Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-11

getting was not in red tape France. OBJ
Jected that | had not brought my papers.
w nat do you want papers for?'' inquired
the sergeant, almost frowning
ny: do you accept my word without
any written proofs of my IDENTIFY"
ihats between you and the doctor. he
said negligently. IF you are beyond the
age the doctor will find 1t out, or else he
won't. 1t is his affair If you misrepresent
yourself in any other particular it's your
affair You have perjured yourself. and
there is penalty of three months hard"
Listen said to the sergeant. Il am
not quite decided. We will talk 1t over
with n glass of Scotch cold or Irish hot"
And L showed to him a half crown. per-
ceiVlng readily that my simple word would
go further on the queens blue paper than
IN the Sergeants mind, when there was
question of paying for the drinks. Seeing
the coin his face lit up.
The Pay
At the Star and Garter which is in St
Martins lane, it was Irish hot. an excel
lent remedy against the fog. The sergeant
explained the various advantages of the va
rious arms. For the convenience of the
reader [ make the sergeant talk of dollars
and cents
Listen. he said. In the cavalry the
engagement is for nine years, with five
years in the reserve. In the line and the
artillery ii - only seven years, with the
same in the reserve. There is even now in
the infantry a short three years engage
ment, with nine years in the reserve. But
| don't advise ii: you get less. With the
long service, taking your pay and canteen
and grocery allowance together, you get -
cents a day, Of which II cents is cash
pocket money. You are well fed and well
cared for. Three meals a day, three
quarters of a pound of meat. your pot of
beer four times a week, foot ball and
cricket grounds and a looking glass in
your bed room, And, do you know, that
tWpntV-Onp SprNicp-that (
say, if you have re-enlisted three times
you get, according to your grade. pension
that can go from 16 cents to $l@-'
"A day."
"A week"
How long does it take to become cor
poral?" | demanded.
You look Intelligent. Say eighteen
months. Or year at least"
And sergeant"
a Glorious Outlook.
Three years, but that's magnificent AL
most 60 cents a day, lodged like a prince,
with the right to marry. Your wife and
children transported gratis to the colonies,
and all kind of indemnities for the little
ones. AS for the non-com. officers mess
why, there Is silverware,'
l ordered another Irish hot. The sergeant
became more communicative. He sand to
me:
Sign the paper You are a gentleman
(The subtle fattererD Tomorrow or the
day after, if You think worse of ii, you can
unftst for S5-just the amount l make by
enlisting you During three months you
can still buy off for $50 Then it is dearer
-S90r'
Sergeant" I said, I'VE are two good
friends"
He grasped my hand
Il don't want to deceive you. | am an
American
What harm is that? Weren't there plen-
ty of Englshmen and Irishmen az Santi-
ago? And III tell you something else
supposition. Suppose the doctor should re-
fuse you at his examination. You just go
and give one pound sterling to one of those
boys who Is sure to pass. He will slip you
his paper"
And he takes my name?"
For three minutes"
and am to serve under his nance"
"Naturally-as You have his paper"
And draw my pension after twenty-one
years under a false manner"
why not?"
Desertions Explained.
Such is the singular and truthful CONVEX
sation l had with a recruiting sergeant of
her majesty the Queen Of England on
wet October day, just outside the National
Gallery. And the mode Of recruiting there
in described explains we'll the 1880 annual
assertions from the British army deser-
tons actually counted on, which rather re-
lieve than incommode the service
And the rest? The rest becomes an ad-
mirable band of acknowledgements
at 81 cents a day!
Nevertheless. as soon as they are clicked
into shape these "mercenaries' are trans
formed miraculouSly. They bloom into en-
bodiments of the national spirit. The Eng
!iShman is superior to every other man. and
the English soldier is superior to every
other sOdier-tbis is his simple creed. How
is the soul and body of thorough, no-aC-
counts so changed and made heroical? It
Is an AnglO-SaXOn mystery. Fresh from
France, accustomed to the consCript syS-
TEN. it remains a mystery to me. Unless
it be as the recruiting sergeant said in his
expansion over the third irish hot:
"Why. there isn't anything but England