New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-11
The Soldier Who
Conquered Sleep
Bv Pierre Mile
translated. ,cith Introductory Comment,
By William /. Mcpherson

..o.,, ,raich foH9us, By Pierre Mile hos
..,oirg military faU0r IL IS direct, Dlvid
5..s,,s.or and through Il runs the inspiring
...ieu OF ftct utter trust. that boUndtess
IVY 49, ,rbich come 10 erist betWeen true
',r.r,-beficeer the leader lchO has proved
..,f IN battle and the men rho kno1c his
"A The incident which the author uses Is
.:,bty ingenious. The spirit behind the '''o'-
80 i admirable and heroic.
n Mile has written many 0ar stories HIS
.-,,E IN IFS fne comprehension and deI'cGcy OF
Linn s.rjkingly supplements that Of Rene
p,s;qrin and Marcel NadGad.
ryE WAS a little sergeant, very young
RI undoubtedly Of the class of 1914.
Pinned 10 his coat he wore the Croix
j. crs,re At the sight Of the captain, along
"a. # whom l was walking the afternoon Of
..of the last Sundays in July, he saluted hur-
-.slv It was not on his part the ordinary
Into imposed by discipline-the salute which
,,srv subordinate owes TO his superior. These
go men knew each other. l recognized that
,,+ from the warmth Of the gesture. / recog-
I'D Il also from the manner in which the
,H,sr responded to the homage Of the youthful
adler. He stopped and began conversation:
We'll. my boy, are you on leave?"
The face Of the young sub-oficer lighted up.
p becarne sublime in its enthusiasm, its devo-
sou. It's admiration, its gratitude and its love
20. in its love. We had the right, before the
ray 10 believe that the visage Of very young
nan could be TRANSPORTED only by meeting
nth the first woman ne has ever loved. To-day
We know better. We know that young man
viii never give himself as completely to
voman as to a chief whom he has recognized
On the field Of battle to be really chief.
It's necessary to describe things as they are
raman VOWS 10 a woman, on certain occa-
son. that he is ready to die for her, it is very
seldom that she puts him under any obliga-
ion to perform that supreme sacrifice. But
that same oath is the basis Of military disci-
nine. And in the latter case it must be kept.
And it is kept.
So this Injunction Of fatal self-abnegation is
al the more certain to embody itself in some
PARTICULAR being chosen because Of one knows
not VIA mysterious qualities-a man who pos
sssses. sometimes unwittingly, the gift of au-
,norty and of whom those who follow him
saw I've will die for him. That love-the
love Of the soldier for his chiefs the highest
ofaH loves. Women can never help being jesl-
Gus oft
The little sub-oficer had blushed with joy
He stammered;
~Yes, ny captain, l am on leave. Yes, my
captain. And you, too, as I see! That gives
ne pleasurel'
He was Incapable Of expressing himself any
more clearly. And felt that what he meant
- say was:
TT gives ne the greatest pleasure 10 see that
YOU are still alive, as l am-more pleasure
hised, than to know that am still alive
DO you stu recite Latin verses, you young
In .nectual?" asked the captain.
The sub-oaicer had the air Of not understand
ar. Perhaps be didn't catch the point
And they have given you that" continued
he s7tain, putting his finger on the Croix de
G5sre. That will 20 later on your frock coat
vhn yuu are professor"
On, NY captain" said the boy, "you know
yEe1 that II was you-that you are the one
70 vtcu l owe l."
NY boy answered the captain, "the de-
SONS Of me military tribunals are always
sht Goodby~
That little fellow said the captain 70 me
sraturally chic He is about the best have
my company. On one occasion he was mag
hSre-t- And TO ore VIII ever know about 1t
don't tell you the story. It is ] who framed
ne Recommendation on which he received that
cross; and the recommendation was untrue.
lie from beginning 10 end. / repeat Yet !
:o1ia not do otherwise.
you understood what a 'tir dc barrage' is?
hner an attack i- launched the enemy estab-
shes iu advance Of the position assaulted
'artain q proje~tiles-a curtain which ought