Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-14
Drawines by Armand Both
w THAT became of Vlalon? What became of
w him. you ask? Villaon's last days were sad
hv TRAGEDY. a oedV that although

dened by tragedy; a tragedy that, although
it beed the saw that he who lives by the sword must
perish by the sword nevertheless proved that
must pay for tragedy by tragedy. You've heard so
many of the tales of the Captains Three that
entitled to hear this story of Vialon. IN tell it.
l often think that the beginning of the delayed
end for Captain Jean Villalon began in that brief
Algerian campaign which followed SO closely on the
heels of last clash at arms with the Germans:
Leopard not with at this time and the trio of
Captains Three was broken Brownelle the Ameri-
can had returned to his own; but Villalon and l
formed new friendship, from an old acquaintance
ship.
Why we should ever have selected aptain Del
intimate is beyond me, save that he was
recklessy brave, hot tempered, albeit honorable
man, and a soldier of noteworthy excel ence. grew
to like him with strong affection. and that
Vilalon regarded him in the same way. Indeed,
change brought on by woman neither Villalon
Delar thought i'll of each other for we fought
together, slept together and suffered together as
becomes comrades of war, thus sealing a slight
friendship extending through more than twenty
years.
THE vicissitudes of that SUN baked field, with its
of desert and patches of oasis brought back
into the army life the picturesque vlvandieres those
strange characters who sometimes combined evil
with good but at heart women, after ALL And
of them was Clochette. 1t comes back to quite
plainly the morning which she first appeared,
CARRIED in Zouave red cheeks glowing, eyes sparkling
and night-black curs twisting framework round
her oval face. She nsoucianty danced her tiny feet
spurning the sand she down between the
worn and faded service tents, and the drummer who
had been mending head, ruff1ed in her honor. We
leaped tent flies, believing that officer of
rank passing through. She laughed and blew a
kiss at the drummer, and the veterans along Our
sandy street saluted her with boisterous, friendly
shouts
Hardened as by many campaigns and
SCARED on many fields, she came as softening in
1uence; like the first warm ray of the across
coldly purple sands the first mellow glow of the
moon above desert palms. never knew whence she
came. for in her tongue was intermingled peasant
and Gle hut nr1O1 Of small
account with vivandere. We learned that there
was field she would not invade, and the hospital
tents filled with melancholy exiles, knew her we'll
The thick of many fight witnessed the flash of her
red jacket and in that time when our supply train
lost and we staggered harassed footsore, and
starved beneath unfeeling stars she sang gay
afraid! -.
that red day at Ell Goea when we tore victory from
defeat and called the roll decimated egions in
the midst of our dead, came into command of the
regiment. We three, Villalon, Delmar, and l. cele-
brated it as best might, and my friends, know,
without envy. Our only regret that Le-
pard was absent; but we toasted him too On my
the grim chdssenrs d friqtte burst into believing
roar of welcome. And Cochette broke regulations
by dancing mischievously past and winkng at me.
Sun tanned faces smiled at her impertinence, and
doubt not that beneath the ragged uniforms of my
veterans many heart beat faster she laughed and
ran away.
TT may be that my graver responsibilities
Colonel and that invisible bar which rears itself
between officers of different rank kept me from my
comrades and prevented my seeing the growth
of the breach that to separate my best friends
Only this, in time noticed: Villalon, the beau SABRE
the who after day of battle could strum tunes
and sing songs sang more and Delmar, the splen
did raconteur whose laugh Infectious grew silent
and taciturn. Perhaps | was blind. l have often
thought with regret; for might have averted the
distressing Climax the climax that came in the mid
die of the night by the challenge of my orderly.