ess that they were pigs,
hein? Those volunteers, whether young men who had been excused
because they were only sons or for weak hearts which now let them
past the surgeons, whether big, hulking farmers, or labourers, or
stooped clerks, drilling in awkward squads in the suburbs till they are
dizzy, they will not have to defend Paris; but, perhaps, help to regain
Alsace and Lorraine.

Then there were stories going the rounds; stories of French courage
and elan which were cheering to the ears of those who had to remain
at home. Did you hear about the big French peasant soldier who
captured a Prussian eagle in Alsace? They had him come to Paris to
give him the Legion of Honour and the great men made a ceremony
of it, gathering around him at the Ministry of War. The simple fellow
looked from one to another of the group, surprised at all this attention.
It did not occur to him that he had done anything remarkable. He had
seen a Prussian with a standard and taken the standard away from
the Prussian.

"If you like this so well," said that droll one, "I'll try to get another!"

IV
On The Heels Of Von Kluck

Though the Germans were going, the siege by the cordon of French
guards around Paris had not been raised. To them every civilian was
a possible spy. So they let no civilians by. Must one remain for ever in
Paris, screened from any view of the great drama? Was there no way
of securing a blue card which would open the road to war for an atom
of humanity who wanted to see Frenchmen in action and not to pry
into generals' plans?

Happily, an army winning is more hospitable than an army losing; and
bonds of friendship which stretch around the world could be linked
with authority which has only to say the word, in order that one might
have a day's glimpse of the fields where von Kluck's Germans were
showing their heels to the French.

Ours, I think, was the pioneer of the sight-seeing parties which
afterwards became the accepted form of war correspondence with
the French. None could have been under more delightful auspices in
companionship or in the event. Victory was in the hearts of our hosts,
who included M. Paul Doumer, formerly President of the Chamber of
Deputies and Governor of French Indo-China and now a senator, and
General Febrier, of the French Medical Service, who was to have had
charge of the sanitation of Paris in case of a siege.

M. Doumer was acting as Chef de Cabinet to General Gallieni, the
c