Evening star., 1898-07-16

rants. He was at home in the two music
halls, which the officers might not frequent
because of their dignity, and he cared
nothing for the theater But he could not
endure it to go continually to the railway
hotel restaurant for the delicate eating
which his company's soup pot could not
furnish to him At last he hit upon the
simple eXpedient of ordering his occasi
spreads in the banqueting room, on the
second floor, of the best restaurant of the
town. He had to pay for the use of the
big room, but that was nothing to Lebaudy.
The difficulty was to get to the banquet af-
ter it was ordered To pass through the
rooms full of officers downstairs was out
of the question. To make use of any side
door was equally impossible. There was
nothing but to rent the house next door
and have a way cut through in the parti-
ton!
In the Larger Cities.
In the great cities like Marseilles, Bor-
deaux and Paris the French soldier finds
no such social difficulties while he wears
his uniform. 1t would be as unnecessary
as impossible to make any such list of
places of public entertainment If he have
the money to pay for it, the private in uni
form may occupy the best seat in the
house at a matinee of the Coincide Fran
caise or the Grand Opera. He will have no
more officers to salute than he would on
the Boulevard des Italiens. AS for the res
taurants and cafes. there are so many,
while the private soldiers on leave of alb
sence are so few that there is no reason
why the well-to-do young conscript should
not take his pick of them whenever he has
the opportunity. Where the civilian ele-
ment is so preponderating, the military eti-
quette of the small towns has no reason for
existence. A private would scarcely nut
himself down beside an officer; but he could
not be expected not to enter an establish
ment because an officer might be there 1t
Is mere salute when they do meet-as in
the street. OF course there is great deal
of saluting, and it must be done with prop
er ceremony and respect. When a French
conscrfpt out on leave walks down the
Paris boulevard at pm. his hand is going
to his head continually. But he is always
able TO console himself with the reflection
that the matter is almost as ANNOYING to
his superiors as to HIMSELF while for the
rest it is part of his three years ordeal
of patriotism. He does not choose to be a
soldier, and he Will be glad when it is over
And, finally, he knows that the person real
himself.
Horrors of Peace.
The French military officer, who has no
private fortune, finds his only resource in
a wealthy marriage His social position
gives MIN great opportunities in this re-
gard; and If he does not take advantage of
them he has only himself to blame Should
he be so unhappy as to marry a poor girl
he will be subjected through life to mapy
a humiliation
oiie u tHeSe poor OiEcerS' has lust been
describing to me some scenes from mill
tary life which might be fifty entitled The
Horrors of Peace"
My dear sir he said in ending "there
has been only one corps and one period in
the present century in which it was truly
agreeable to serve. That was in the RoyaI
Guard under the restoration. When an
officer got into debt, his colonel had him
up and said to him: Monsieur, the king
pays your debts Then the poor officer
made others. The colonel had him IN
again, and said: Monsieur, your colonel
pays your debts And If the poor officer
made other debts again, the colonel said
to him, this time severely: Monsieur. YOUR
comrades will pay your debts Only then
for punishment they passed him down the
line one grade
1t seems that things are much changed
under the republic. The actual state of
Europe, when peace sits enthroned on
bayonets and all the nations are forced TO
keep up great armies, it is necessary to nav
soldiers next to nothing and officers as lit
tie as possible.
Why. l have dreaded to go out on pa
rade while it was raining" exclaimed the
poor officer" because I knew that If
would ruin my dolnran when scarcely had
the means to buy a new one!''
STERLING HEIIIG