The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-04

cap. exchanging views, but not one voice expressed desire to keep the man from doing his duty. The spirit of sacrifice dominated.
 Men Didn't Expect to Return
 Men settled their family affairs with care On the street l he.. d a sean say to another I've just cnaugeu - cease, you know, I go to verduni (the frontier and most dangerous post on account of the attack on Metz. and I shall not Soihe pack. have put all in my wife's name so she will have no trouble"
 NY boy s violin professor came to see me. T am now sure he said. that in a lew hours We are going to mobilize | am glad 10 go, but my wife is to have baby in a month. She Is alone and I must leave her without money. May I count on you to help if need be- But she Is so dehrouilarde (so clever) she'll get along.
 This is what mobilization means In a country where every man is a soldier complete abnegation. complete sacrifice or every personal interest. So quickly did every one get ready for the mobilza- ton that when on Saturday at o'clock the quaint town drummer of Deppe ap- peared on the public square and with a roll of drums announced the call to war a huge majority of the reservists were already on their way to the barracks. at the top of the hill on the route 10 Rouen, so we'll known to American and English tourists.
 1t was picturesque sight to see men Qf every class-rich mems sons. employees, peasants. laborers-every class of the population represented climbing the hill. all carrying their packages, laughing and singing as if on the way to a fete.
 Soon after the winding procession going up the hill crossed another pro- cession coming down. These were the first arrivals who had donned their uniforms. passed before the major com mandant and were coming back to Dieppe to join the camp Installed in one of the most luxurious casinos In the world, the Caniso of Dieppe. only the night before the flower of French and cosmopolitan society had thronged the halls, the gaming rooms, most of the men knowing full we'll that the morrow meant departure for the front.
 Face Death Calmly
 Here Is snap of a conversation:
 Where do you go?" asked a young count of wealthy man.
 ITO Belfort And you?'
 ITO Verdun"
 Tt will be hot fighting In both places. Hein?p
 "Tant mieux. By the way, what beautiful women there are here to- night"
 Not tremor, to go to their death as clamly as to enter salon. This is what has forced admiration for the French. The rapidity with which the eaniso was transformed into barracks was another demonstration of how thoroughly the war office had studied the utilization of every resource in the country for war preparation.
 All night long, after the call for mobilization, hundreds of English and Frenchmen traversed the streets sing ing national hymns and giving vent to loud expressions of the entente cor diale, nowhere better demonstrated than in Dieppe.
 or all the interesting sights none touched more sympathetic chord than the bringing into Dieppe by their peas ant owners of their horses, requisi- tioned by the government for the army their names plaited and tied with tricolored ribbons and coats shin ing like satin. A group of officers stood at the entrance of the barracks and as each horse was presented 1t was rapidly examined. handed over to the military blacksmith. newly shod and led to the army stables, where the saddle or harness waiting for 1t was adjusted. Then it was returned to camp eady to start for the front.
 The peasant owners either joined the army ranks themselves. if they be- longed to the service. or if too old or in bad health, returned home on foot some of them. many miles to far dis tant farms all without a murmur. The government pays fair price for all horses thus requisitioned, but the loss of his horse is nevertheless a great privation for the average owner
 Advantage Over Germans
 The contingent of troops which left Dieppe for the front represented sturdy body of Normans commanded by major who has fought in 1S cam paigns. Here Is one of the great ad- vantages of the French army off Gers and men have seen active fight ing ia Indo-China in Algeria, in Tunis. in Madagascar in Morocco whereas the majority of German officers and men have yet to smell powder, maneuvers