The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-07-19

the Germans Were Out Of Ammuni-
ton and Laugh at Official Announce
nnents From the War offices-Suffer
Because Enemy Is on French Soil.
Soldiers at the front have given up
betting, specializing or prophesying as
to the date the war will end. Last
winter the end of May was the great
est favorite. Next came July IA for a
peaceful yet victorious national cele-
bration. and the beginning of August
for a complete year of war, says a
correspondent on the French battle
front.
Newspapers are still eagerly read,
but the French press has lost its hold
over the French soldier. The Cos
sacks at Five Marches From Berlin"
a heading that appeared in September.
is remembered In the army with dis
dain, even If forgotten by the public.
Semi official announcement Of Ger
man shortage OF shells is not forgiven
by those who daily receive "A very fair
and what they think sufficient dose of
them. When the men are ordered to
the cellars and shelters they never
speak of bombardment, but always re-
mark. 'They are short of shells" Ev-
erybody knows what is meant.
The usual cheap s~tereotyped phrases
about our heroic soldiers" are resent
ed. and men are fed up with nonsen-
steal, fabricated accounts and portraits
of ourselves and our doings. There Is
really no truth in the pictures drawn
by journalistic grocers to please Paris
ian eoncierges. The French soldier at
the front Is totally different from, in
nnltely more lovable and human than
the representations of him given by
these admiring yet libelous w~orshipers.
Does Not Act the Hero.
He is a hero, but does not act the
hero. He will stand the strain of this
protracted wal whether he Is covered
with praises or not. He Is not lighting
for praise OF compliments or acclama-
ton, but for his invaded country and
for his ideal of a peace based on jus
tice.
When the newspapers arrive they are
read aloud to groups. The official bull
letins are listened to I'm eager silence,
but at the first mention of "our heroic
poilus" a storm of angry "Oh! La
barbeI" breaks out,
'Barbe'' means beard, that which In
shaved, and as the word for shave
means also to bore to death, ia barbe"
means enough of that stale talk"
1t sounds so insincere and insulting,
for 1t seems as IL IL was heaped up and
repeated for fear we should otherwise
give way. 1t seems to smack of cow
ardice and want of tact. DO tell your
American readers these pictures are
overdrawn, without foundation or re-
semblance. Tell them the men are far
more modest, human and sympathetic
than Is to be inferred from most news
papers. They do not act, they do not
pose and are really quite unassuming.
The French army Is an image of
France as a whole and, what Is best of
II, not an image OF what a few over
anxious, ~hysterical admirers fondly Inn
aglne IL to be.
Abashed at Their Heroism.
There Is not only much heroism, but
heroism so remarkable that 1t stands
out, and those who witness it feel a
kind of shame In speaking of II, ou-
pied with the fear. nay, the certainty.
Of inability to do II justice.
THE most extraordinary, the most
impressive figure that / have yet met
with was also the most unassuming,
gentle. modest man you could imagine"
said the correspondent. II will en-
deavor to depict him for you as he re-
mains In my memory after three
months friendship. A lieutenant COM
handing a company: a prepossessing
appearance; a real, thoroughbred
Frenchman with fine, regular, well
shaped southern features starred with
beautiful, deep northern eyes; spotless
In attire and passionately fond of his
profession. Intensely French, love Of
France, its soil. its people, its tradi-
tons, its language was deeply rooted
In him, the flame of patriotism burn
ing white.
LIE presence Oh the 1pTDluuS III
France really made him suffer. i re-
member going the round of the SEN
tries with him n night. At an ad-
vanced post l had placed a double SEN
try In a bush. In front stood a tall
ash tree, and the rising noon flung its
shadow far out. He led the sentries
to the far end of the trees shadow
and whispered to them to keep within
1t. Back In the trenches he said aloud,
but as II speaking to himself, This
French tree hides In its shade our SEN
tries, and as the moon rises they will
be brought back covered in the dark
shroud.'
Three days before be was killed In
action we were talking Of the promise
Of spring. Of a change from mud and
dark sodden vistas. He murmured
slowly, i should like to fall in an at
tack at sunrise, when the bayonets are
gilded and shine out flercely like gold,
to die after having recovered some of
0ur soil and liz down among Tho NON.