The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-22

to 60 abroad was calculated TO make him
popular among the French.
In the nth chapter our chronicler glances
back over the list Of the foreigners who
have helped the French to fight their battles.
There were the Scottish Archers, cele-
brated by Scott, and Of whom Quentin
Durward was one. There, too, was the
Irish Brigade, "a force whose records MI
many bloody and glorious page OF Euro
pean history and whose prowess more than
once turned the ebb tide Of defeat into the
full tide Of victory. 1t he's been computed
that almost $4,000 Irishmen died In the
French service" There were many foreign
brigades In the army OF the great Napoleon
Everybody has read Of the famous Polish
Lancers. who time and again shattered
the chivalry OF Prussia, Austria and Mus
covy In those combats Of giants when king
doms were the prizes and marslalships
and duchies mere consultations for the less
lucky ones These Poles we're magniti-
cent FOOLS 1t was in the 'SOs that our
chronicler joined the Foreign Legion. He
records:
"The Foreign Legion, as knew It, con-
sisted. a. believe 1t still consists, OF two
regiments, each containing four battalions.
As a battalion numbers 900 men, the total
strength Of the service soldiers may be put
at 5000, In addition there are depot mon,
including band. drill instructors and re-
cruits."
We get to some fighting with the Arabs
presently. Our chronicler was in the thick
Of it. Nicholas. the Russian, who was my
front rank man. pushed forward and stabbed
a yelling demon, rushing at him with up
lifted spear. I ran into his place, and saw
almost at once a dusky mailman, with
short scanty beard, coming at me with muir
der in his eyes. l plunged my bayonet
with all my force into his face. He half
reeled, he almost fell and as he recovered
again I ltinged and struck him fair and full
on the breast bone. Again he reeled, yet
still he tried to strike. thrust third time,
and now at his bare neck; the spouting blood
followed out the bayonet as drew it forth. v
That was the end Of that particular dusky
mailman. Plenty Of others were served
similar. The Spahis charged and finished
up the business Terms for the defeated
we're not very easy. MY company kept
village and an oasis, and l fancy that the
next generation OF Arabs was whittier than
their forebears. But that is war: and the
people-the goodygoodies and the stock
brokers and the foolish women-who believe
that honor dwells in the heart Of soldier
on active service will lament our wickedness
and get ready for the next occasion when
they can send OF their own soldiers to
war, glorious war;
A direful picture, certainly, but we do
not find that our legionary was particu-
larly cast down. He records all sorts OF
matters with an appearance Of great cheer
fulness from Algeria to Tonquin, where
the Black Flags were taken in hand, and
where there were dreadful doings. There
is an account Of a massacre of 100 Black
Flags on page 1883, The men did it, the
officers permitting. No punishment. How
could eight or nine hundred men be pun
ished? 1T is dan gerous-take my word
for it, very dangerous-to 60 too far with
any regiment in any army. With us 1t
would be even worse, for no one, not even
the General in chief command, would be
safe from our bullets if only chance arose.
l believe that we were at once the worst
used and the most feared corps on the face
Of the earth
A beautiful Giuia comes into the story
later Our young legionary married her
and got safely back to Ireland, taking her
along. A crowded book; and We cannot
for the life OF us determine how much Of
it to believe.