The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-06-04

l &.
| of France who,
making aAstand and then assuming
the offensive, drove the German lines
back slowly and in fair order, but new
ertheless in retreat.
| 1t is the iron times which have laid
bare the soul of the Partisan people.
Like other Americans had thought of
Paris as being a place largely of gilt
ter and gayety. Paris in it's lighter
moods perhaps approaches the frivol-
Gus, but now what was a mask is OFF
and one sees the solemn and perhaps
severe intention of these men, women
and children of the republic. The real
seriousness of the nature of Paris
and Paris is typical of Francis in
evidence before the jury of the world
Paris, colorful Paris, today is robed
in black. The setting of all the street
scenes is somber. The footlights are
turned low. Paris works, goes about
its daily routine as If its strong men
still were within it's borders, and it
does it apparently with as high a
heart as it carried in the day of peace
Sits in Semidarkness.
Like London, Paris sits at night in
semidarkness The army of France
guards the frontier and the inner line
to which its foes have pierced. Paris
itself is guarded by it's reserves of
troops, men far beyond sboyhood, and
by its vigilant watchmen of the night
who make their rounds in swift and
steady fight over home of poor and
rich.
! have just looked on a review of
several regiments of the reserve
guard of Paris. The place chosen for
the marching by of the troops was the
Esplanade des Invalides, the great
parklike plain outlying the huge struc-
ture of the Invalides built by Louis lie
Grand as home for the aged and the
permanently disabled soldiers of his
monarchy. Since that day France has
been monarchy, empire and repub-
lie, but the Invalides still stands and
still shelters the defenders of the
land.
There were many thousands of the
guards of Paris in the review. The |
younger men are all at the front, but |
these men of the home guard have |
not passed the years of hard service, |
even if time has touched their hair |
with white. They are sturdy-looking |
soldiers, and many of them show in |
the erectness of their carriage and |
their peculiar and Enthusiastically mill |
tary stride, that they have not for |
gotten the training in camp or in field,
in France, Algeria or Morocco, when,
as youths of nineteen, they entered
their country's service.
Proud of Its Defenders.
The Partisan is proud of his defend
ers. 1t would be nearer the truth |
today perhaps to say that the Paris
ienne is proud of her defenders, for
Paris today largely is city of wom-
en-, although one must not forget the
children. In England soldiers march |
through the Strand and down through |
Piccadiliy on their everlasting way to
for so the bands proclaim
the line of march. But in England the
troops pass through lines of seemingly
apathetie onlookers, giving no cheer
and on inspiriting or commencing
word. OF course, Englishmen feel, but
they do not show their feelings. In
Paris, how different it is! Today,
with the shadow of war over it, Paris,
as has been said, is serious, but the
sight of marching, uniformed French
men and the sound of music bring
Paris out of its solemnity. It cheers
and God speeds" its defenders
Another thing Paris does, thing al
most unknown in England and Amer
lea. When the eolors of a regiment
pass the unlocking throng, the head
of every man and boy is barred, and
every man and child does honor to the
flag. Soldiers of all lands salute the
passing colors, and in Germany, in
Austria, and in Russia / understand
that the civilians do likewise France,
however, | believe leads the world in
civilian honor to the emblems of gov
eminent and its regiments.
Paris has been visited on several oc-
easions by the aeroplanes and Zeppe-
Inns of its present enemy country
The Partisan has taken these calls
with certain appearance of indiffer- !