-
tious Of glory. And when, even before
the allotted term of training, the sum-
mons came to 1.-The cadet Desnouettes"
to attend upon the emperor, the boy
felt that both fame and glory lay we'll
within his grasp.
But Peyrolles said: '.See what it is to
have Corporal Peyrolles for your friend,
cadet. Do you think it is because your
sharp ears served the emperor, when
you were but boy of the streets, that
he now calls you to his. side, even be-
fore your military schooling is done?
Not so. It is because of me. 1t is be-
cause Peyrolles has had you in hand.
The emperor has heard Of it. He bids
you come to him that you may show
others in his service what it is to DO
tutored in arms by the man who helped
the emperor to win the day at Arcola
and Lodi, at Castiglione and the Pyra-
mids, at Marengo and Ulm and Austen
htz. Long live the emperor, and long
live Peyrolles, his right hand! Do not
disgrace my teaching. You are but an
infant yet, cadet. But so were we all
once, and even child can be brave.
Listen, you cadet: rush not rashly in
to danger, but, once in, do not back out.
Strike not until you can strike swift
and sure. Obey, and you shall be
obeyed; follow, and you shall be fol-
lowed; seek glory, and glory shall seek
you. Be q soldier of France, and
France shall be proud of her soldier,
and shall say to the world: Behold,
this cadet was a pupil of Peyrolles of
st. Cyr, grenadier and helper OF, the
emperor"
A Wonan's Way.