Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-17
ROMANCE, TRAGEDY AND COMEDY
IN THE THEATRE OF WAR

The French papers are recalling an in
, terestins reply which General Pau mad,
| a year ago, when his admirers proposes
to present him sword of honor upon tn,
occasion Of his giving up command of tn,
goth Army Corps.
II certainly should not accept the sword
of honor that you and other well-mean.
ing patriots think of giving me-" he said
such recompense must be reserved
for the man who shall lead our victori.
Gus armies beyond Metz and strassburg
beyond the Rhine, into the very heart OF
the German Empire. AS for me, modest
worker In times of peace, enemy to pub
licity and popularity. Il Is sufficient that
l have the confidence of those who have
served under my orders, and the suffrages
Of good people such as you"
At the village of Lourches in northern
France. wounded French sergeant, out
RACED by German brutality, shot Prus-
sian officer. Before being shot he was
given water by a dauntless lad, Emile
Despres, who thereupon was also con-
demned to immediate execution. Just as
the soldiers were bandaging the boys
eyes preparatory to firing the German
captain, with a cruel smile, cried cynic-
ally, II give you life on condition that
you act as executioner of this sergeant.
He asked for water, you'll give him lead"
After a moments hesitation the boy
agreed, to the horror of his comrades.
Seizing rife, he aimed at the sergeant's g
breast. Then, suddenly turning, he blew
hole through the sneering German. He
was hacked to pieces with bayonets.
La Presze publishes an interview with
the private soldier Turcot, who with his
comrade, Broussard, captured the first
German flag. He is now in the hospital
at Mortargis, slightly wounded in the
back by a spent bullet. Turcot tells a
very modest story. He says he lost his
regiment wandering In a wood, when he
saw a wounded German standard bearer
trying to hide his flag. Calling a COM
rade, Turcot attacked the German and
seized the flag. Then came the hardest
part, the withdrawal carrying the trophy
amidst a storm of bullets. His knapsack
was pierced ten times and his rife broken
in his hands.
A correspondent writes that between
Chateau de Casteau and Lobbes, a par
ticularly desolated neighborhood, from
whence the Inhabitants had fed. the
Germans found a hungry canary in an
abandoned farmhouse. without having
experienced the genuine, almost womanly,
tenderness Of the German soldiers, one
would have called their feeding of the
canary an affectation, or at best pass
ing whim, but It was typical.
A story has reached Paris of the coura-
geous action Of Nine. Macherez, of Sois-
sons. When the Germans arrived there
they demanded to see the Mayor, who
was absent. None of the officials re-
sponded to the call, whereupon Nine.
Macherez went to the Germans and said:
There Is no Mayor here. but I answer
for every one and everything-as you will
have to do If depredations are COM
mitted," "
After disputing the acquisitions and tho
conditions of the Germans the coura-
seous woman saved Scissors on easy
terms.
Alan Bott. writing to the London
Chronicle from Bordeaux, says: French
athletes have been distinguishing them
selves on the fighting line. Two days
ago a notice appeared in the official ga
zette that a corporal named Georges
Andre had been promoted to sergeant
before members of his regiment and rec
commended for a military medal The
paper suggested that this might refer
to Georges Andrea. to whom the French
Premier recently alluded as an all-aTound
athlete and the best Rugby three-quarter,
and who was second in the London Olym-
pic games From inquiries it Is learned
that this Is indeed the case. and follow
ing is the story of how Andrea, who Is
with the French army in Lorraine, won
his honors:
with six men he went into n village to
find rooms for the officers. In the market
place was a large band of Germans. who
set upon the small detach-