El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-06
A Priest For a Day
A PRIEST FOR A DAY.

THE sound Of the breakfast bell
was still vibrating in the crisp
morning air and was repeated by
the distant echo among the rocks Of
Add el Kader. The barracks yard Of
the. second regiment of the foreign le-
gion at Saida was swarming with men
running towards the kitchen or going
back towards their quarters carefully
carrying their soup bowls with both
hands so as not TO burn their fingers.
From the windows of the hall Of re-
ports on the first floor Of the little
building in the middle Of the yard,
was watching this always interesting
spectacle of these big boys enjoying
the meal cooked for them by the excel
lent chefs Cfor there were all kinds Of
people in the legion), when suddenly
there was a knock at my door and my
adjutant entered.
There is a deputation of Hungarians
outside, colonel, who want to see you"
Let them come in"
Three men lined up at my desk,
struck their heels together and saluted.
What can I do for you, bOys?' I
asked.
well. colonel" said the oldest Of
them, a tall, sunburnt fellow with
bristling mustache, "One of our COM
rades died in the hospital yesterday
morning and we want to see that he
gets a Catholic burial"
Il understand that but you know
that the old priest Of saba died last
week and his successor has not yet
been appointed"
That is why we have come to you,
colonel"
I had thought Of this matter before
you came but it will be at least two
weeks before we get a new Catholic
chaplain, so 1 really do not know what
to do The priest at Nazreg is sick and
the one at Franchetti is away and I
have received no answer to my request
cara"
1T is a pity" the Hungarian mum
bled, that in a Catholic country ike
France, a camp should have a parson, a
rabbi and an imam, but no priest. Is the
poor fellow to be buried like a dog?"
Go and find me a priest" ordered.
About 10 minutes later I saw them
return with a dozen men and ordered
them to take them to the hall of re-
ports.
Though 1 was rarely surprised at any
thing in the legion, I must say that I
had not expected to find such a large
number of unfrOcked priests in my reg
iment and / questioned them closely to
make sure that they were really priests.
With the exception of one Frenchman
tlLSS we're dlA AuSLIldnS ana one OF
them, man Of superb physique, whose
features wore an expression Of deep
melancholy, explained to me that there
were too many priests in Austria so
that great number Of them only had
the choice Of becoming cab drivers or
enlisting in the legion. He had pre-
ferred to become a soldier.
We'll" / said to him, you will inn
mediately go to the chapel at the mill
tary hospital. The adjutant will give
you few lines to the officer in charge,
whol Twill then hand you the key. In a
wardrobe on the right you viii find the
vestments Of the priests, which you viii
put on and hold yourself ready for SER
vice at II o'clock"
At the appointed time the coffin, on
top OF which had been placed the dead
soldiers helmet and arms, was carried
into the chapel.
/ led the funeral cOrtege with nv
reglmental officers and behind US came
IN close ranks 200 men Of the dead
mans company and delegations from
al the other companies of the regiment,
Ililing the little church to its utmost
capacity private had seated himself
al the organize had formerly been the
Ieaoer OF a famous orchestra-and
prayed IN mastery way Mozart's Re
QUEEN and then the priest entered. fol-
choirboy. a.
One detail Immediately struck my