The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-02-18
chapter z
THE LEGION MARCHES

Cnapter II
THE LEGION MARCHES
HAVING sounded their can IN the
= : center of the post. the buglers
marched to the gate and again
sounded the .assemhiy.T outside the
post They then marched right
round the walls sounding their stri.
dent urgent call to each Of the other
three points Of the compass.
do put on a moo record. That
ones gettin' wore ont" observed
Sailor Harris as he stuffed a small
kit into his sack.
swore Quit" grunted william
Bossum, rolling spare boots in
blanket and tenteaHYas that he pro.
ceeded TO strap to his knapsacl. II
reckon it's broke. They broke it.
Yus !. they broke the record" be
chuckled. "Piayin' It i've times
round i've square yards to ave men
and a boy"
'.BIpmei A joke!" observed
Sailor Harris in an annoying man
neE
'sYou break the record for speed,
my lad. or you'll be in for It." urged
Joe Mummery. as he spun round and
round winding twelve feet of broad
woolIen belt about his middle =.
In the cook-house soup is being
hastily prepared and ioaves of bread
laid out Tor distribution.
The tightly packed sacks. and the
rifles are brought out and. by each
man, laid in the place where he will
fall in.
Once again the bugles sound, and
almost Immediately everybody is in
!. his place. and the roll ID called.
Cartridges are distributed. the guar.
termaster and hts orderlies issue re.
serve rations to each man. two tins,
q pound of corned beef and q pound
OF biscuits. Each man also receives
q little bag Of coffee. one Of salt and
one OF sugar.
Major Riccoii mounts his horse.
The men stand silent ane steady
Is q rock. buglers ten PAGES to the
right.
The senegalese come 70 atten.
tion. Their guard present arms.
Forward march,
The buglers strike up the March
OF the Legion end once more the
Legion marches.
Always the Legion marches -.
Some feel that Major Napoleon
ficcoll is being little excessive.
They have every intention OF march.
ing-when on the way to billets II
. real town. and all the joys thereof.
II all hts men would not follow
him 10 the Gates Of Hell and through
them. as he Is fond OF boasting. they
VIII certainly follow him to the
Gates Of Mekaxzen and through
them.
But Il is q weary march across the
burning waterless desert that is onf
Of the chief factors IN the i1npregna
baIity OF Mskazzen: most powerful
OF the defences that had kept the
country invlolate since the days
when the great Shereefan warrior
ancestor Of the Kaid conquered and
oolouized Il. centuries before his de-
scendants conquered and coIonizec
Spain.
A weary march. needing no hu
man enemies Gin alliance with
those OF heat thirst and sand
ktormsl to render II almost lmpoa
aible.
How long ago It seemed 10 thl
oyer strained. heat .stricken men
since the detachment OF Senegaiess
infantry arrived at the post and tool
over charge; how long since theiI
own bugies blew the assembly.
As usual. Il vas the aged and
aicoholie Tant de Soft who could flnt
breath Tor song and conversation.
-po Fou know what We arer' b,
asked. as the column halted and
hung itself down for It's ten minutes
rest. at the sound Of Major RIccoli'i
whistle.
Sailor Harris's reply is better un
recorded.
'Speak for yourself rebuket
rant de Soif Il viii tell you whal
Ne areas distinguished from your
self. We are sheep. Sheep, | say.
and don't like Sc"
I'VE are being absolutely shep
herded along. There are at Least
four scouts IN touch with us. I dons
like Il. Ii say. have lived for France
and desire 10 80 on living foI
franco have no wisA to die Cor