New-York tribune., 1910-01-16
HIS BREACH OF DISCIPLINE

near lleSSlleSS Ol lle TIeIlCll dIUly
which with apparent apathy had seen
the straps torn from young officers
shoulders for what seemed to me no
grave breach of discipline merely
because he had hurried away to a
foreign country without asking leave
when his fiancee lay dying. Jumping
from my chair in rise of indignation,
| volubly expressed my opinion of the
case, and Colonel Dunois frowned at
II with grave good humor from be-
meath his heavy white eyebrows. His
very trimness and placidity aggra-
waited me. How he, the most famous
veteran of the French army, a soldier
who had been famous as one of the
Captains Three, could sit there in the
face of such injustice was beyond my
comprehension.
Well?" | questioned, coming to
halt before him, Haven't you any
thing to say about it? What do you
think of it,"
Without rising from the window
ledge of my studio, where he had
perched like some weather-beaten
eagle, he leaned over and pointed at
the heading of the journal l had
thrown on the floor.
i For the good of the service |
read; but it did not relieve my in
dignation. l should have said some
thing to this effect had not his attitude
OF lntrOspection assured me that
whatever my vaporingS, or however
vehement, they would be audible to
none but unsympathetic ears. |
stared out the window into the depths
of Rue BOnaparte in a huff. He
waited for moment and then spoke.
Doubtless it seems a harsh iudg-
ment to you he said; but in so vast
an organization as nations army
discipline must be preserved and SEN
timent can have no place | learned
that lesson many years ago. 1t was
taught me in half-hour of unforget-
table bitterness by that splendid old
General, long dead, LIE Fargo. Had
my delinquency been as open to the
publlc-and to the army-as was this
mans, doubtless | too should have
paid the penalty as he did. Hearts 7
between a soldier and his duty. All,
cooling down. Perhaps, if | were to te
you would be less quick to condemn tt
instance where an officer has been h,
know that from the time of the great
now men have suffered when they erre
Slowly my anger cooled in the onsls
est; for that this great veteran had eve
ger of disgrace had not occurred to Il
with some better grace and listened
voice, like the chime of some ancient /
Dunois told his story and the dusk sett
the far sweeping Seine and the song
waned to contented drOne now thai
done.
ONCE" " he said, many years ago. aft
Algerian campaign, there was a
restless soldiers, accustomed to the fiel,
IN war, cursed the inactivities of bar
discipline was threatened bv a thous
subordlnations. Disorders grew, until
more serious infractions compelled a,
Splendid army, which in field had
hclently, was threatened with disinte
entire company was mustered out fC
mutlny, another was sent to the worst
and examples were made of every indi
we officers were shocked one fine n
knowledge that a Lieutenant of Hussar
young man of most excellent famil
previously good reputation, had run
through while in deserted street lead
racks, lett him for dead, and fled.
captain, whose name was Miouelin "
the hospital and worked over for m
winch lie wavered uncertainty. At
fOur hours elaDSed before h. ,lI,I1 =: