The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-06-28
E!|I slIHIgs
OBEDIENT SOLDIERS,
An Illustration Of Military DisOI-
pllne In Germany.
A JOKE TAKEN IN EARNEST.

The story an Ensllshman Tells Of an
Amusing Incident IN Which He Par
tlOlpatsd During q Visit 20 the Bat
tlsfsld Of Worth.
The docfTity and blind obedience Of
the German soldier have hong been an
object OF comment The Germans
themselves recognize thatdt sometimes
goes 80 far as TO be absurd. An Eng
llshman, writing in the london Times.
describes an annusing Incident which
occurred after he had spent day
tramping about the battlefield Of
Worth. He was dressed, IT should be
noted. IN regular civilian clothes and
carried an umbrella:
Emerging from wood. ! came upon
plot OF grass where ebout dozen
German soldiers were rcaaing. The
spirit moved me to stop and speak
to these emphasizing my mean.
ing by signs when my seant German
vocabulary fnilcd me.
asked. "Are you. Prussiansr The
indignant answer, In chorus was: moi
Eaxons"
''Oh." said I. wishing 70 conciliate.
Il am Angio-s Saxon"
Much 70 my aHtunishment. one OF
them got up and shook me warmly by
the hand. Pointing 10 my dusty boots
aud flannel shirt unnuttoned at the
neck. then. IN vie German, explained
to my friends Of five minabes' standing
that I.had made The grand tour Of the
battlefield on foot ard had been walk
ing since O'Clock IN the morning, It
then being IN the afternoon.
Quite casually remarked thsf al
though mot military, but naval Of
fleer" the study Of battieheids inter
ested me.
At the mention Of the word "oficwr
all the men sat up. buttoned their tu-
mics and buckled on their swords or
bayonats--I forget which
"Are you going to NiederbronnT was
my next question.
Yes they replied; I'VE are going to
walk 20 Niederbfonn and there take
the train to B1tseh'
What evil genius prompted me to
make the next remark ] cannot tell,
but although uttered 10 Joke its con.
sequences were perfectly astounding.
II, too, am going TO Eiederbr0un.
You are my regiment, am your colo
neIr'
Up they sprang TO their feet, fell IN
two deep and kept quite silent as II on
parade. Fright turn and 90 we
marched, 1 carrying my umbrella as II
Il were a Sword
Breasting a grassy slope. We marched
up to the top AZ swinging pace. still
observing perfect silence and II step.
A short distance OF was SOLITARY sol
der Of the same regiment lying at
full length 90 a bench near the en-
trance to wood -tunfo unbuttoned,
swerd unbucA1ed. and 50 forth.
On catching sight Of the approaching
squad up he tamped, buftoned hIs
tunsc. bnckied on bis weapon. stood
rfgidly at attention and when the reg
fnent' came by called an as II II
was the most natural thing IN the
world to do.
Piease note that not a word passed
between the main body and the re-
enforcement On entering the wood
the leading file began to sing march
Ing Song, the others joining in chorus.
BY this time we were nearing Nieaer
bronn and passed man and his Wife
who were evidently much astonished
to seq disciplined body Of men
marching IN strict military fashion I'M
der the command Of a fureigner armed
with an umhrelIa--not even silk onei
A discencerting thought arose
"what will happen II we chance across
German officer. and how. In my
broken German, can | ever hope to ex
plain this extraordinary assumption Of
command Of the forces Of the kaiser?"
So without moments further delay
/ said to the men, Il must so to my
hotel, which IL over there" and bada
them goodby.
These docile and anafable Saxons
with one accord, taking time w the
leading Gle, sslnted, and l. having re
turned their saluts, got out Of sight as
rapidly as possible, ON peeping round
the corner Of honse there was my
late regiment stiH marohing with
the regularity Of clockwork.