Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-24
BATTING THE ENSIGN
UNHAPPY LIFE OF THE GERMAN ARMY
CANDIDATE OFFICER.


| The Petty Miseries and HumiIintions
10 which the Unfortunate Young
.... T.. su,icctca nv His suuerior.
~. ,,..,.,,., r,,,..
In Germany the prestige of the uni
| form is often bought at the price of petty
miscrics and humiliations. 1Iazng. when
eonductcd in the intimacy of the military
school. among youths of the same age,
has at least the saving quality of privacy,
but the batting of the unhappy candidate
officer, which is n feature of the German
service, carries with it the added humilia-
ton of being made to anusc both superior
officers and the outside public
The young candidate officer IL obliged
by the regulations to live with the officers,
to take his meals with them and to pass
all his leisure hours in their society. At
the end Of the day, tired out with the
fatigucs of a service still new to him, the
poor fellow would rather 20 to bed. But
no, he must follow them TO the casino or
the beer halls. Come, come. "A young
fellow of your age to be tired! You
mustn'tr'
AT your orders, Herr Lieutenant ne Is
bound to reply. Il mustn't
You're all right. You're going To be
one of us. Only you must not get tlIed
AT your orders, Herr Lieutenant
"Pcrfcctly. You will come to the beer
garden with us. We will pick up the 9th
ers. We will show ourselves. DO YOU
know, my boy, You don't show yourself
enough, | have heard it remarked. You
isolate yourself too much. 1t is not per-
mttcd in an ensign. When you gdr to be
captain or major, you will 20 out when
you please, but for the instant you must
come ont with u.s."
at your orders, Herr Lieutenant.
Entering the beer garden the officers
join group Of friends, coolly Abandoning
the candidate TO his fate, winch IS TO ma
n chair and sit in n corner alone. No one
notices HIM. lie ilghts Il cigar ana supS
a mug Of beer. AS no one addresses him
and as he has not the right 10 open ms
mouth except to reply, AT your orders,
he is silent. he hniShes ms second cigar.
suddenly one of the officers, plying nm,
may hold M his mug OF beer saying 10
your health ensign He knows his cti-
quetc. lie rises, stra ightens up, and, as
if moved by clockwork' raises his own
mug to his lips and empties 1t at single
. gulp
Ilalt an hour passes. linen captain
it may be, will begin IN a sympathetic
tons, Il say, ensign, how OLD are you
Twenty years old, Herr Captain.
"honnorwettcr. You are old
AT your orders, Herr Captain.
My faith, here's to your health, en-
sign
Inc unfortunate youth rises stralSht
t ems up. cmptics his mug and falls to his
/ seat again. in the midst OF The most pro
found neglect. suddenly he is rouSeC
IA "A known
. Il say, young man, how old are YOU,
Twenty years old, my commandment
l. "Ihunder. You are old.
Il AT your orders, Herr Communicate.
4 "Well. here's to your health, ensign.
p Up gulp and down again.
= "lhe commandment has been chatting
5 quite familinry with the ensign re
!. marks some one.
: "Ah: says some one else.
t What dld the commandnnt ask you!
e says third, as If overcome with curIos
o ity.
:, lie asked me my age, Herr Lleuten
: ant.
h Il have often wanted to ask you tn
d Same question. How old are you:
Il Twenty years old. Herr Lieutenant"
p, You are very old.
II AT your orders. Herr Lieutenant
l. My tMth. to your health, ensign.
h Up, gulp ana down again AL last
imagineS the hour of deliyerance is q
hand. 1t is time he ought. by the regula
tions, to be III bed. lie starts to pay 10
his drinks
'Nhcre are you going, ensign
!. 81 must 60 in. | have not permission.
10 eco on, but no, my friend. Stay wit
10 us, quiet and comfortable. You don
T. need any permission 80 long as you az
d with us. Wen take you back
l. AT your orders, Herr Commandan
:, Waiter beer
< stu higher officers at the lower end
le the table, pretending to notice for the iin
n tim" the silence of the young candldat
he express the desire to hear hlm speal
~ How otherwise would they be able
It judge his abilities?
III One of his lieutenants begins with hin
v "Whcn 90 you so to the school of wa
ensign"
"Oct. !, Herr Lieutenant.
'Do you know where you are to go:'
,h| AT your orders, Herr Lieutenant,
n shall probably be sent TO Hanover
,I| Thunder, what luck"
w. "At your orders. Herr Lieutenant"
SIX 'My faith. here's to your health.'
inl Up. gup and down again. Silence.
"When are you to be named officer"
or "In eighteen months. Herr Lieutenant
an GLOW cid are you?"