The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-03-10

Sncpnearu anu tue COHliueLlal uo'
tells out of bounds for anyone under
tn, rank OF an officer. The order was
issued because the Australian privates
were monopolizing the two best places
in the town to dine.
Two of these Australian boys, lean.
flanked horsemen from the plains,
free men In the very carriage of
their heads. started to mount the
steps. Pull them up!" the lieulen.
ant Of tho p. Ms guard snapped out.
For moment | thought we would
have scene. but the two boys, who
had not heard the official order. lis
tened with faces as cold as marble.
and. without losing trace OF dig.
nifty, turned and walked down the
stairs. | wanted to cheer. The land
ing at Anzak was easier for them
than to walk down those stairs, but
they did 1t like cowboys and men.
"king's'' Son Private.
Most of these Australians have
plenty of money. and there is no tell
ing by their rank how much money
they have. One private has rented
the most expensive house for rent in
Cairo and has q retinue of servants.
He is the son of pearl king.
The democracy of this army shocks
some British officers and delights
some others. Usually they like it, be-
cause the type Of British officer who
has been sent to Egypt is usually a
man who has knocked about the back
countries and values men for being
men. spent the morning with
British major who had received Or
ders to work up contingent to
handle camel corps. For corps cap.
tain he picked up an Australian who
has not all n" to his name and
swears beyond belief. But he under
stands camels and that is all my
friend asks. He has been doing a
large share of his provisional recruit
ing sitting in a cafe. and the word has
passed around where he is to be
found. And this is the British army!
An Australian told me story on
his colonel. They were fresh back
from Gallipoli. and ordered up for
review So the colonel gave them
few instructions, in the family circle,
as to how they were to behave. and
ended by saying:
And for the love of Mike when
the General is here don't call me
Bill"
can quite believe that story. After
seeing the joyous Australians it does
not seem bit out of the way.
Longing for Scrap.
Three of those mighty men from
the Antipodes were riding on street
car with me the other day and three
dapper effendi, with polished boots
and more than polished manners, en-
tered and sat down opposite.
One of the Australians leaned
across to me and remarked:
stranger, can't you do something to
start fight? need exercise
The effendi looked disturbed but
kept their seats.
> The most typical of the stories l.
have heard on passable authority oc.
Cured the night Of the evacuation of
Anzac, the, particular evacuation in
which the Australians did not lose a
man. Officers have told me that as
they walked down that deadly slope
to which they had chung for months
they had not the slightest expecta-
ton of ever getting away alive. They
hoped they might get some of their
men off on the transports which had
come up under cover of night, but to
escape themselves they considered i'm.
possible.
That night, though everyone knew
what was going to happen, was
chosen by several mighty Australians
to get dead drunk. They could not be
moved. But in the dawn, hours after
everyone else was gone, they woke
from their drink Numerically, and
swan out until they were picked up.
After First Effect, Ordinary Lite.
Once the first overwhelming effect
Of the Australians has passed, one
sees from the terraces more OF the
ordinary life. the racing Charles
with their shouting drivers bearing
along Egyptian women with fine eyes
and the thin white wells, more a
than a protection, now
in vogue in the East. Some of the
ladies' of the sultan's palace have
also just passed in French limou-
sine, going three times as fast as
anyone else. and note they too wear
the gossamer yashmaks.
On the sidewalk Immediately be.
low the rail of the hotel, an Arab
is squatting telling the for
tunes of two Australians. A water
carrier, dirty beyond belief. pushes
along through the swarming porters.
Officers are arriving, bag and bag
gage, every half minute, and through
the red fezzes comes brighter touch
Of color as two, British generals, red
bands on their caps. red tabs on their
lapels and strips Of service ribbons
with every color in the rainbow. pull
up. .|:.,
But through all this distracting
color comes figure in a white turban,
and a white burnoose who dominates
the sidewalk. A staff officer who has
just descended the steps sees him and
thrusts out hand for, him to shake.
He gives it quiet, dignitied shake.
and they pass a few compliments be.