The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-20
THE PARISIAN."

In the regiment he was certainly net
q favorite With the officers, but he al
ways managed to get along very well
with his fellow soldiers, for he was SO
lively and had such fund of ready wit.
He had scarcely had any education, as
he was apprenticed at very early age,
but he had read a great deal-every-
thing, III fact. that lie had been able to
get hold of-novels, 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,
he reclted like born actor, and he was
always up to the most irresistible non.
sense, so that he was the very life aud
soul OF the regiment. He had been nick
named by his fellow soldiers, OH account
OF his liveliness and wit, 1.-THE Pari-
sian, and no one ever thought of call
ing him by any other name. AS far as
discipline was concerned, he was II very
second rate SOFT of soldier, for nothing
had ever been able to persuade him that
he owed implicit and 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 i'll tho most immacu-
late state of cleanliness, lie was first
class shot and could march any dis
tance. When it was announced in his
regiment that volunteers were wanted
Tor Tonquin, he enrolled himself with
out moments hesitation, for, rs he
said, he had always wanted to have a
look around i'll other countries. On board
the Mytho, tho vessel which transported
the troops, he very soon made himself
quite at home
In the first place. he managed to get
himself employed down i'll the kitchen,
and in very short time was the favor
lite of the head cook.
Then, when he was off duty, he
would install himself comfortably in
the forecastlc, and, while smoking cica-
rettes made with tobacco contributed by
the sailors, he would entertain his audi
ence by reciting monologues and by i'm
itating the Parisinn street cries Of the
various hawkers.
lilo was wonderfully clever, too, at
1mitating people and animals, and he
had baptized everything and every one
on board with the drollest of names of
his own invention, SO that even the
officer leaning over the bridge during
the watch would often roar with laugh
ter at the absurd nonsense going OF
down below.
For six months the Partisan had been
incorporated III one of the companies OF :;
marching regiment, and there had been
some hard fighting several times, but
so far. us lie himself said, che had kept
his skin whole, and, what WAS nor,
extraordinary, he had escaped all fevers
and illness Of every kind He was Just
as lively Is when III France, and many
time his gayoty 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 all kinds of privations and fatigue
He's u fine soldier" remarked his
licutenant one day to the captain, but
the latter, who had noticed his tenden-
cy to characterization, answered:
Yes, a fine soldier during the cam
paign, but bad one i'll the barracks
headstrong fellow to deal with"
a little later on IL detachment of the
regiment was told off to occupy an iso-
lated point of observation near the banks
of the Sorg-Cau. For some time tic
\ country round had appeared quite calm
8 and peaceful, and, as the guards were
on duty, az seDtinels, the soldiers had
i for the time being neither fatigue nol
priyations to endure.
In order that their inaction should
not have demoralizipg effect on the
men, the officer i'll command saw fit tc
occupy them i'll various ways, such as
digging trenches collecting fagots and
all kinds of details connected with their
temporary encampment. One afternoon
section OF the troop was engaged in
clearing out the quarters, under the di.
rection of Sergeant Butin.
The Partisan had. never been able te