Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-07-20
THE PARISIAN."

Il
ways managed to get along very well
with his fellow soldiers, for he was SO
lively and had such fund Of ready wit.
lie had scarcely bad any education, as
nc was apprenticed ut a very early age,
but he had read a great deal-every-
thing. in fact. that he had been able to
get hold of-noyels, newspapers, books
Of travel and adventure, all kinds and
sorts Of literature, and as he had an
excellent memory he was certainly cap
ital company.
Then, too, he could sing fairly well,
be icti.,t lie l6:n actor. and he was
always up 10 the Liost irresistible non
sense, so that he was the very life aud
soul Of tie ie iment He had been nick
named by his fellow soldiers. ON account
Of his liveliness and wit, 1.-THE Pari-
ian," and no one ever thought Of call
ing him by any other name. As far as
discipline was concerned, he was q very
second rate SOFT Of soldier, for nothing
had ever been able to persuade him that
he owed implicit ana passive obedience
| to the officers, Of no matter what rank
they might be.
On the other hand, he kept his uni
form and his arms in the most immacu-
late state OF cleanliness, he was first
class shot rnd could march any dis.
tance. When il was announced in his
regiment that volunteers were wanted
for Tonquin. he enrolled himself with
ont a moments hesitation, for. Gs ho
said. he lad always wanted to have q
| lock around in ether countries. On board
the Mytbo. the vessel which transported
the troops, he very soon made himself
quite at home.
III the Grst place, he managed to get
himself employed down in the kitchen,
and in yciy tLoit Nme was the favor
| ite of the head cock.
Then. when lie was of duty, he
would install himself comfortably in
| the forecastle. and. while smoking ciga-
rettes made with tobacco contributed by
the sailors. nc would entertain his audi
snce by r.citing monologues and by i'm
itatipg the Pafisian street cries Of the
various haw kers.
He was wonderfully clever, too, at
initiating people and animals, and be
had baptized everything and every one
OH board with tie drollest Of names OF
his own invention, SO that even the
officer leaning over tho bridge during
| the watch would often roar with laugh
ter mt the absurd nonsense going ON
down below.
For six months the Partisan had been
incorporated in one Of the companies OF a
marching regiment, ard there had been
some hard fighting several times. ont
30 far, as he himself said, "he had kept
his skin WHOLE" and. what was more
extraordinary, he had escaped all fevers
and illness of every kind. he was just
as lively as when in France, and many
time his eayety had put new courage
into some Of the younger soldiers.
His superiors appreciated his bravery
and sang froid when under fire and the
happy way he had Of making the best
OF oil kinds of privaiions and fatigue.
"He's fine soldier. remarked his
lieutenant one day to the captain, but
the latter, who had noticed his tenden-
cy to iEsubordination, answered:
"Yes, a fine soldier during the cam
paign, but bad one i'll the barracks-a
headstrong fellow TO deal with"
A little later OH detachment Of the
regiment WIS told off to occupy an iso'
lated point Of observation near the bank,
Of the Song eau. For some time the
country rouEd had appeared quite calm
apd peaceful. and. as the guards were
oil duty as sentinels, the soldiers had
for the timo being neither fatigue MOI
privations to endure.
In order that their inaction should
not have denoralizing effect OIL tht
| men, the officer in command saw fit II
occupy them in various ways, such al
digging trenches, collecting fagots and
| all kinds Of details connected with theiI
temporary eIcampment One afternoon
section Of the troop was engaged IN
clearing out the quarters, under the di
rection of Sergeant Butin.
The Parisian had never been able Il
reconcile himself to handling the pick
Ak, and generally he passed his time il
looking Gil while his comrades did the
work, aud as he always kept them en-
tertained with his jokes and nonsense
neither the men nor the subofficer il
command had ever made any difficulty
sbout this. AS it happened, though. Oh
the afteirCCn in question Sergeant Blu
tin was in very bad humor. for he had
that morning been hauled over the Goals
himself ~ lis surti!or officer.