The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23


thought this was going "a bit too far.
What reasons have YOU for saying
that?"
The butcher winked his eye.
Reasons? DO you know how 10
read?"
slightly. my son"
We'll. then read. father. Head
what the papers say. In Berlin they
are already scared to death. In
Vienna the same. And ~ to Wilhelm.
he's changed the twist Of his mustache
already"
The butcher swallowed a large
m%outhful of ood and continues:
".And believe me. I'll show them
somc;h!1 myself"
He removed his cap. displaying a
head so closely clipped that the only
hair d%iscernible was a small curly
sort of accompaniment to his speech.
The effect was 81 amusing that Gas
pard burst ont laughing.
"This fellows "a wonder. say. pal"
"What?"
you're with US. eh. We're all
friends here. Buretie. who is a jour
naiist, is N Of the best of fellows
Cant be DONE replied the butcher
Gravely. I'm with the meat"
Gaspard displayed real sorrow at the
news. "No luck" he said. and he
never laughed again during the entire
dinner.
(. When they returned to the barracks
and went 10 bed Gaspard was in bad
humor and when "A sergeant scame
along to take the rameS Of the mems
nearest relatives in order to notify
them In case of death, he burst forth
In &
, what do you mean. Pretty
rotten, ] say I'm willing to
get myself killed. hut III he hanged If
! val any one to talk to me about 1t.
Sorry ! told them the truth"
Fortunately. however. August nights
are short and however depressed one
may he before retiring. the blues are
: generally dissipated by the morning
sun particularly in this part Of France
where the bright, laughing rays pene-
trate everywhere. through WINDOWS.
doors and every opening available. No
better awakening could ho found than
that brought about by one Of the
bright beams of the beautiful sun of
sunny Normandy.
Halt organized. half equipped and
also half asleep. the regiment came out
at the call Of the drum and quickly re-
covered in the bright sunshine its
good spirits Of tn" day before. The
men greeted each other with loud en-
CARNATIONS and proceeded al once to
look up their friends The men Of
Normandy and the Parisians formed
separate groups while the s~erceants
we're carefully noting names and other
means Of identification.
Gaspard. who had resumed his work
OF equippinc the men. called out to the
sergeant:
Tin with Burette. He's my pal"
~You bet. and we'll die together.
wont We" Bursttc replied.
When the companies had been or
sanized the men discussed freely the
non-commissioned officers who had
been assigned to them.
'"Who's the sergeant we've Got?"
said one.
"Oh. he's all right
"You bet he is, I'VE known him
for a long time. lrtN tn. men who
are under that other fellow over
there
On the other sid the same impress
Gions WEE exchanged and on the
whole al weg" satisfied.
Ton" ?uIu- the Captains there Vas
but one View. Every coiuianl was
convinced that it had the best Of them
all. but accord.u@ 10 t;,~pard the
Twenty-fourth had Jared better than
any other. When Ne uttered the name
Of his Captain, l'uchc, lie spoke with
a. much RESPECT a. II he were men,
tioning the uainc Of the Almighty.
"Thc hest In the world, pal. And
we'll see If We get the best KIND of
grub Zoo. Believe me. with him We'll
do sonie work
Most of the work. however. was done
BY Gaspard himself. He WAS kept busy
giving Out the various articles II the
soldiers equipment. such as field
dressings, ucck;i.S. shoulder straps,
badges. shoolaccs, neck projectors,
feather belts and many other articles.
In the centre Of the yard he piled bags
vi III ~ f'AT'h 80 ''AA' ~ Aii'thA
and medical supplies. The men were
lined up to receive their share and
Gaspard had an amusing remark for
bach onc
Here YOU. hold out your hand. An
other one who doesn't seem to know
that the Germans are on their way
q their way to where
ION their way IN your wife. So &c,
Q move on"
Gaspard's popularity VAS growing
every minute. In twenty-four hours
ne had become the counsellor and the
confdant Of an entire company. for
IN addition TO his practical usefulness
the moral effect of his presence was
( excellent. To those who were dissat-
isfied he would say:
"Come on, kid, don't bother us with
your baby talk. You're going with us
20 the country and Gaspard will see
that you have a good time"
He had no use for the loud talker
and would promptly silence those who
pretended To know everything about
the war and just what was going to
happen.
Wen let you talk II yOu snow how
after you've shown us what you're
worth. We're not paying you a sou
per day for nothing. Before Dragging
20 out and kill a few Prussians. Wen
pay one sou per hundred"
When a man complained that his