Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1918-02-08
Lieut.. Perigord
Stirred Hearers
Liberty damned. Saturday to Hear
Of War From French Soldier
Who Won His Commission
by Acts Of Bravery.

When the great European conflict
broke out on the 4th day of August,
1914, there was at Boston young
FrenChman. just ordained a priest
OF the Catholic church, who was TAX
ing a postgraduate course at Har-
ward University. He had been pre-
viously studying in America and had
learned the American language and
ways wonderfully well. The war
call appealed to him and he sailed
for France by the First boat. intend
ing to enlist for France as chap
lain. but found that all the chap
lain's places were filledand not
wanting to be left out he enlisted as
an humble private in the ranks.
In the early stages of the war the
French officers wore bright red
pants making them easily distin-
guishable by an enemy. especially on
bright days. and the Germans had
orders to kill all the officers. One
day. Perigord's company, at rest in
a small village in an advanced posi-
tion were ordered to take a section
Of line. as their part Of the battle OF
the Marne. Out they started, but in
l
save the first lieutenant, who, call
ing the young private to him, said:
Paul, the officers are all out Of 1t;
take my sword, which is the symbol
of authority and lead my boys, for
we cannot fail in this" Young Per-
igOrd took the sword and led the
men to successful end, save that
he returned minus one-third of
them. Presently along came a col
onel and spied the young soldier
with the sword and said: How
came you with a sword?" (The wea-
pom is not issued to privates) At
this. Perigord told him what had Oc-
Cured, when his colonel said: well,
you have done so we'll with it you
may keep it--and the company too"
That is how Paul Perigord won his
commission os First Lieutenant.
Now the French officers and men
wear a blue-gray uniform. which
makes them more difficult target
for the enemy
Lieutenant Perigord has been
wounded in about every way SOL
dier ever gets wounded. and, as h,
expressed il himself: " According to
all rules of the game. ! ought to be
dead. for soldiers don't stay three
years in the trenches very often"
This is the man who has been de-
tailed from the French Army. decor
ated with several medals and slight
ly disabled from wounds. who was
sent by General Joffre to America
as an instructor. and later was at
the request of the United States Gov
a, 1,x. In n,
thOritieS to Ed about over this cOun-
try under the direction OF the War
Department and tell Americans of
the war.
Lieutenant Perigord arrived at II
O'Clock Saturday morning. and was
met at the train by a committee. and
a half dozen citizens took lunch with
him at the hotel. after which the
lecture took place ut the Liberty
theatre at 1:30. The theatre seats
a thousand people. hnt the seats over
the entire house. balcony and all.
were filled at O'Clock. and still
they crowded in until the aisles and
passageways were literally packed as
full of humanity aS they could hold.
and still other hundreds stood in thr
lobby. on the walks. ana out into
the street unable 10 obtain admis
sion to the building
The lieutenant. while no orator.
is very interesting talker. using
splendid English and many inspiring &
and eloquent phrases of his own.
| and held his ncar"rs spell bound for
} an hour and a half. 50 vivid were hi'
descriptions of conditions AT the
} front. and so enihuSed was he with
} his theme and the cause of France
Every man and woman who heard
| the lieuteuunt'S talk had his or h"r
: eyes OPEN on lots OF things they
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