Letters of Henry Weston Farnsworth, of the Foreign Legion - 1916 by Président AALEME

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LETTERS OF

HENRY WESTON FARNSWORTH

LETTERS OF

HENRY WESTON FARNSWORTH /I

OF THE FOREIGN LEGION

-y

BOSTON PRIVATELY PRINTED

1916

Cofiyright, 1916, by William Farns^uorth

.F3

DEC 29 1316

Z).

B. Ufidike The Merrymount Press Boston •

'a,A446971

•

FOREWORD

HENRY

Weston Farnsworth was

born on August 7, 1890, in Ded-

ham, Massachusetts. In

those days

ham was a very quiet little lage. He lived there eleven

Ded-

country

vil-

years of the

most uneventful, radiant, joyous childhood, growing up in an intimacy with his

family which few other conditions

would have allowed.

When

eleven he

in Boston. It

was

went

to a

day-school

his first contact with

the outside world.

One

been

a few weeks, he

to school for

day, after he had

home three hours late, and said, if

' '

came

Mother,

you were a man, would you want

experience life?

noon, and

I felt

way

that

this after-

have had a soda in every soda-

water fountain in Boston."

The

next year he went

had been planned from

Groton, as

his birth,

and

stayed there until he graduated, six years later.

FOREWORD

When he was seventeen he travelled for the

first

farther

time. Until then he

from Boston than

summer he went with land and France.

enthusiasm

came

had never been

New York. That

his family to

He was

filled

Eng-

with an

for history, art, literature, that

as a result of his reading

and think-

Lamb, De Quincey, SteIbsen, Byron, Omar Khayyam,

ing. Milton,

venson,

Mommsen,

Carlyle, Sienkiewicz, Rich-

ard Burton, had been his companions for years.

He was met

friends,

all

sides

autumn of 1908 he

entered Har-

all

vard. His enthusiasm for reading and sic

old

possibilities.

In the

by new

sides

mu-

never diminished, but was not trans-

ferred to his regular studies.

He made

record as a student, not even a record for

constant attendance at courses. a very casual

Yet through

life,

it all

lived

he read with increasing

interest, Tolstoi, Dostoievski,

noticeably

of no particular merit.

and Ibsen,

"PeerGynt." Music had

al-

FOREWORD ways been one

of his great delights, and

going constantly certs, his

vii

to the

Symphony Con-

appreciation

intelligent

grew

very much. But reading and music did not take

all

other hours

his time,

were spent

and many of the in a

way

that does

not deserve to be dwelt on. For

reading, he the

his

was very young and callow in

ways of

and shy

all

practical

in society,

self-conscious

and the Unknown

cinated him, and he

That summer

life,

made

fas-

his mistakes.

of 1909 he went

with another man. This was the

West

first

time

he ever travelled without his family, the first

time he ever camped out, ever saw

great scenery, or wild nature.

West

ever afterward

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

He loved the

the country, the

and the type of men he met there. The following autumn college began as usual, and he slipped into the way he had followed his first year. He tried to change, life,

and found that habits are hard

to break.

So he made the decision that ruled the rest

FOREWORD

viii

of his

The

life.

to that

causes go far back, back

unknown

mysterious and '

man called sonality.

soul

" nature "

thing in ^

But the tangible, outward

per-

effect

Early in November, after

caijie in

one

making

his arrangements so well that he

left

on a

act.

trace,

he shipped as a deck-hand

and worked

cattle-boat,

England. In his passionate desire alone,

way

his

stand

meeting life with his own strength,

he told his plan

no one. In

beyond the desire

definite plan

his

own power. At first he tried to

himself by writing, in London

found, as so

he could

not.

many

advertising for

he had

fact,

;

to test

support

and he

thousands have, that

station in Australia

was

men â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they promised him

a job, and he sailed steerage in a small boat.

The voyage was long. The incidents

he generally dwelt on were the steamer's halt at

Genoa and

his

few hours

his only glimpse of Italy

he had

for

;

there,

the long hours

reading Shakespeare

;

the fas-

FOREWORD

cinations of Ceylon. Years later, after his

death, his family found a bit of

will

manu-

with no beginning and no end.

script,

tell

more of

this part of his life

than

any other words ''Lord,

wish

was coming

into the

tropics again for the first time. I

came

through the Suez Canal, and struck the East

all

in a heap.

and a head I

used

full

Nineteen years of age, all

kinds of rot at that.

walk the deck

at night

and just

mutter names to myself. Port Said, Suez, '

Aden, Colombo, Madras, Calcutta, Rangoon, Singapore, Parang' cially

stuck on the

there. I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

was

last three. I

espe-

did n't

had been reading 'Robbery

Under Arms

and

Adam

Lindsay Gor-

don's poems, and was even madder to get to

Freemantle, Adelaide, and Melbourne.

What

romance

how quick I mean,

The

lost

I it

had too

in those days,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

and

that fool kind, I

like calf love." first

port in Australia

was Free-

FOREWORD

mantle.

landed, and coming back to

the steamer after dark, he walked through

one of the worst parts of the town.

was

a foolish risk to chance.

He was knocked

money

taken, his watch,

unconscious, his

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even

his shoes.

and landed

money

He reached the steamer

Melbourne, but he had no

to get to the

up-country station

where he had been promised work. For days he

tried to find

and could

any kind of a job,

not. Finally

he realized that

he was stranded and asked a help

him

man

cable to his father. All the rest

he never forgot that the

first

act of his struggle for independence

was

of his

life

a cry for help,

when he had

travelled to

the other side of the world to try to help himself.

He asked for little money, and went to work. He spent seven months in AustraHa, working on several

diiferent

sheep sta-

tions. He learned to know discomfort, hard work, loneliness. As a httle fellow he was

FOREWORD

one of the

easily frightened. Certainly

characteristics of his later years, absolute

disregard of danger,

Gods

at birth.

every bit of after year.

many

it,

was no

gift of the

He made his nerve himself, by a grim a

persistence, year

newcomer he was given

of the worst horses to ride,

and he

never gave in once, always conquering in the end. Living sometimes with six of the

hands, sometimes out for a week at a time with one sheep- herder, he met the ties

of the struggle for existence,

plenty of time to think.

made the

And

reali-

and had

thinking, he

a second decision, far harder than

first,

home if So he

and wrote that he would come

his father thought sailed in

wise.

August, back

was apparently the

old

Australia brought

what

life.

him one

great plea-

sure in the friendship of an Irish gentle-

man

a strange, gifted man

like a novel,

whose life read

and whose music, and love

and knowledge of books, gave him much

FOREWORD

xii

common

with Farnsworth

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

' '

Ameri-

canus," as he always called him.

One

of the characteristic things about

Farnsworth was that he made his

closest

friends in strange lands. Convenience, pro-

pinquity,

meant nothing

he met a man who

When

him.

interested

him, and

whom he Hked, a lasting friendship came. That autumn

of 1910 he resumed his

studies at Harvard. His courses were al-

most

all

This

in the different literatures.

when he

much

was

the period

stoi,

with a comprehension that deepened

as he

knew more

life,

ture

the

as he followed

He was

literature, too, all afire

He had

its

studying French with admiration.

courses in early Italian

and history,

Tol-

of Slavic history, poetry

and philosophy of literary history.

read

modern

memoirs of Casanova

litera-

From

fiction. '

to the

Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi

Little

' '

and

Longinus, and Irish folk-lore and Synge, he read and studied.

And

one of the great

FOREWORD influences of his

also.

The

was

life

knowledge grew,

xiii

Plato.

his

enthusiasm grew

his

delight he received from books

was beyond exaggeration. Music was but

literature,

foreword

much

it is

a part of

to his letters, for

have a very

he never made

music taught

intelligent, as well

as a very deep, joy in

himself

of less interest in this

any himself. His studies

him

it,

and he trained

have an excellent musical ear

and musical memory, though he was noticeably helpless in those

ways

as a

little

fellow.

Another thing that was so characteristic

him

that no one could write of

him without mentioning

was

his love of

riding and his keenness for polo. little

filled

bears

this foreword, I suppose, but

a great deal of his time in the year

and a half of quiet

life

return from Australia.

that followed his

He had, too, a love

for long walks, alone, at night,

through

FOREWORD

xiv

The Unknown

the woods. at night

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

stars

everywhere

and darkness are never

every-day matters. All his

the

life

Un-

known was calling to him. The summer of 1911 he went to the Harvard Engineering Camp, as he wished to

take his degree with the class he en-

was

tered in 1908. It

him

to find

the courses there almost impossibly cult,

and

diffi-

read for refreshment Fraser's

''Golden Bough," which might truth'

fully be described as

heavy

many

people.

In June, 1912, he graduated with his

and

class,

week

sailed the next

for

Eu-

He had always longed to see strange places. As he says himself, names fasci-

rope.

nated him.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

' '

Black

Sea,'

' '

Caspian Sea"

he was wild with delight

be oiF on

a trip to the places he had dreamed of for years.

He went

Budapest,

by boat

Odessa, and then trav-

tinople, elled

Moscow and

Constan-

St. Petersburg.

FOREWORD Moscow

excited his keen enthusiasm, he

thrilled over

home

every

of as '^the

Terrible,

What

detail.

little

he wrote

gear" of Ivan the

the memories of his child-

all

hood carefully preserved

museum,

in a

delighted him.

Rejoined his family

in Paris

and came

home to enter the Harvard Business School in September. Then that autumn of 1912 the Balkan

over to see

War

broke out, and he went

what he could

see.

The whole

story of his trip has been told

by him-

a book that he published,

self, in

"The

Log of a Would-be War Correspondent. There

no need

to repeat.

He returned in March, and took courses in a Business School until

closed in June.

The summer was passed inDedham, with reading and polo. In the

fall

flared out

of 1913 the

trouble

and he went down there

a short time. to write

Mexican

He was

for

definitely trying

by now, and was much encour-

FOREWORD

xvi

aged when the ''Providence Journal" published several of his Mexican

its

editorial page.

loved the land of

Mexico, and the excitement

And

letters

in the air.

here he met one of his close friends,

an Englishman, interesting and charm-

had

ing, a keen sportsman, Avho

unusual

life.

bond of

led

affection

between Farnsworth and

grew

kindred

this

spirit.

On his return from Mexico the '

dence Journal its

the

reporters, office.

interested

details of

all

winter in

running a paper

men he met he enjoyed

him, the

very much.

It was

experience.

But when the United

sent troops to

Provi-

took Farnsworth as one of

and he worked

The

altogether a worth while

Vera Cruz, he

dence and went

Mexico

left

States

Provi-

City for three

He was there when the European war broke out. He came home at once, months.

but said no word about going over. His father asked

him

he would

like to go.

FOREWORD

xvii

His gratitude and appreciation were very deep.

He left

determined

at once,

and

intelligent onlooker,

be an

to write things

that he hoped would be worth the reading.

His plan was

to go, if travelling

proved

possible, to

London, Paris, Rome, Con-

stantinople,

and then

trance of

Turkey

impracticable.

to Russia.

into the

The

war made

enthis

got to Paris, and there

met an Englishman,

Bles,

who had raised

an independent corps that had served with the regular English

army in the BoerWar

and who was trying

worth said he would

again. Farns-

enlist if his

family

approved, and while he was waiting for the answer to his larly.

letter,

drilled

regu-

Then came the time for Bles to see if

Kitchener would accept his corps. Farnsworth, during this interval of Bles' absence, went to Spain,

and then to the Island

of Mallorca, where he spent a great quiet and loneliness.

month of

Then

Bles ca-

bled that no irregulars would be accepted

FOREWORD

xviii

in this

war. Farns worth returned

and there the

spirit of

and he cabled home

to Paris,

France held him,

ask

he could join

the Foreign Legion for the duration of

the war. enlisted,

From

soon as the answer

New

this point his

his story.

came he

Year's Day, 1915.

own letters

will

tell

LETTERS July and August, 1912

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

LETTERS Vienna^ July 24, 1912

Dear Mother:

THE now,

having bathed and dined, I am, as

you might

say,

Orient Express arrived here at six, and

"at your service."

They say at the hotel that the town is deserted, and that the opera and

The

hotel

theatres are all closed.

good, but nothing wonderful, and

the prices are

terrific.

The whole

Jews and Americans, and

place

is fliU

cannot blame the

natives for leaving; I intend to

so myself

very shortly.

In the meantime, as I have nothing to do, I shall

begin

Odyssey, intending to write

at each stopping-place. I cannot begin in

dias res

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

as Boileau

me-

and others recommend

because I have not as yet got there and you

would probably not

begin

manner of Dostoievski and make de-

after the tails

like to wait, so I will

forte, rather

than plot,

I slept well as far as

was very

pleasant.

terribly all the

way

st}'le,

Dover and

nast)^

or simile.

the crossing

Frenchman snored

to Paris,

but,

neverthe-

LETTERS

was on time and

the train

less,

I arrived

about

seven at the Continental. I came out again about ten

and went

to Cook's,

any accommodation

who

until

telegraphed in French, just by

After Cook's,

down

the

could not get

Saturday night, as

way of

blague.

walked, plunged in deep thought,

Avenue de

Opera and arrived

Brentano's, where the "Idiot"

was not

to be

got.

this

time I was thoroughly peevish and

went to the Louvre and tifs,

where

also the

Arts Decora-

an abundance of beautiful Persian

things, without getting very

much

excited about

anything. I will, however, admit that

more than little

Dutch

you know

used to about the beauties of the pictures,

Terburg,

etc.

They were

not in that manner because he would have liked

them, though perhaps not found them, decorative,

which was

erstwhile objection, as I

ber, and, therefore, the objection to

be put

down

be explained is

away

any

one has not

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; cannot

must

cost because Voltaire taste as a child,

any more. Something

of bad taste

them must

to youthful romanticism. It

certain that if

never gets

remem-

made

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

not even

one lots

out of nothing.

HENRY FARNSWORTH By

time

this

was

Cafe de Paris, where

am sure

lunch. I

1:30, so I

drove to the

had a very wonderful

could imitate the "fat friend"

describing a salade

aux poissons which was

the

piece de resistance of the meal.

You, however, ested in

what

walked there

probably be more inter-

thought of the Luxemburg. I

my lunch. It is a very interestmy mind." We all know as much

after

"to

ing place, as

will

ever will

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; though

suppose each genera-

tion will have different theories about the matter

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; about present

the art of the past, but the art of the

and

its

probable tendencies for the future

I find fascinating.

The Rodins, especially the " St.-

Jean Baptiste" and" L'Age d'Airain," are very wonderfiil. I

sure that Pericles

would have

admired them; Phidias might have been jealous

and

certain Polyclitus

would have been,

but what appear to be his school do not seem to appreciate the best in him. I

they are any better or Hellenistics,

some of

much worse than

that

the late

witness the "Knife Sharpener" and

the Marsias productions of the Alex-

andrian period. It makes sia

do not think

me crazy to get to Rus-

because there I expect to find a different order

LETTERS

of things

own

— an

art that has something besides

technique to express, and that can

archaic.

About

There are mencita,"

also

some

which you probably know, and

etc.,

which

Carrieres,

but I do not think

also

marble

up to

of the

it is

New

—

as the

re-

also there,

" Hand of

York. His "Douleur"

God too much

makes

mean in" Le Mainde Dieu,"

do not think

New York

do not

God"

good

par. I think he

of an aristocrat,

— and

" La Car-

nice Degas,

member. Rodin's " Hand of

that, 7ious verrons.

two wonderful

Fate"

still

its

has the inexorability

" Fate."

do not mean

that

because you are anthropomorphic you should

be a

socialist (nihilist is better)

a chance to so

see

it,

you

but

will agree

you get

with me.

And

on ''ad Mesopotamia" when we meet again. After the

streets in that

Luxemburg

walked about the

quarter and bought

and another of the Master's whole lot of Goya

prints,

would have been glad

lesser

and

if I

my " Idiot

works. I saw a

am sure America

had bought them and

charged them to J. P. Morgan. There were some that

Mr. BuUard did not show

art thing last winter.

in the Spanish

HENRY FARNSWORTH I

dined at the Abbaye, and, having

Amie well

mind,

my Belle

offered a glass of pure

water from the Seine to every dancer

was going

Some

who

asked

what

cing

was very good. The Opera was giving

to give her.

of the dan-

" Aida," the Comique was not giving anything,

and the Fran^ais was giving "Camille," so went to bed about

ten.

Saturday was meant to be architecture day, but by the time

had done Notre Dame, the

paintings in the Pantheon, several other churches,

and walked

for about a half-hour in the Marais,

I decided that I

was no

and went to

do not think the food

Voisin's for lunch. I

good or

architect

the people less stupid than those at the

Cafe de Paris.

The

glass

not half as pretty,

although very nearly the same, but

I feel that

this is quibbling.

After lunch I went again to the Louvre and spent

some time

there. I

remembered the Car-

na valet, Musee des Archives,

etc.,

but never

thought seriously of going to any of them.

I look at ancient

I think that J. J.

The

and modern art, the more

Rousseau

things modern, which

the father of

almost everybody

all

else

LETTERS

thinks also, though they might object at it

was put I

was

and the

until

Bristol

sat

was time

Orient Express

I'Est at 7:13. If

him dine on

to be, let

Louvre and

my train. The

Gare de

leaves the

first if

many words.

Une verree de cafp"*

and get

to hustle

in so

quite tired after the

and drank

to Paris

them

Papa comes

not quite what

that train

used

and then get

Baden-Baden. One man served nineteen

off at

people to about twenty courses and gave them

of waters and wines, and there

all different sorts

were no long waits and everything was According to

cious.

him one kissed

franc. I

him

him two

in public

francs

—

philosophies, he ought

all

to have got enormous

deli-

tips,

but eveiybody gave

sure Tolstoi

would have

and (possibly) have given

Tolstoi

knew

the value of

money. This morning

forward I

I rose

about 11:30

— and was asked

thought was breakfast.

style,

kept eating

things, but

come

was

little fishes

when, about

— time goes in to

in the

what

German

and salads and

five courses later, cold

meats were served after two sorts of hot ones, realized that

must be lunch.

HENRY FARNSWORTH The country get

up near

very uninteresting until you

you know,

to Vienna; then, as

it is

beautiful.

I got here,

six

and here endeth the

first

lesson (?).

Your

son,

Henry P.S. I had not forgotten Ellen and her Paladin, but, as

other

you can

way

was no

see for yourself, there

to say that I supposed they were with

you now, and

that I

know how

glad you must

be to have them thus, except by saying " Dear :

suppose Ellen and Alfred are with

Mother.

you now

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

other.

had

how you must all be enjoying each What a wonderful time they must have

in Ireland

" If you try to complete

of campaign you it is

difl[icult

will, or, at

one.

Nor

is it

any

this

plan

rate, I did, find

any more

truly lov-

ing than this "last but not least" style of sending

them

my best love.

Still in

love to Papa; he

ing the trip and that I Still,

the

same style give

knows how

and

enjoy-

gratefiil.

ever,

your son,

Henry

LETTERS

Constantinople^ July 26, 1912

Dear Papa: I

telegraphed you yesterday to

my arrival this

let

Divine Port, and was notified

in the

morning that "Farnswo London" was not

registered.

That, however,

you probably got

no great matter;

the telegram; also, code

Monday morning on

So much In

words

do not know whether

are not accepted here. I

mean

they will be in Russia or not. I here

you know of

to leave

the boat for Odessa.

for business.

my last

I told

arrival in Vienna,

you of everything up

and mentioned,

I believe, that

everything was closed and deserted.

Monday morning

I issued

upon the town

about 10:30 and instantly bought a " Guide to

Vienna and Environs" by somebody deker. I then sat in a cafe I then lunched at the

and read

same

cafe

Bae-

until one.

and afterwards

went to Prince Lichtenstein's gallery and stayed there a long time. Italian paintings

of the

first

order,

portrait of a

filling

There were many

interesting

of the fourteen hundreds, none

and one wonderful Leonardo

woman

the place of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

not, however,

Mona

worthy

Lisa. After that I

HENRY FARNSWORTH walked home all

the time

went to a

in the rain

— and went

sort of circus

—

rained and was cold

to sleep

and

and dined and

varieties

which was

home about

very stupid and very long. I got 12:30.

The next morning your telegram and cafe,

and got

went to the bank and got

letter,

and had breakfast

to the Imperial Gallery at 10:30.

All the Titians and Correggios

and lo" which

adore

—

the "Jupiter

the best Velasquez

and the one Goya were locked up. The Rubens were, of course, wonderful. I think,

and

will

You were

remember them.

in I

Vienna,

sure

Mother was. There were

also a lot

of Durers which

did

not think as good as Mrs. Gardner's, although his portrait

of Maximilian First (I think) wore

a whole cloak of sable.

Lichtenstein's there

was a great big Vermeer which was not half

good

Mrs. Gardner's. There were

dykes

—

good ones

and Germans of

— and

also

Van-

hosts of Ruysdaels

all dates. I

stayed there until

two, and then lunched and got

ticket to

Constantinople

In the afternoon

went to churches and the

LETTERS

Riding School and public buildings,

etc. I

was

glad to take the Orient Express again at 6:51. I

some time

forgot to say that

mind not

had

trian engineer,

who

who was

About bia,

made up my

go to Budapest. The

crowded, and

son

train

was

my compartment an Aus-

talked endlessly about his

studying engineering in Munich.

eleven in the morning

where the mountains and

are wonderflil.

we got

rivers

into Ser-

and gorges

My engineer told me that I must

drink the wines of the country because they were peculiar to the spot else.

and could be had nowhere

was very glad

derfliUy

I did.

rather it)

who

— seems

—

to put

as if

would

That evening we were

— and

seeing.

unpoetically,

has been there would undertaste

a breath strongly flavored by

4:12

won-

not strong and yet has a

queer, wild flavor that

but anybody

give you,

into the

costumed mountaineers we kept

They (or

stand

They

an insight

as nothing else does,

there,

very good to

garlic.

in Bulgaria

—

Sofia

what with the scenery, and

the costumes of the peasants, and the goats,

most died of Romance. If

iday and loads of money,

I al-

ever get a long hol-

going shooting

HENRY FARNSWORTH in the

Bulgarian mountains.

unless

you have passe par

indescribable

la.

There was bright moonlight almost

and

in the early

morning we stopped

all night,

at a small

Turkish town where a large detachment of troops

was doing manoeuvres of some a lot of camels the music

— very

man

— and

was made by a few of them on camels

playing a very wild Turkish air on old

They had

sort.

camels indeed

fine

beating a

little,

small

and one

fifes

drum

"hell for

leather." I did not count, but I think that

Haydn

Papa

with his seventy-seven variations in the

same key must have been

left far

behind. Yet,

was "terribly thrilling" (Master Builder,

you were not going

to give

him

in case

the credit)

on time) 10 a.m.

— we

got to Constantinople, and in here I have

fitted

At 10 like a

—

bug

(absolutely

in a rug. I

could spend

months

six

here without once wanting a change. Dostoievski drives ist

me on

and a

happy.

to Russia. In

Vienna

stranger, etc., but here I

The

afternoon I arrived

the howling dervishes, who to a pack of

German

howled

tourists

I felt a tour-

perfectly

went for

to hear

two hours

without getting

any appreciation except from me,

who gave

LETTERS

them

five piastres

the horror of

(about twenty-five cents) , to

my guide, who

sums and who, waiving the lutely necessary, gives

charges enormous

fact that

me no pleasure

whatever.

In the evening Nissim was keen that

"Le

abso-

we do

Petit Paris de Constantinople," but I in-

sisted

word)

on going to a hole,

where

over in Stamboul

stinking

was

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

was

(good old English

also frightened to

European

death, being the only

by fleas,

bitten terribly

in sight

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

to see

a gang of jumping and sword-swallowing dervishes.

They did not

bleed the

way

eat scorpions

was

the rh)^hmic breathing

got into real

crises.

and stopped

about

1 1 in

the real thing,

and

was well done and two

They began

about 12:15.

the night killing fleas

glass

Arab town of Port

they do in the

Said, but the singing

and

singing about 10

I spent the rest

morning

and rose

this

time to see the Sultan go to Mosque,

attended by his ministers and a number of guards

of various

sorts.

Stamboul to

With I

This afternoon I

going to

see St. Sofia, etc.

love to Ellen and

Mother and Alfred,

am Your

son,

Henry

HENRY FARNSWORTH

Odessa, July, 1912

Dear Mother: I arrived safely at this place at

afternoon.

it.

present

Nobody knows

about four

this

my one desire is to get out The

anything but Russian.

'^Interpreter" at the hotel

knows a few words

of German, but, unfortunately, they are not the

my repertoire. " Der schzvert on me'ine

words of linken^'^

" Wir saszen in

made a

e'lne

and whacked the driver of umbrella) , but hotel

Fischerhaus^"^ etc.

terrible effort (utterly wilted a collar

all

avail.

seemed to think that

troika with

Everybody

tickets are

in the

only to

be bought in the morning and kept repeating: ^^

Morgen, morgen?''

When

I last

tinople. I kept I

am out

of it.

do I

knew

You know my

it is

well

in the

We started fairly well

morning,

went to

at St. Sofia,

which

from photographs.

penchant for the Byzantine and

the Arabic. I sat in the

place, but

In the afternoon, after the der-

and the Sultan

had just got to Constan-

on adoring the

the Mosques.

found

The bills were astounding, though

I tried to save.

vishes

wrote

down

cross-legged on the floor

comer and stayed

there about an hour.

—

LETTERS

There were very few there, but some

priests

chanting the Koran, and occasional people old and the poor Sofia

— came

in to pray.

were

—

the

St.

more anon.

After that

we "did"

one entirely Arabic (I do not

a lot of other ones

in style

with

stalactite

know whether Arabic or

heard of them except in

Sicily, so

corners

not; I never

they

may

anything at all). I longed to clothe myself « la Pierre Loti

and sit half a day

the time I thought

present writing," as

was an

stupid.

interesting dinner.

splendent in uniform, waiter said he

was

7; 30

see.

A huge negro, rethe wife

She also was

She wore a very pretty

— something

little

— and

Canova's Venus (though

something on the same style) , yet the

more immodest than

was

inter-

French dress

like Ellen's bridesmaid's

coiffure that far outdid

and

there with a wife.

was a Syrian;

Greek, as any one could

sure

"At

says, I think I

back to the hotel at about

had a most

esting.

would be

Mr. Martin

one of them.

idiot not to.

I got

The

in each

result

Ellen's Tifiany lamp. I

you will understand

was

the effect she produced.

—

HENRY FARNSWORTH It

was helped out by powder, blacking,

She

etc.

was a very handsome woman.

They

on the

ate everything

rather he did

— and

bill

of fare

the drinks were exactly as

follows

(1) For him, xhr^Qperikas ish absinthe drink,

with only a

Mumm

(2) Quart of G. H.

(3)

little

water; for little

water

ice.

another Scotch,

With

one more

a sort of Turk-

and a lean

her, a good, stout Scotch

and a huge

—

etc.,

coffee in the other

per'ika^

and

for him,

for her.

and he was

and Grand Marnier when

room

still

—

for him,

at Benedictine

I left; for \\<^x^2iperika

and a large brandy and Curagoa.

As you had

can

see, I let

nothing escape

me and

eyes constantly in that direction. After

a while, I having seated myself at the next table in the coffee

and ogled.

room, she noticed

this

waited for no more, but

9:30 I met the trusty Nissim and

Turk Theatre

fleas

fled.

we went

to a

Stamboul, where he said there

was a very good Turkish

and winked

and very bored.

actor.

There

course, I

I got

knew

LETTERS

nothing of what was going on. I stopped here for dinner

—

that

is,

just

now,

at Odessa.

By this time I had got quite used and was not

to the

of them, so

at all frightened

supper at a small Turkish restaurant v'llaine

coffee.

impasse. I

home about

got

was very

had some

tired

and

—

oily pilau

Turks

we had

sort of a

and some

12:40.

slept late the next

morn-

ing and then went to the bank. I was very glad to get Papa's telegram

and

letter.

Constantinople

seems very much a "foreign part." After lunch

we went

in a

boat up the Bos-

phorus to Therapia and had tea and came back.

The Bosphorus

beautiful

and Therapia

is ftiU

of ambassadors. I thought of you and Byron

and was not very much

thrilled.

In the evening

went to a Turkish cafe chantant which was not at all amusing. It

the streets

and the mosques

and the atmosphere of the town

that I adore.

Sunday morning we hired a couple of good saddle-horses

— Arabian — and went

off in the

country to see the Byzantine aqueducts and lakes.

The country was very

beautiftil, full

gullies

with splendid trees reaching up and wonderftil

bosky

dells.

lunched

one of these

—

oily

—

— HENRY FARNSWORTH and

fish

coffee

oily

— and

zantine

pilau,

which was

shortly afterwards

and

delicious,

came

By-

to the

relics.

If they were transported to Beacon Street,

you would recognize them that

right off; all built

mouth of a

a part of one at the

is,

lake

of splendid marble brought fi-om a mountain fifty

miles away, and quantities of

a hollow between two duct

The

running over them.

lizards

hills,

little

and below the aque-

a large grove of trees something

birches.

green

lake itself

our

Nissim told me, with glowing eyes, that

formerly the Sultan used to drive out here with his

wives and spend the afternoon and go swim-

ming. If you terpreter,

—

who

(interrupted

rehearsed for the

German vocabulary and go away

by the

fiftieth

whom

'"''Gehen Sie weg''^ )

infernal in-

—

time his

I yelled to

if you

remem-

ber your "Arabian Nights," you can see the picture; but tout

now, he added,

^^noiis

avons change

celaP

Close by here, where

left

our horses and

went up on donkeys, we had spring water,

and nuts

an entirely Turkish

place.

coffee,

Except

myself, there were one, two, or three Europeans

LETTERS

— Greeks or Armenians — and a huge mass of Turks who come to drink the water which gurgles out of a spring. There was a heavenly Turkish

band of stringed instruments which "preluded and then played a

in twenty-six different styles

short air"

We Nissim

("Arabian Nights").

home about

got

in a frightful

hall porter

—

weary and

temper from weariness. The

who put me me that it was

a very intelligent man,

up to most of

these things

—

and

the prophet's birthday, St. Sofia

seven, very

about ten and see

told

that I should

illuminated. Nissim

went almost crazy and said he was going to but

we were

off again at 9:30

—

this

die,

time in a

cab.

Nothing but deep reading in Richard Burton's can give you

"Nights" and the church

itself

any idea of what a scene

was. It was illumi-

nated by more than ten thousand

The huge

floor space

a mass of people. the east

—

lighted.

Near

Koran burst.

until

They

under the great dome was

The great candles in the altar in

any

little oil lights.

rate,

towards Mecca

— were

the altar priests were chanting the

seemed

filled

as if their throats

would

the whole church. In the side

)

HENRY FARNSWORTH aisles

children played tag

and screamed, but were

drowned out by the priests time

— and

what

the

—

I shall

only one priest at a

have to

call

" foyer"

was crawling with beggars. There were only two or three

women, and

and ragged. They the forehead"

all

the

men were

stood up and

from time

to time

responses. I stayed to the very

them put out the

than by daylight.

The

can

way

think this letter like

(Monday)

next morning

then had to get bills.

You

faience better this

(You must

the brook, but on to

and muttered

end and watched

about the dome.

lights

and the

see the mosaics

mostly old

bowed "with

I overslept. I

more money to pay those horrible

The boat went at ten. If Nissimhad charged

one pound more for etc., I

should have

the Consul.

his services let

He judged

the boat it

and

cabs, horses,

go and gone

just right. I decided to

take the boat. I decided this after a ten-minute

swearing match, which availed not a

10:04

just casting off

not get

shilling.

galloped for the boat. I could see its

— no

moorings.

him

if I

did

other for a week, French line

out of commission to the Consul,

I told

—

and

that I should take his bill

that if I did get

aboard

LETTERS

would give him

ten francs.

became

fire.

We charged the custom officers and stopped not We boarded a rowboat and captured an oarsman from another to row also. We for their yells.

gave chase with fury and began to gain. Nissim his ten

and

shillings

counted

seized a rope trail-

A (I have forgotten the

ing behind the steamer.

nautical expression) flight of stairs

Like a good

traveller, I

saw

was lowered.

my luggage and

onto the steps and followed in a heap

shoved

myself.

Then with

cheers

and

great sangfroid and amidst

good-byes from Nissim, I

frantic

mounted the

stairs

and got up

two famous

bags (they both went to Kentucky and you ought to

know

their weight).

When on lish,

board

found nobody knew Eng-

French, or German. I could not find any

official

who

could so

my searchings the deck above

There

much

as read

ticket.

for the purser I kept going

and soon arrived

saw a very

up to

at the top one.

nice looking

man

wearing

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and he

a pair of English boots. I accosted him

grace of

God,

politely

replied in English.

the purser.

The

and

Was

gracefully

very polite and got

the

purser nearly fainted at sight

HENRY FARNS WORTH of

us,

and

soon found out that

polite

was Nicholas, Prince of Greece, who was in the

gangway because he had taken

the

man

sitting

whole

deck for himself, and others were not allowed

up there. However,

saw him again going down

to his special dinner at 8:30,

pleasantly

and asked me

I started to

and he bowed very

if I

was

troubled.

still

be very much troubled at

began to blush

furiously,

and

this

which I imagine

flat-

tered him.

The

Russian boat was quite interesting, but

my hand

no longer that of a ready

writer.

good-night, dear Mother, and with love to Papa,

and remember me

to " Wilks."

Your Son. I feel a

very distant one here

any English-speaking

away

—

place,

also perfectly

happy

— more

so than in

no matter how

far

for a' that!

Tuesday, the something

I I

—

ha-ve forgotten the date

could not get them to take a telegram at five

this

afternoon; perhaps they will to-morrow.

Tell

Papa

of Remy."

to read

Maurice Hewlett's " Song

— LETTERS

Moscow^ August

1912

Dear Papa: here this morning after two nights in

I arrived

the train. It

was very hot and

beginning to get tired and a

stomach

— something

would have been for a

and

the

dirty

little

and

upset in the

way the " Great Man "

taken. I think I shall stay here

week or something

like that

and get

rested

well.

When

got off the train

— about 10

a.m.

there were

no guides from any of the

could not

make any one understand "Hotel

hotels. I

d'Angleterre," so I began to yell "Slavonski" at the top

lungs and

was put

Here there is a hall porter who

and shipped

here.

talks a

English and I have been

little

comfortable, so I think I shall stay. in Russia,

it is

into a cab

made very

As things go

not expensive and very clean.

The boat from

Constantinople to Odessa was

very interesting. There were about

fifty first-class

passengers. Except for the Prince of Greece, who

kept entirely to himself,

nobody spoke

French or English, except a nice very fluent French.

girl

who

either

spoke

could not fathom any more

of her name than Zerlinska. She was an actress

HENRY FARNSWORTH who had been

was she who

back. It

from which

steered

wrote you. Almost

Dead

Souls."

through the

—

the one

the

men on

in a hotel

the boat were as if taken for

pages of "

and was coming

to Alexandria

customs and deposited

The

all

from the

benefit

first

meal they

all

drank largely of vodka and urged each other on to eat

and drink enormously, and

directly after-

ward everybody went

to sleep

did not see anybody get

until

4:30 for

the least bit

tea. I

and did not get

drunk or horrid. That night

a gale and almost everybody got very

were two men

—

also

worse

—

ill.

blew

There

my cabin who groaned terribly so I spent

most of the night on

was

and

and warm

deck.

The

and

had a lovely time. The next day we landed

Odessa

The

night

clear

at four, as I wrote.

next morning (there was a reason for

their saying

appeared

etc.,

—

in the

morning a waiter

spoke French)

I spent in getting

morgen

who

my ticket,

and went to the bank. There

heard about Synge. It possible news, but

there

fresh

it is

is,

of course, the worst

one of those cases where

nothing to be done, and

the poor dear's nam.e

have changed

to" Spilt Milk."

imagine

LETTERS

Wrenn

Phil

also did

some swearing about the

matter.

In the afternoon I read

all

the French news-

papers to be got hold of, but was

temper when

boarded the

still

in a

bad

train at 8:40. In

the early afternoon I took the idiot guide at the

and drove

hotel

hours.

On the train

venirs de la

began Dostoievski's " Sou-

it;

denounce

—

ius. I

think

letters

—

book

and

notable

would take a

— no more

a broad-minded one it

deserves. I

more transcendant

Sainte-Beuve; but that is

—

critic

—

really to

enjoy

Dante

visualization

and no

Vogu^

Hugo and is

man of

know Tourguenieff

horrible scenes in literature.

that he evokes like

dull

professional

and compared many passages

did,

him.

first

do not advise

but with flashes of superhuman gen-

terribly long

which Poe was the

defect

him

over the city for about two

Maison des Morts."

you to read

the

all

says of

analyzes like

only a small part of

a poet and a "little Christ;" he

understands because he sympathizes with

all

hu-

manity. After long dreary pages of the Siberian winter at "hard labor" and in the hospital,

where, amidst dirt and

filth,

were jammed the

HENRY FARNS WORTH sick convicts

and those who had been beaten and

those gone insane,

and

after a terrible confession

that a dying convict told

others

were

sleeping,

" En outre, de

c'est

creatures de

sauvent dans

Siberie,

la vie leur ils

dans tout

bonheur, la foret

les forets.

Apres

mangent

la fosse etoufils

vaga-

s'endorment tranquilles

comme

les

et plus facile;

petit

la nuit

dans

ce qu'ils trouvent

ou dans un champ, sans

souci, sans I'an-

oiseaux

Dieu, disant bonne nuit aux seules I'oeil

Rus-

leur semblent, a I'aventure,

goisse de la prison,

sous

Dieu s'evadent des prisons

semble plus agreable

vivent, et

chant

vagabondage

fante, les bagues, les fers, les verges,

bondent ou bon

the

like this:

au printemps, avec

commence dans tout la

et se

him one night while

comes a passage

premiere alouette, que

sie: les

etoiles

du bon du ciel,

de Dieu."

Except for Bedier's translation of the old "Tristan and Iseut" (which Mother read) and certain rare passages in Synge, I in literature that strikes this note.

overflowings, but one

"La Maison

know

nothing

Pardon

more from chapter

these

one,

des Morts:"

"Notre maison de

force se trouvait a Tex-

LETTERS

tremite de la citadelle , derriere le rempart. Si I'on

regarde par

les fentes

voir quelque chose

coin de

ciel et

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; on

la palissade,

esperant

n'apergoit qu'un petit

un haut rempart de

terre,

convert

des grandes herbes de la steppe. Nuit et jours,

des sentinelles s'y promenent en long et en large;

se dit alors

que des annees entieres s'ecouleront

la meme fente de palissade, meme rempart, toujours les memes et le meme petit coin de ciel, non pas

que I'on verra, par

toujours

sentinelles

celui qui se

d'un autre

When unshaved.

trouve au-dessus de

ciel,

la prison,

mais

lointain et libre."

got to the hotel I was very dirty and

I spent a

couple of hours on

per-

son and then lunched in the famous restaurant

where you can have your

fish

not get any guide to-day, and

day and everything I

closed

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

caught. I could it is

arranged for a guide to-morrow

spectable looking old gent,

and can say " Yes, saire" walking about the etc.,

streets

and the famous

also a holy

art galleries, etc.

who

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a very re-

speaks French

in English. I

and looking

have been

at churches,

collection of captured can-

non. There must have been over three hundred

with Napoleon's proud

"N"

upon them.

HENRY FARNS WORTH "War

brought

mind; plain,

and Peace" very much

some reason

also, for

made me

that I cannot ex-

think, with a shudder, of the

horde of barbarians suddenly pouring into the valley of crucified lions (see " Salammbo ") per,

haps on account of

"great

man"

troubles

and perhaps too much " Maison des Morts" although

I said

was

of the night reading I

dull, I sat

up a great part

it.

have taken proper

With

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

pills.

love to Mother,

Your

son,

Henry

Moscow^ August

1912

Dear Mother: I

happened to

in a

see a Christian calendar yesterday

moment when my mind was working, and

realized that

Hence

was

the 5*^ of

August already.

Moscow

to-night at 8:30

leaving

for Petersburg,

and from there

Paris, getting there the

13*^^

I shall

or 16^^, at

come any

rate

before the 17*^. I shall telegraph before leaving

Petersburg.

Of all

cities I

have ever been

in I think this

LETTERS

30 is

There

better.

fort"

know

favorite. I should love to get to

—

splendor

—

but no "solid com-

and the whole

just Renan's ideal,

has geist.

Most of

city

and bedraggled

dirty

looking, but the great gilt

domes of the churches

dominate the view. There are Monte Cristo gar-

and or-

dens, restaurants with wonderfiil food chestras,

and

My guide

theatres. is

sian of Scotch descent,

many

years.

greedy. life

about them anon.

a perfect treasure

— an

who was

The Kremlin

the great passion of his

are about six great churches

— some

a seaman for

seems perfectly honest, though

and we spend every morning

there

old Rus-

of them tiny

—

all

there.

There

and monasteries resplendent with

gold and jewels and icons, the old palace and the

new

one, arsenals, law courts,

and the

etc.,

Imperial Treasury.

In the Treasur)^

the history of the

the Russian people. Just as

pile

you come

of old guns, banners, arms,

growth of in

etc., in

you

see

a sort of

a heap, the remnants of Pugatcheff's rebellion against "

Empress Chatherine Great," as Lange, the guide, calls her. (See Pushkin's " Captain's Daughter.") The Swedish banners, sword of

;

HENRY FARNSWORTH

Charles the Great, and the chair he was carried in

from "Dread Pultowa's Day;" hundreds of

torn, blood-soaked Polish banners,

iron casket the Constitution of

old keys of

Warsaw hanging

and

Poland and the

beneath the Polish

throne and crown; the amior of Peter the Great

and all the Imperial Russian standards; wonderPersian, Bokharan, Turkish,

ful

gifts; gifts to

the

etc.,

down; armor of Boris Godunoff,who last

of the Ruriks;

state carriages

the Cossack outlaw

whom "Tsar

who

beat the Tatars and

Ivan Terrible" made the chief of

the Boyars, but

who was drowned

on the Don; and so on

in a sea-fight

for a long while.

the

sword with which Ivan the Terrible

son

;

and a cradle hanging on spears

the Great in his leon, and his

killed the

of all times and

armor of Yermak,

the coronation thrones;

all

tributary

Emperors from the days of Ivan

little

days;"

state

Even

killed his

for

" Peter

bed of Napo-

cannon stacked up about the arsenal.

In the old palace are the

rooms of Ivan, Catherine,

little,

small, frescoed

Peter, etc. ; the

room

where Kutuzoff begged Alexander to give up

Moscow without a shot (see" War and Peace") the tower

where Napoleon watched the burning

LETTERS

of Moscow. Over a gate in the walls of the Kremlin is

room where Ivan

little

and watched the building of

the Terrible sat

his cathedral after

he was excommunicated from the church, and

from which Peter the Great watched the execution of a

whole regiment of Boyars who revolted

against him.

They

was ankle-deep

The new it

say the whole great square

in blood.

palace

very gorgeous and some of could go on to Mesopo-

in beautiful taste. I

tamia.

The Art of ble

it,

Gallery

—

have forgotten the name

but have an English catalogue

and wonderfiil

place.

—

terri-

Even here " Tsar Ivan

Terrible" seems to cast his shadow. There are

many wonderful pictures dramatic and many not.

the

of him

— some melo-

bottom floor are the Vereshchagins

— "The War Painter" — hundreds of tures of " what he in

saw on

little

pic-

his travels in India

and

Bokhara with the conquering army."

his pictures stand

pinnacle of

modern

his light effects.

I think

with Rodin's sculpture on the art.

There

Nothing can describe one of the interior of

an Indian underground prison into the mouth of

HENRY FARNSWORTH which the prisoners are lowered.

dim

sunlight

One

33 shaft

from the blaze outside shoots down

on a white-robed prisoner looking up.

From that

one beam you can judge the depth of the hole, its

putrid smells,

above

its

you can

prisoners

of Indian

atmosphere, the hot glare up

open, and from what

in the

feel all

the age

shows of the

and mystery

civilization.

My old guide understands these pictures wonderftiUy, being absolutely ignorant, just as stoi said

as the

Tol-

they could, and very much, I imagine,

poor

Italians

of Siena understood the

Madonna and Angels of their Duccio. The war pictures are terrible and yet glorious

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the "Before

the Attack" and the "After the Attack" and the "General Somebody Reviewing His Troops at Some Famous Pass." You will find

something of their realism

"Light That Failed," but phy. His draughtsmanship

little is

his

of their philoso-

as virile

as stimulating as Masaccio. I

in Kipling's

and

its effect

do not think he has

tremendous dramatic power, but he was not

painting an epic and, except for Giotto, who has ?

painters; he

all

means the chief of the Russian

comparable to Dostoievski and

LETTERS

Tolstoi. I could not find in the paintings before his time,

although there was plenty of rude real-

ism and theories of

*^'

Art

for Life's Sake,"

any

Gogol to show him the way. His contemporaries are

all interesting. I will

annotate the catalogue

to-night so as not to forget them.

own

splendid grasp of their

They have

history^

—

that of

the Russian people.

The

Hall of Sculpture was shut up. In the

other gallery was nothing worthy of mention.

One good

—

only fairly so

rible condition.

room

They

— Rembrandt

often

show

in hor-

in a separate

a large picture and the studies

made

for

it.

A very good plan. What a chance for students Last night I went to a place called the " Hermitage Garden." It was one of the most

and

—

interesting things I did. It

admittance

fifty

kopecks

thrilling

a huge garden

— with good

trees,

fountains, grass, walks, benches, etc., a very large

and very good restaurant with an orchestra

and

singing,

orchestra, a great big

an open

band

a large, regular theatre

—

Gipsy

air theatre

and

in another place,

and

a good seat five roubles,

about the same as in America. atre

exciting

went to the the-

and was very much rewarded. They gave

HENRY FARNSWORTH

an "Operetta" with an amusing, conventional of one

plot. Instead

man

took from everybody

writing the music they

— Carmen,

Faust,

Don

Giovanni, Parsifal, Fra Diavolo, Lohengrin,

Gipsy love songs, French and German popular songs,

and a

lot

of what must have been Russian.

There was one bass solo by the which was so

and

sinister

villain in

terrible that

a it,

goes beside Dostoievski and Vereshchagin. course, have

no idea what

were of the

calibre

BaklanofT

—

was

man was

old

splendid,

too, I,

really was. All the

chief parts

the bass

fiiry

of Lipkowska and

better.

The comedy

and the soubrette

flirted

with daring and refinement. ''Sophrosone" was the motto of the evening

—

could write

Greek. After the operetta the cert,

many of them all

five voices

gave a con-

A great

each singing three or four songs. I

did not know, but they were

very good music and well sung. " Due Fu-

relle"

was one and most were more

serious.

One

D ebussy- Verlaine The audience was just mer all

theatres in

the sort that

sum-

America and London, and they

knew everything and applauded madly, and

LETTERS

gigantic flowers were brought on,

woman

—

a very splendid specimen

large silver vase. at Russia

—

Those who turn up

would

by the evening hall

and to the chief

that

possibly be bored

— and would

what

sort of thing.

this

—

a very

their noses

— probably

never go to a music

corresponds to

—

for that

Their great-grandfathers would

have to be dug up and transplanted to some

mate where "taste" (or 1700?)

cli-

a possible growth. In IGrO

Abbe Bouhours doubted

Eng-

land was such a place.

After that a ballet P.

—

dancing not as good as

M., but bigger chorus and

orchestra,

Minor,

Russia

Brahms' Hungarian Rhapsody

etc.

big church

infinitely better

— no

Rubinstein.

festival.

— hence

Have been

to a

They do not need organs

they don't have one.

Will write more anon.

Henry

must add that

in the

archs" in the Kremlin

—

" Church of the Patria church

old Byzantine icons and frescoes Christ, obviously

all

covered with

—

by some wandering

the Cavalini type (I

mean

a head of Italian,

the head of Christ).

HENRY FARNS WORTH In front of the (at any this far-travelling,

rate,

a) masterpiece of

eager-souled

artist

of the past

burns a huge, bedecked and bedizened two rouble candle to an eager left its

unsightly

kopeck candles

from

little

horse soul that has

body, and three tiny one

honor of the three goals

made

his back.

St.

Petersburg^ August 7, 1912

Dear Papa: I arrived

here this morning at 8:30 on a very

comfortable train. This hotel

from

very different

dear Slavianski Bazar. It

is all filled

with English, German, and American It

a huge place with a breakfast

just breakfasted ers

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; about

anski before 11:30, is

breakfast or lunch

umes I

(I have

9:30) where the wait-

wear knee-breeches and pink

except in your room,

tourists.

room

coats. Breakfast,

impossible at the Slavi-

you

if it

you want. That speaks

vol-

and

at 1 they ask

as to the diflference between the

two

places.

cannot get a guide here until to-morrow, hence

this.

In Moscow, as

I think I

mentioned,

went to

LETTERS

on Sunday and

the service

for the Empress' birthday.

Saviour

packed with people.

— not

the

great

The Church of

the biggest one in Russia and

paintings of great merit

The

to the extra service

decorated with

—

a wonderful piece of " dome

a very

difficult

thing to manage.

Correggio's true claim to supremacy colors are also good,

and

lies in that.

for a marvel un-

Madonnas.

sentimental even in the robes of the

There were a number of deacons silver

;

black beard

wore a

The archdeacon was

and long, curly

surplice

way he walked I think

Garden that

in cloth

and gold mixed they were mostly old and

silver-headed.

—

modern

— most by Vereshchagin

"War Painter" or even any relation. dome

technique"

The

St.

was

hair,

bushy

all

very thick.

of cloth of gold, and from the

— about

six foot three

or four

he had nothing on underneath. the only other

way. All

tigers

human

Mary

that can

do and some

bulls,

walk Black

Anguses and Herefords. The doors of the high altar

opened and out he walked with nothing on

his head, looking like the arch priest

Devorateur (see

among

of Baal

the shaven priests of Artemis

"Salammbo"), and turned

his face to the

HENRY FARNSWORTH altar

and began to

note or

hands on

his breast

ended

verse,

and threw

rising in speed,

Jehovah could if called

upon

appeared.

his voice

his

into

came back

volume, and

in shrill

and a boy

sleep long or dally at the chase in such a

He wore

catching the light

way. The bishop then

a surplice of cloth

—

of gold,

all stiff

monds, and a huge ruby on the

—

I suspect

top.

The

arch-

contemptuously

The

with his wonderflil walk.

and

a mitre of gold set with dia-

deacon looked at him

— and walked

boy soprano.

chasuble of plaited strands of gold

bishop represented the dull

growing

up, beginning in tenor, going to

and ending

alto,

a whole

head back and

in clear, ringing baritone

choir took

boy

He put his

dome, catching the echo just

and always

He went up

end of each

at the

louder and louder.

the

intone.

New Testament,

and sweet and shaky-voiced and

and was set

echoes ringing or hearts beating.

In the afternoon

went to " Sparrow Hill,"

where " Sparrow," the robber who the Terrible,

two of

had

his chief

executed.

foiled

Ivan

his lair.

Ivan once captured

men and

ordered them to be

"Sparrow" came down

into the city^

LETTERS

caught and killed his chief Boyar, and put on his robes.

Then he

free

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and ordered

entered the palace

bowing before him and took them

off with him.

man

in all Russia that

Now

" Sparrow Hill"

big restaurant

men

He was the

Ivan could never is

set

only

quell.

a Sunday resort with a

and singing and balalaika-playing

by men. There are splendid view of the

the guards

the

city

and

trees

and a good

river.

In the afternoon of

Monday

went

to the

horse races, which were very brilliant and exciting. I

had

Monday

sufficient sense

not to bet a cent.

night I went to the Hermitage Gar-

den, which I described. Nothing can describe the

warm,

clear,

Russia

bracing, pale nights that they have

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; same

in St. Petersburg, I

Yesterday

with I

Odessa, and even more so

guide came

me and we had

was

told.

down

to the train

a very touching parting.

truly fond of him.

liked

because I

responded to his Kremlin and his paintings. said one thing that I think kissed

him

collection

for.

were

Berenson would have in a

very second-rate

of French and Dutch paintings, and

he turned to

me with disgust and said

'*"

Can you

HENRY FARNSWORTH tell

me now, Mr. Famsworth, what these people

go paying away good money

I'm looking thing.

You

and you can

make a

see the

and standing

down in their I

told

him

all,

but

when

at Vereshchagin I can see every-

can even

the queer looking guns the

painting

for these paintings

them at

for ? I can't see anything in

dles

little

guess at

Bokharans use weigh,

men

sitting in their sad-

in their stirrups

stinking shops

that that

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he had no

how much

was

and squatting

and churches."

the very essence of

eyes for color, so

did

not go into that, neither did the early Florentines

and the

Aristotelians

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

with him about liking to see

and

Berenson agreed

men

really standing

sitting.

When

asked him what he thought of some

of the Byzantine paintings he replied that he supposed they had been painted by very holy

men and

that they

fectly sincere

about

were very

all this,

old.

He was

and used to come

my room in the morning and get me with my breakfast quickly so as to be seeing. If I ordered

him

at eleven,

turn up about half-past nine and ask

not ready for breakfast. If

perinto

through out and

he would

if I

was

ordered Nissim at

LETTERS

42 eleven, he

would swear nothing was open

twelve and grumble I

mean

Love

until

horribly.

go and telegraph

right

now.

to the proper people,

Your

son,

Henry

LETTERS HOME October, 1914, to September, 1915

On board

U. S.

New

S. Philadelphia^

Vorky October

1914

Dear Mother:

HAVE only time tosaythat I am in a hurry.

I My passport was held up I

have had a

With

Washington and

fearful time getting one.

best of wishes for the

McGibbon horse.

Your

son,

Henry

London, October 13, 1914

Dear Papa: I

have just

left

dinner later on.

Wilkes, and

meet him

have not succeeded

ing any definite plans yet, the the only thing that I have

have many irons

first

done so

for

mak-

mentioned

far.

However,

in the fire,

and expect by

to-morrow evening, or next day

at the latest, to

have made a

start in

In the boat

some

I fell in

direction.

with a young

man com-

ing from British Columbia to rejoin his old regi-

ment, the Grenadier Guards.

mensely intimate with him he

anxious to have

became im-

from the

enlist. I

first,

and

don't want to

LETTERS

any way, and know that you don't want to

enlist

have me, and furthermore, I don't think

and so do not think there

sible,

man

Griswood, the a captain, and after

about two or three weeks'

and

him. I had dinner with him the

way head- waiters,

chance.

raw company

drilling,

am more

or so his

me He is

less

last night,

etc.,

pos-

used to be

he can put

might go with him.

attractive fellow

much

of,

to bring over a

colonel wrote him,

company,

spoke

it is

in that

a very

fond of

and from

snooped about,

imagine that he used to be the devil of a swell.

That

one iron.

Wilkes thinks that

might go to the front on

a motor bicycle and act as errand boy. gested the idea and has evidently had

mind, as he knows

all

the details.

He it

sug-

his

will find

out about that to-morrow. The idea naturally appeals strongly to

that if

Indian Brigade. things other.

when

I will write

the matter

you more about

settled

one

way

or the

There would, of course, be a certain amount

of danger ate,

me, and particularly as he says

taken, I should probably be put with the

and

in the

work, but nothing very desper-

possible

way

could I see more of

HENRY FARNSWORTH One

the war.

difficulty

matter of mechanics, but a

good

are needed, there will in

very searching

inaptitude in the

know enough to throw

and Wilkes says

bluff,

all

through, I shall see the

falls

people I have letters to, and take the

make good

still

open.

The

and

material,

may

ought to

be able to get

for conditions here, they are

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

very dark in the

and

theatres open, but neither

surprising

article.

much

as re-

streets at night,

plenty of people about as late as eleven rants

boat

first

siege there

some photos and do the regular magazine

ported

tests.

If that idea

to Ostend, if

men

that as such

probability be

how much French you

;

and

restau-

crowded.

hear spoken

eveiywhere. Belgian refugees are arriving constantly,

and

tions to the

the shops have big red exhorta-

all

young men of England to enlist posted

everywhere. Extras are coming out every hour

and red and green posters advertise the but

it is all

do such talk than

done

things.

you do

The Germans

in the

You

calm

way that the

don't hear any

in Boston, not as

extras,

English

more war

much,

in fact.

are hated with a bitter and last-

ing hatred. Wilkes, for instance, talks about

them

LETTERS

way.

in a very bloodthirsty

does not seem

very keen about the Russians either, but then, he never did. Gold

money

very scarce, and there

and pounds.

for ten shillings

With much

love to

paper

Mother and

Your

Ellen.

son,

Henry

Hotel Continental^ Paris^ October 19, 1914

Dear Mamma: I arrived here

London

on Saturday

night, after leaving

10 a.m. Strange to say, the boat,

many

Folkestone- Dieppe, was so crowded that

had to all

stand.

However,

trains, luggage, etc., are

in perfect order. I suppose that the

was because Ostend and

crowd

Calais routes are not

running. I picked

and

several

heavy

several

French men and women,

had been over

England

clothes, etc., for the soldiers.

They had

found the same shortage there, but report tories I

running

fac-

mad.

did not see any one

almost hysterical

buy

way

who

took the war

in the

some members of Espe-

HENRY FARNSWORTH ranza used

to.

Even

practical. I think

and expressed

the Belgians are cheerful

and

more hatred

felt

you

will find

England than on the Continent.

Also, strange to say, there are

and rumors of Zeppelin

up a Welsh captain of

I picked

in France,

to his rage

by the General

any drunken

arrest

told

noticed he

medal and medal.

officers

life,

also the Indian

was

halls, etc.,

he might

and run

had the South

detained

Staff. It

that the night before he

the bravest action of his I

fash-

the Second

who had been

duty to dash about music

his pleasant

Mexican

lowered voices.

Ghurkas now

and

in the

alarmists,

worthy of

raids, etc.,

Mexico are handed about ion, with

much

find.

had done

in a major.

Afi'ican

Northwest Frontier

said himself that he

was an

officer

and considered himself a gentleman, and not a policeman.

let

drop one

had suspected

bit

of information which I

before, namely, that while waiting

to report himself one

morning

at headquarters,

he had had a glimpse of the map, and that the English position was far stronger than reported. I

asked him

he wanted to elucidate, and he

LETTERS

said he did not, but again assured

was the

fact. I

least twice as

that that

think myself that there are at

many British

troops at the front as

are reported there. Paris can best be pictured

London

in time of peace

by saying

it is

on Sunday afternoon

at three o'clock, the only difference being that

no young men about. That

you

see

eral

atmosphere of the

I spent six solid

the gen-

place.

hours walking the

both sides of the Seine, and

streets

lunched at

finally

a half-swell restaurant on Boulevard Capucines. It

was that or the one lower. There was a

scattering of bourgeois

spring,

and bourgeoises and

and by choosing a

able to eavesdrop

cussing the

fair

on three

off-

was

strategic table, I sides.

Some were dis-

morning papers, but most was mere

chatter, such as only

Zola truly appreciates.

English and French soldier came in together in full

campaign

kit,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Englishman with

teen, knapsack, etc..

Frenchman of the

rifle,

light cav-

alry, with a big leather-sheathed sabre.

limping and obviously a convalescent.

came

can-

He was

A reporter

and took a few notes from them, but

otherwise they did not attract very

much more

HENRY FARNSWORTH attention than the tinople or

same

Mexico

Constanthe very

best of friends, although the

very

little

would

They seemed

sight

City.

Frenchman knew

English and the other only his native

tongue.

At sitting

another cafe three Belgian

and a Belgian refugee

tume came up, and asked the

way

officers

smart military

after a

were

in chauffeur's cos-

to the Belgian consulate.

salute,

He said

he had come on a bicycle from Boulogne. After he had gone one of the

'"''

officers said,

II faut

avoir du courage pour faire ca^'' and the others

agreed and dropped the subject.

In walking around the notice

much war-time

streets

you would not

excitement.

The

majority

of the shops are closed, and often on a red, white,

and blue poster about

how many

eight inches square

it tells

of the owners and workers are at the

war. Also a good

many of the round advertising

columns that stand on

all

avenues and boulevards

are now covered with red, white, and blue stripes and " Reserved for military advertising." Naturally there

none of the continual advertising

for enlistment that so covers

While walking,

several

London. aeroplanes

passed

LETTERS

overhead and a good

many on

up at them. On

all sides

saying, " C^est

un Francais;

nent plusP

the streets looked

you could hear the people

Once while

Taubes ne vien-

les

Francs Bour-

in the rue

and an old

geois one passed directly overhead

woman

dashed cackling into a doorway. Her

husband yanked her out with foul names and

made

her walk with

him

in the

middle of the

street.

night the Boule' Miche'

and much soldiers,

as usual.

There

fairly

crowded

a thin sprinkling of

both English and French, but as far as

I could see, they

taxis are

still

were behaving very

plentiful,

well.

Auto-

but regular motors are

very scarce and then either on

Red

Cross duty

or carrying soldiers. There are no motor buses.

The and

streets are

as in

tions

not quite as dark as in London,

London, the sky

by big

searchlights.

swept in

One beam

all direc-

will

some-

times follow a cloud for ten minutes at a time

and then pass on.

nine most of the places are

closed everywhere. I believe that

devotees

but

it is

still

carry on

a night-life

some of the somewhere,

not in evidence, and by ten the streets

are as deserted as those of Boston at one.

Some

HENRY FARNS WORTH of the movies run ing war

films.

till

midnight, mostly carry-

All the regular theatres are closed,

but the Folies Bergeres and a few others run movies. I

have not seen about the

Rome and

now

to the

facilities for

Constantinople as yet. I

embassy to see

to the battlefield of the

if I

can

getting

am going

make

Marne. They say

visit it

very interesting. Yourj^/5,

Henry

Cafe Terminus^ Paris^ October 30, 1914

Dear Papa:

Since

last

sea-change.

plans have indeed suflfered a

As you

say Metcalf predicted, I

found that there was no direct route to Russia,

owing think

to the closing of the Dardanelles. I

would be

possible to get there

of Switzerland, Austria, Rumania,

etc.,

still

by way but

it is

not sure and would be very expensive. Also, while I

was

casting about

and finding out what

about travel in Austria, of Bles,

who

could

met a man by the name

forming a corps of volunteer

LETTERS

54 scouts,

which he thinks

will in time

form part of

the division at present being raised

by Colonel

Kitchener ( brother of the big one) , which

join the Belgian army.

This Bles

manded a

similar troop in the

campaign and

He com-

a very interesting man.

a fight with the Indians there.

South African

when

also in Alaska,

was

there

has also shot

considerable big game, prospected, etc. Also, unlike

most of such people, he

and knows

good deal of

art

man

of letters

and music. For

the last seven years he has lived here, and writes in various magazines.

also

an authority on

aeroplanes (not rich enough to practise) , and on jiu-jitsu

and other Japanese

ese metal

posed,

work and

sports; also

Japan-

As might

be sup-

pottery.

have taken a great liking to him, and

have formed one of the friendships that

seem

to fall into in foreign parts. I

have not yet

enlisted in his corps, but I

lo drill regularly twice a day, 8:30 to 12:30

2:30 to 5:30. The whole thing possible.

The

fied

as picturesque as

as follows: Bles,

officer's

uniform, modi-

daily procedure

very smart in English

and

with some Canadian details that he considers

HENRY FARNSWORTH more

practical, calls to

order at 8:30 sharp. There

are sixty in the squadron, but twenty-four usual

number

present.

the

We have men from South

Africa, Trinidad, Argentine, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, United States,

Honduras, Java,

England, France, the Caucasus, and Malta. The four non-commissioned officers are Francotte, a

Belgian of forty- five, to

work

in his

man

not strong enough

infantry; Kyros,

of unknown nationality, ex of the Trini-

dad Light Horse; and myself. riding school

and do manoeuvres on

one of the brigadiers taking

the

an Argen-

twenty-two years of age; Messelie,

tine rancher,

own

who

have learned to put the

meet

in a

foot, each

command

in turn.

six sections

through

most complicated manoeuvres, advancing

open order, forming triangular formation, forming squares,

and

all

have learned to get

that sort of thing. Also I

my commands

out smartly

and to correct any one that makes a mistake. After that Bles takes

command and

through the English cavalry sabre

have a

class in signalling,

ination in

Morse code

drill.

puts us

Then we

semaphore, and exam-

signalling.

Same thing

The

drill,

peated in the afternoon.

sabre

re-

which

LETTERS

we now do

and hence

fiill

speed,

very violent exercise,

in splendid condition. Also, I

have worked harder over

this thing

thing I have ever done. It

learn to

than any-

no simple thing to

manoeuvre men, the Morse telegraph

code, the international semaphore signals, and

of guides to range- finding,

a week

pile

have been working twelve hours a day and

very hard. Also,

all in

that information

all

worth

having. I as yet don't

know whether

join or not. If you don't

I will definitely

want me

to, write

and

say so. I have told Bles that I will abide by your decision.

Of course

could see the war with the

corps better than in any other

Part of our duty thus

we would

field

of action.

way

imaginable.

to be despatch riders,

and

not be confined to one narrow

for danger,

would

exist,

but

not nearly in so great a degree as for the regular troops. Practically negligible, in fact.

Bles has promised to

soon as the thing formally

enlist. I

make me

lieutenant as

really crystallized

and

do hope you won't think

the

thing too risky. I have an inward conviction that I should never be touched.

Also

have a great

HENRY FARNSWORTH admiration for Bles.

can keep his temper in

exasperating moments, keep cheerful and businesslike

when everything seems going wrong,

and make the most of any offers,

more than any man

cidentally

encountered.

opportunity that

have ever met. In-

leave in a

month or

shall write

volume on

Bles'

than anybody hitherto

for expenses, I shall

buy my uniform and

Mother,

he can get more hard work on deadly

stupid things out of

little

that six

is all.

have to

Bles expects to

weeks.

more anon.

could write a

"Light Horse." With love

as ever,

Henry

Boulevard

St.

Germain^ Paris

November

Dear Mamma I am now installed

1 ,

1914

Somerrand, that the

in a lodging, 22, rue

to say, abaft of the rear of

Musee Cluny, and can from

the bathtub

overlook the garden in front of the Musee,

which tegic

will

show

that

my position is a very stra-

one for the fostering of the ideals that a

student in Paris should have. I use the

word

LETTERS

"student" with conscious pride, for studying

war

quite as

have written the

art.

a lengthy account of

the facts of the case, but there

be said that

of it I

all,

for

was so much

could do no more than summarize

and hence probably gave no

my doings.

am now

hard as any Balzac hero

ever studied politics or I

real conception

I also think that I

overdid the grind

though the hours are long and hard,

enjoy most of the work. I

have picked up particular friendship with

Bles, as previously described, Francotte, a Bel-

gian garde civique^ and one of our corporals,

and with a strange being named Burger. This last

by a Dutch

officer

out of a Javanese

woman in Batavia and married to a Russian wife. He is incredibly long, thin, and pale, with a little

worm-eaten moustache and hollow, mourn-

ful eyes.

He wears a pair

with ordinary

The

of rough cowhide boots

ill-cut trousers

tucked into them.

coat buttons right up to the chin.

doctor of psychology by profession, and speaks

French, Dutch, English, Swiss patois, Italian,

German, Danish, and Russian Also some kind !

of Hindu, " one or two Malay dialects," and

HENRY FARNSWORTH a

little

Japanese.

to be our hospital corps.

has an attractive apartment up on top of

Mont Rouge and in the entire drill,

seems thoroughly well known

Latin Quarter.

does not do the

but usually comes to the afternoon session

At my first appearance he me and asked if I had not been living

Hadem

Keui during the battle of Tchatalja.

to look for progress.

came up at

It turns out that

he had been working with the

Turkish ambulance corps at the same time and

had recognized me. of Bles, and

an old acquaintance

three have dined together four

times, twice with BQrger, once with Bles, at their

homes, and once with de

Sorbonne

me at the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; very

Cafe Restaurant

picturesque

occasions,

Bles in uniform with sundry campaign medals

and some kind of a decoration, Burger scribed,

smoking a Dutch

pipe,

as de-

and myself

usual in an old suit which I keep pressed to please Bles,

who

troop to heart.

and Bles and

takes the queer clothes of his

talk

almost entirely war,

expand on the beauties of the

C. Burger on the

prophesied that the key's hand,

first

day

Germans would

and furthermore

saw him

force

Tur-

that, rather

than

LETTERS

60 lose

Holy

Constantinople, they would declare

War, and

most of the

that Egypt,

rest

Africa, certain districts of the Punjab,

all

ghanistan, the bulk of Persia, Samarcand, garia,

Moro, and

Bles scoffs at

Dzun-

such places would follow

this, and I

Af-

suit.

am in your habitual posi-

tion of believing both sides possible

and seeking

the truth.

There

and chart-

also endless discussion

drawing of various methods of entrenchments

and the use of

light artillery, the

the mitrailleuse.

The news from

so vague that there

ing

not

much

Creusot 75 and the front here

use in discuss-

it.

This place

With

love to

out of paper and

must

close.

all,

Your^/.9,

Henry

Cafe de Rohan^ 1 ,

Place du Palais Royal^

November

1914

Dear Papa: I

drew ÂŁ30

lest

this

morning, and

you should worry

as to

what

writing this I

doing.

HENRY FA RNS WORTH I

still

this

have the ^200

money

gold and did not need

drew

for immediate expenses, but I

ÂŁ20 on Wednesday money

to put

a week ago. I wanted

as a deposit for a horse

this

which

have hired to practise sabre and other exer-

cises on.

The owner

lives

and has

his stables in

Neuilly, and as I wanted the horse in the

Manege

Monceau, rue de Toqueville, he

on a de-

posit of 700 francs.

made him put

way

the

insisted

money

that he can only get

ture. Besides the deposit, I

keep and give him that I

insisted

in the

the deposit,

bank

a louis a

week.

its

don't think

extravagant.

this in the

company of

distinguished

certain

Tollendhor

de Balsch, both of Bles' troop, and practise on horseback regularly for

noon. Both

have the advantage of them

an hour every

in riding I

and horse-

but mounted, a very good opponent. attack

sabre-

the others are first-class fencers, but

manship. Bles says that on foot

signa-

agreed to pay for

Comte de Montmort and a

in such

out with

and defence on the nigh

side.

hopeless,

forte

Polo has

been a great aid in getting a long reach and hard thrust

that side. If I can get either of the

LETTERS

others

their nigh side, I can touch the horse

either cut or thrust,

the

and nearly ahvays the

leg of

man.

about to write Mother now, in an-

swer to hers of October

Yours as ever,

Henry

Cafe de 1 ,

Rohan

Paris,

Place du Palais Royal,

November

Dear Mamma: I am interested in what you say of Mr. Norton.

I called

1914

of the good work

on him on the

lO'^'^

12*^^

of October in Burne- Jones house and found

him

out, but

keeper.

was received by a very pretty househad

that time, according to her, he

not got any automobiles as far as the Continent, but expected to

days.

skilful

was entangled with terest fast. is

some time

questioning

in the next

British red tape

Dill Starr, of Groton-St.

one of

like rescue

his bearers.

and

I lost in-

Mark's fame,

to the St. Bernard-

of sufferers on the

also a screed

few

appeared that he

battlefield, I

have

of disillusion. In the English army,

HENRY FARNS WORTH

as in all civilized armies, the hospital corps

the sanitary corps factor.

an important and large

They work on

the actual firing line, res-

cue the wounded, administer the

wounded, and tag telling its nature

their cases

Red

and

first

wound with a

and

who hover

aid to the

special tag,

Then

severity.

over to the, as you

Cross,

base and

the

they turn

may

say,

amateur

behind the

lines

and run

field hospitals.

Being within sound of

and seeing occasionally some wild shell explode, might by an ignorant enthusiast, particthe guns,

ularly a I don't

woman, be taken

for actual fighting,

doubt that many

articles will

and

appear,

written fiom this standpoint.

Anybody who really knows, see the difference

will

between such

and those that take place

immediately

thrilling scenes

in the trenches

and

ahead of them.

M}^ point idea, I

that not

man

that if Bles can put through his

would with him

really see the war and from one narrowly restricted field. Every

our troop knows at

least two languages, and has learned to send cipher despatches in two

more languages, which even an expert cryptogram reader would have difficulty in making out. or

LETTERS

Also we

all

know

the different signalling systems

thoroughly, and each

man

and

well educated

intelligent.

Our

ambition

serve

French word eclaireurs as despatch-bearers. trenches, but

tion

we would

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and scouts

better

the

also

would not be

in the

be collectors of informa-

ahead of the trenches

;

really

about the same

thing as Uhlans.

You see the difference, don't you, between Bles' I shall know

Horse and Norton's Red Cross? definitely in desires. If

two weeks

he can't, I

Bles can achieve his

am no

information gained and can

worse off for the still

go about

original plans. I

have not yet finished Cramb,but can

well written

it is.

I don't see

why

Germans any more understandable as far as I

see

how

makes the to you.

It,

have gone, draws them as maddened

and blinded by jealousy. have lived to read

how

wish

Cramb

the English

could

and French

are fighting.

With much

love,

Henry

HENRY FARNSWORTH

Cafe Universal^ Puerta del Sol, Madrid,

November 13, 1914

Dear Ellen: Bles has gone to

London

things along at the

to see if he can hurry

War Office.

know he

because until Kitchener's million

nothing

else will

be done at the

in disgust with

down

mankind

War

Office.

in general, I

here with one of our hope-to-be

Christobal Bernaldo de

can't,

complete,

came

officers,

Quyros by name, a son

of the Marquis de St. Yago tous qu^il y a deplus

grand

d''Espagne. I thought he

was Argentine,

because he said he came from there, but here on

own

his

dunghill he turns out to be a

terrific

swell.

Last night

dined with Brother Antonio in

his lodging. Christobal is

still

in bed,

hence

here gathering local color and about to go to the

Museum. The

old father

try somewhere, so Christobal at the

the

Madrid Palace Hotel,

years ago.

out in the coun-

and

I are staying

the sort of place

family would have revelled in ten

Fancy cooking

by a machine, and

that tastes as if

done

quantities of over-liveried

LETTERS

supercilious flunkeys.

As we

are living together

room,

in the cheapest habitable

may

explain

the superciliousness. I

Madrid

disgusted with

as a city.

The

Q,u^'ros family are delightful, simple, travelled,

hospitable,

and

just as

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

to be; but the city

you would expect them

no. If

you came

here,

you

might rave of the picturesque, but compared to

Havana,

all

smothered

Mexico, with tains,

and

walls, this

charm of trees all

and the

its

air is

zeraped peons, distant moun-

and bullet-marked

of tragedy

all flat

Paris.

palms, or

tropiail

enough. Also

There

lacks the

indeed a park with

vellow with autumn, and green grass like,

but Chapultepec with

dungeons, and thousand year old

Alameda, with

its

gardens,

trees,

thick pastoral shade

ing tropical glare and splashing fountains,

seem

all this

pale.

There

or the

and blindmakes

are, of course, plenty

of faces that might be by Murillo or Velasquez,

even some Goyas, but the same are in other places,

ged

and here

there are

fierce-looking rag-

soldiers or thin Egyptian-faced Aztecs.

Also

it is

cold,

and

really thinking

nothing but the war and devising means to get

HENRY FARNSWORTH to

it.

Last night

memoir of

writing a sort of

late

interesting things

This morning

seen.

I sat

and places

seemed not

have

in the least like

anything I ever saw in print, but nevertheless of a certain merit. I

and

finish

mean

to Barcelona soon

there. It passes the time while wait-

ing to hear from Bles.

thing out of

it, it

may

While on the

And

if I

can

make any-

please the

or the

Ma.

train a really hideous thing

occurred to me, namely, that after having been

dined and lunched and well treated generally by Wilkins, I then met a friend in London, don't

know

if I

Pierce, painter,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

wrote you about him, Walter

whom

enjoyed

infinitely,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

thereafter never thought again of Wilkins until

You can do amthing with WilFor God's sake, write him and let him know

a few nights ago. kins.

that I did not

mean

to be rude,

and that

know

he was more than really polite to the Da's son,

and that

how

I feel like a

do anything, do I

wonn

I don't

myself see

the thing can be explained, but if it,

for the love of

you can

God!

dreamt the other night that Lee and

had

a long and intelligent conversation, what about I

don't remember, except that in a general

way

LETTERS

him

I told

to write

down

every morning what

who knows

he dreamt the night before, because

what children dream about, or from what they

draw I

the necessary experience?

got that

from the Javanese psychologist.

all

revoir.

With

love,

Henry

Puerta de Sol, Madrid,

November 13, 1914

Dear Mamma: I

have just passed three hours

in the gallery here.

May we both live to spend one day in this city together On every side some master line, some !

color to ravish the eye

and enlarge the mind;

nothing to blemish and everything to still,

serene conceptions of the

the only atmosphere.

Goya serene.

full

Then

The is

A hall of Goya, â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not the

of the prints, the child of

the master,

uplift.

Old Masters

hell,

of life and color and

but

line,

Goya

but yet

a long gallery of Titian, Tintoretto,

Rubens, Vandyke, and one or two others, a big

round room of Velasquez, at his best, a hall

all

of Murillo, as

alone and always I

have never seen

HENRY FARNSWORTH him

before, a hall of portraits,

There

nothing

else like

can look up in some thing

and get the

list

and that

in all this

modem

69 is

all.

world You !

Baedeker or some-

pictures. I can't describe

them, except to say that to

many

given to paint Christ, but to paint the

has been spirit

Golgotha, to Velasquez alone. Titian and Tintounderstood before. There

retto also I never series,

Moses in the Bulrushes, Judith and Holo-

fernes, Esther

and Ahasuerus, Queen of Sheba

and Solomon, Joseph and Potiphar's Wife, by Tintoretto, all small, and Botticelli's like

all

more ravishing than

Venus and Mars.

It all

makes me

feel

a brand saved from the burning. It seems as

though for two years past

have been follow-

ing false gods, or rather devils, and following on the nervous in art. I could give

my soul now to

hear Jaques Thibaud playing that " Chaconne"

of Bach's again. I long

feel as

though

way under ground and had

had been a

at last

back to the true light again. Nothing abhorrent to

smacks of nerves.

just I

now

hope

come more

than anything that will

be given to

to keep the distinction between devil's art

God's

art clear in the fliture. Rodin's

me and

" Penseur,"

LETTERS

which of late looks to

have spent much time before, now Satan himself!

To-morrow

to Barcelona.

Love

Da,

to the

Henry

Cafe de Paris ^ Barcelona^

November 21, 1914

Dear Ellen: There of

a howling gale outside and quantities

fine rain,

first

and yet warm, and smelling

of our spring storms at home.

like the

have been

waiting here a week, and this morning received

a wire from Bles saying that he hoped to matters with the Belgians in I

two weeks'

fix

time.

suppose that means he has failed in London.

It all

makes me

solute y^i/zra/z^

inevitable

feel criminal, sitting

and spending

Jockey Club that

ish-speaking

exists in all

Span-

cities.

I suppose you, too,

many.

here an ab-

my evenings at the

have read Cramb on Ger-

the best written historical pamphlet

I ever read. It

makes me

Germans, and yet

want

in a

way admire

to fight

them

reasons than mere love of excitement.

the

for other

HENRY FARNSWORTH This without

loathsome town, lazy, and

really a

art.

Also,

in English or

it is

impossible to

French that

buy a book

worth reading.

ploughing through a tome on Alaric that purports to be a novel, written

psychology dotage. It

remind

by a professor of

who wants to become an

artist in his

very learned, but does nothing but

of the huge pictures in " Salammbo."

bona Jide inspiration

the only excuse for

writing a book, or any artistic effort, for that matter.

"Mignon"

went to

was

the orchestra

music, but

led

drowned

Italian consul here,

little

own

man who

the voices. I

whom

talked music until two.

but his

and

at the opera here,

by a

felt

the

went with the

met at the Club, and

He knows

nothing

national style and a bit of French.

Beethoven, Brahms, and Franck are closed to him.

Still, it

was a

This town

slight comfort.

surrounded with wild miniature

mountains, and Varrichotti, the Italian, and self

took horses and spent a day

Coming home we stopped and drank some wine for a

huge

fire.

at a peasant's

room

was so

my-

among them.

all

house

dark, except

fascinating that

LETTERS

72 stayed until

was

pitch dark.

The trails down to

the city are very rough and Varrichotti rified.

This for some reason elated

the lead at a jog-trot, slipping

and sending stones dark. I got one place,

ter-

took

edge into the

but fortunately on a broad

and the horse was not marked. Varrichotti

was so was

and stumbling

rolling over the

fall,

was

me and

behind that he did not catch on.

far

in a

mood when

would have gone over the

edge without a quiver.

That night

saw Velasquez's "Crucifixion"

in a

dream, and ever since have been wanting to

start

a novel. I could think of countless things to

say,

and even a beginning, but no

plot. I

have

decided to take a leaf fi-om the "Idiot" and to

go ahead and write what

force things or to consider

me, and not try to

what the

I feel so dishonest waiting here,

sent

me to

the war, so

write home. rather, in

much

sitting,

;^ 150

when

the

so that I don't dare

Add to that that

one

public wants.

have

lost,

at baccarat,

or did,

and you

imagine how contemptible I feel! De Quyros of Madrid gave me a letter to the swine here who put me up at this Club

will

Jockey Club, not

this cafe

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

it is

now only 10a.m.

HENRY FARNSWORTH and Barcelona

still

asleep

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

he pro-

posed joining the game. After dining nicely, he, being

very

very simple in his manners, as

are most chic Spaniards according to

my experi-

me away from the table, but am always like the proverbial

ence, tried to get after a

few

fool. I

have not been into the baccarat room since

and

shall

losses, I

not go again, but that does not palliate

in the least. I shall write to the

because it

will give

and

only honest, and yet

him

pain. I

never turn out such a

hope your

him,

little

that

Lee

will

seem bound to be

fool. I

a thorn in the Da's side, and yet I

tell

know

God knows

wish otherwise. I

have decided to go to Palma de Mallorca

and wait there

two weeks,

for

nothing from Bles,

Red

Cross,

That

will, at

and

I shall

that

any

a sort of

a success.

it is

it 's

gloom hangs, or seems

If they

a stab at the

join the Legion.

a comfort to hear that

suppose

Dedham. What is worse, it is all

make

fails,

rate, stop expenses.

In the meantime,

Adam

then, if I hear

I at

fault that

to,

over

bottom don't think

fault.

would only ask some

definite thing

LETTERS

me,

would do

Also once

want

cheerfully

and

what

and doing already what was wanted,

to,

would not have

worry about whether

ceeded or not. If you can give tions,

feel at rest.

at rest, I knoxv I could write

it,

me any

suc-

sugges-

and "lay on, Macduff!" Love,

Henry

Grand

Palma de Mallorca^

Holel^

November 26, 1914

Dear Mamma: I

arrived here this morning, for reasons which

wrote Ellen two or three days ago, and won't

rehash here. If curious, to write I

and ask

will

be a fund for you

her.

have been reading more or

island

and

it is

really a

most

fearflil

last

am better off here

least I think so. I

cold in Barcelona and

on the boat

about the

interesting place.

long as I can't get to the war, than in Paris, or at

less

caught a

was so miserable

night that I fully expected to

have typhoid; about two hundred per day are dying of it

Barcelona

in the hills here this

However, a long walk

morning has put

HENRY FARNSWORTH good shape again and

no more typhoid

I feel

symptoms.

The town

and

rather large, but scattered,

very simple, quiet, and picturesque. There beautiful cathedral,

and some

one

attractive ruins of

a castle in the offing. I believe there are some

twenty

castles in the island,

and even inhabited.

some very handsome

mean

to a small

town, Sollaire, on the other side of the

and

live there until Bles definitely

mind I

his

he can do anything or not. After that

Norton's or somebody

shall try

The

Cross.

island,

makes up

an end to

closing of the Dardanelles has put

first

In Barcelona Austrian,

Red

else's

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

scheme. picked up a

there are a lot of

German and an them

ing to get to their respective araiies, great display of tact,

managed

there, try-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and by

become

fairly

intimate, especially with the Austrian. I think

Cramb

absolutely right in his diagnosis.

only thing I

mans

differ

the most

greatest,

how they

with him in

calling the

Ger-

great-minded, as well as the

of England's strike

The

foes.

Mad

with envy

me. At the expression " English

Channel" they froth

at the

mouth.

imagine

LETTERS

76 that

on the

ism

battlefield their

courage and patriot-

no greater than that of any of the other

nations involved.

Owing

my jumping around so,

have not

heard a word from home for three weeks, but expect shortly a large pile of I will write again shortly

what

usual, I

let

you know

when more matured. As

am ashamed

to say, I have a half-baked

came here

Love

and

plans are,

literary project I

letters.

on hand, and that

really

what

for.

to the Da.

Yours,

Henry

Palma de Mallorca December 2 , 1914

Dear Mamma: It occurred to me I

just

now

that even though

was not doing anything very heroic here

Palma,

you

so.

might

I I

any

in the villa, so-called, last

rate write

home and

have changed hotels and

wrote. It

in tell

am now

of the one from which

little

rooms, perched on the

place of cliffs

some seventeen

across the harbor

HENRY FARNSWORTH from the main town.

is all

calm and picturesque. Also I ever got into, I advise

and that

the cheapest place

why

I stay.

you to look up Mallorca up on

tannica." I have read all

very beautiful and

it's

very interesting.

The

little

in the

" Bri-

a bit and

huddled town and

the cathedral rising like a crag out of the sea, the harbor fliU of fishing-boats, lateen

sails,

and

the stern mediaeval castle of Belver facing the cathedral

from the heights on

as the sun

out,

it is

really

make

this side, all

Middle Ages seem near and

the

fresh.

warm, and

long

at nights

very cold.

it is

having more success with

writing

than ever before. That's another fundamental reason for

be able to

more or

my stop here. finish

less

departure in

the

I really

way

my field)

my experience in the

want It

think I shall

(which

seems to

me as

new

though

Prado museum might bear

finit. It is the fourth organized

the

an actual novel and have

same subject. Three have

attempt to write on

in various past times

been torn up. This time things with no nervous wear and get things clearer in mind.

move

tear.

slowly, but

Every day

LETTERS

The

only other lodger here

reforme^ trying to get his chest

measurement.

I detest

little

French

to standard

him, and hence have no

distractions.

My programme â&#x20AC;&#x201D; rise veranda while the sun

and walk on

and admire the

ca-

at 7

rises,

thedral until there begins to be fair warmth in the sun, then read over yesterday's writings, change

when

advisable,

Then

dress

and go ahead

until

about 10.

and drink a cup of

coffee

on the ve-

randa downstairs, and then fish from the rocks lunch. After lunch, long

walk

Belver and return between

and write

till

then

local Spanish daily

3; 30

and

till

around

4, drink tea

down to read the papers, the

and twice a week the " New

York Herald," then cold that that

in the hills

bed about 9:30.

the only place.

You may notice

a lack of writing hours in the programme, but that

really not

fault.

In order to have

anything definite and coherent and which can be joined to what has gone before, I have to think a long time.

Even

then, I write with a shamefiil

slowness and have just

now

ond chapter, of which the short.

The whole

completed the

first is

business

sec-

ragged and very

would have

to be re-

HENRY FARNSWORTH written anyway, one. I

if I

was ever

show

any

trying gradually to put in everything

of interest I

know and have

think that

better than trying to force things.

I believe

seen or thought. I

a plot of some kind will

work out of

itself.

In the meantime, mail and I

have telegraphed for

eagerly waiting news from home.

haven't had any for a month. If you write that

you

despise

me,

could always join the Legion

and try to redeem matters.

With

love to the Da,

whom

think

would

please if I could publish a novel.

Yours,

Henry

Villa Victoria^

Palma de Mallorca^ December 4

1914

Dear Ellen: This island

truly a fascinating place,

longer I stay, the better I like original

home of the

exodus of the

it.

lotus trees;

I think

and the

was the

beyond the daily

fishing fleet in the

dawn and

return in the twilight, and the lazy

their

movements

of occasional tramps, nothing seems to go on.

LETTERS

Most

are open from 9:30 to

offices

and

when

there are of course innumerable y^^e days

nobody works. Everybody and everything seems to be simple

and easy-going, yet there

but

one beggar in the town and everybody seems to

know and rather like him. He was made

by an American

me no

he bears give

him

when

five

grudge.

I, like

every one

centimos (one penny

pass him.

blind

Cuba, but says that

shell in

doesn't

else,

A.)

make any

cuse of dire poverty, but smokes rather

ex-

good

cigars.

Every day ing

fleet

I get

dawn

to see the fish-

go out, and always the cathedral right

across the harbor

from

opposite any really

seems more

this place

mediaeval and impressive.

good

Have you

ever lived

piece of architecture,

which was alone among the commonplace? don't

mean

that the

town of Palma

place, but

from here no

made

The

out.

details

common-

of houses can be

roofs look like chickens

swarm-

ing about the huge brooding cathedral. I

walk and

fish

and write every day about the

same hours, and take

all

my meals

here,

and

from the negative or passive viewpoint a model

HENRY FARNSWORTH boy. Also at the present

moment

a very serene

one.

The housekeeping of teresting.

little

the place

deeply in-

French reforme and myself

are the only lodgers,

and

yet, according with the

Spanish custom, they serve us two huge meals a

For

day.

lunch, hors (foeuvres eggs or macaroni,

fish,

a green vegetable, a meat, and

and

coffee.

two

For

meat,

table,

dinner, soup,

All

etc.

dollars a

and a

entree, vege-

and lodging

this

for about

day of our money. In Joliga, an

island southwest

dollar

fish,

fruit, dessert,

you can do

this,

for one

quarter.

wish you could influence Alfred to speculate

or something that would bring in several mil-

and then hire me as courier guide and

lions,

me run you

let

der

Uncle Theodore has ever put

if so, if

the Burgii liked

really fairly

outside cold,

about for a year or two. I won-

warm

much

in here,

here during the day.

and never wear overcoats. At night

and then

eat it is

go to bed.

Unfortunately, there

nothing to read, not

even French books to be had

however, makes

and

as I do. It

me write

in the

town. That,

the more. In six days

LETTERS

82 I

have covered about fifty-two block pages

middle-sized hand. I

mean

that that

amount has

survived the tearing-up process always so dear to

me. There are a host of things that would bear describing, castles, ruined tains, etc., it.

and otherwise, moun-

but I simply cannot

doubt

if it

would

down and do you very much

sit

interest

if I did.

soon as Lee begins to have consecutive

thoughts, I hope

you

will give

a detailed

account of what he thinks about, I really take the greatest interest in him, feel a sort

for

some reason

of part ownership in him.

one does not

and

revoir^

please write

affect

my me

me that way

The

other

all.

dear, one of these days, and

a long screed of gossip from

home. Yours,

Henry

TELEGRAM TO WILLIAM FARNSWORTH Lyon, December 24, 1914

Love

you and Mother.

Henry

HENRY FARNSWORTH

TELEGRAM TO WILLIAM FARNSWORTH Paris, January 5 , 1915

Joined Foreign Legion for duration of war.

FaRNS WORTH

TELEGRAM TO HENRY FARNSWORTH Boston, January 6, 1915

Think you have done

right.

God

guard you.

Mother, Ellen, Father

Paris, January

1 ,

1915

Dear Mamma: Your

letters,

which arrived

with

many

re-addresses

great joy to your son, for

in a large packet

and

upon them, brought

who

was, and had been

some weeks, more lugubrious than necessary.

hope

in a

of the legion,"

few days

—

now

to be a "soldier

not St. Augustine's, but not

wholly despicable "for

a' that,"

My name

— and

joy

will

list,

and Tuesday morning, when

be complete.

teers for the

to be

new regiment

rounded up and

then

already on the all

the volun-

they are forming are

selected,

have been

LETTERS

promised by the French captain

charge of the

one of those accepted. If not,

recruiting to be

can join the Ambulance, as already written to

Papa. Christmas, on

my way

lona, I stopped off at

to Paris

Lyons and walked way out

into the country along the

you

Adam

riding

from Barce-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; do

Rhone.

thought of

you go alone?

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

longed and longed to be with you on Eve. I

wonder

you know

about Lyons.

a pale winter sun

cloud and

the

Rhone and

came and

made me

lit

up a gigantic white

think of a passage from a

French opium smoker that

" And

had been reading

after the other things

dawn came, France, and

the country

veiy beautiful, and for once

had passed away,

cold and bright like the winter in lit

up a white cloud which shone

the heavens like ethereal silver, and from within the cloud a choir of horns played Cesar Franck until the

and a I

unseen trumpeters blended into one note

clear light

burned steadily for a while and

found myself again," I

etc.

know that that sort of thing is not your style,

but for a week sorts

have been thinking about those

of things and

it all

seemed

perfectly natural

HENRY FARNS WORTH at the time. I

some time

this

speak of

now

morning looking

Notre Dame, and thought of

afternoon I

this

Franck, and was

because I spent at the

}'OU again.

much

Annunzio,

it,

struck

because

whom

by what you

all art is

I don't

by the way, has never that

Also

said

taste in lit-

say the truth, I don't think there

much sense in d'

towers of

going to a concert of Cesar

about Rhodes, Rembrandt, and your erature.

expression,

know much

and

about,

tried to express the things

Rembrandt or any of

his

ested in, but Dickens, Balzac,

kind were inter-

Gogol, and Dos-

same catalogue, though

toievski are nearer the

probably writers of the same epoch are the only ones

who

This

is,

really hit the

mark.

I suppose, the

most solemn

will ever see.

quiet fortitude of the lessons

New Year

Nothing can over-express the

hope you

French people. In your

will learn

them

as I

beginning to do.

Your Son, who sends you

all his

love.

LETTERS

Cafe des Deux Magotts^ Paris,

Dear Papa: I am very sorry about Mr. Bird

January

1915

your cable

that I did not get until yesterday,

1 ,

though for two

weeks already I had been trying to join the Legion. Otherwise,

should have joined the

American Ambulance and would have been a position to send the articles at once. shall

not

know

They

and

However,

to,

and

the one I can join,

works with the English army, and the

French operations are much

want

the wiser mo\'e in the long run.

The American Ambulance, at least,

recruits than

cannot draw back now,

as a matter of fact, I don't

even think

are getting up

new regiment and have more

necessary.

it is,

Tuesday morning whether

until

the Legion will accept me.

course I

may

less

have to

known.

drill

for

two or

even three months and that will delay matters, but on the other hand, a company of recruits

was

sent right into the

training, to replace

wiped

out.

first line

after

a company

The new

two weeks'

that

had been

volunteers in the Legion,

those that joined during the

month of Septem-

HENRY FARNS WORTH ber,

were sent forward

had heavy

losses.

be wanted to

fill

November and have

That may mean up gaps. There

matter for an interesting book, thus.

the worst,

are

the big spring campaign, sive begins,

bound

when

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that

shall

will really be

turns out

to take part in

the serious offen-

and with a stroke of

be in at the death

luck, I

might

the Prussian death, that

If on Tuesday morning I

refused, I can

is.

still

go with the Ambulance.

One

point interests

values of the English

the

and French armies.

intensely.

read English magazines, you would gather the opinion that the British were fighting the

on land

as well as sea.

While the French

war

are ver}^

polite in singing their praises in print, the fact

remains that the portion of the line held by the English

infinitesimally bigger than that held

by the Belgians, and occur,

it is

that

whenever advances

always a cooperating force of Allies

that gains ground. I imagine that this does not

agree with your views, and of course I

know

nothing definite, but in talking with Americans

who worked

with the British hospital corps I

found that they always admit "the two sides" of

LETTERS

88 the question,

and usually favor the French army

as a fighting machine. Certainly

the British get relieved every

true that as

it is

two days

at most,

they are in fresher condition than the French,

who

are often four or I shall cable let

five in the gutter trenches.

Tuesday

you know what

matters, fi-om I

and

are relieved every three days at least,

get a chance,

if I

am up

to.

well that I at last got

home. For the

last

month or

and

to personal

some mail

three weeks

have been so morbid that almost anything

might have happened.

Among

other things I

imagined, or rather took for granted, that you all

despised me, and that nothing but a sense

of duty kept you from cabling

home

again.

tinguer's

not to come

Reading the mail yesterday at Hot-

was

coming out of

With

ether.

love,

Henry

Cafe des Deux Magotts^ Paris, January

Dear Ellen: You are truly of your

letters

the best of

1 ,

1915

sisters,

and a bunch

here in Paris

which reached

HENRY FARNS WORTH were the most welcome things

You I

for

forgive, cheer,

hope you

and

will never

I ever received.

stimulate, all in one act.

have reason to be sorry

it.

As just written to the Da, for the don't know how many weeks, I am

join the Foreign Legion,

first

time

trying to

and have every reason

to expect that I shall be accepted

on Tuesday

morning.

To-day

Friday, and

it is

lucky some mail

arrived before the interim of three days of inactivity. I

have been so unduly nervous of

that I truly think, in a city cessity are

more or

been shut up as an It has

but being it

watched,

might have

idiot.

nothing to do with things in hand, still full

some more.

Chopin wrote there that

less

late

where people of ne-

of Mallorca, I must write of

was

there in Valldemosa that

his funeral

march, and

was from

George Sand wrote of him

as "vel-

vet fingered Chopin." Also Richepin in his

me-

moirs looks back to a winter's month spent there as the happiest

and most

About an hour's walk was

living, brings

you

peaceflil

of his

fi-om Terrino, cliffs

life.

where

wilder and more

LETTERS

magnificent than any

you have ever

seen, with

caves and tunnels, and awflil holes in the

flat

bottom of which you could hear the

rocks, at the

and

sea sucking in

out, but so far

down

that

you

can see nothing. In some places the foraiation

almost the same as Dore's conception of Hell,

and over

all

warm

the

Mediterranean sun, the

blue water dotted with I used to

lateen

and dream, and watch the

clouds. It

was waiting

from

But even otherwise,

for

only

fair

my baggage to come

to say that I Paris.

sails.

by the hour and dream,

there

sit

little

I should never

regret that month. I used to think a lot of you,

and our days

Marblehead, and one March

morning when we drove out to Nahant.

Here the sun never of the time. If

French people, fate, call it

God,

shines

and

were not for the

spirit

most

of the

" Call

France and Russia"

would be call

rains

impossible.

nearer the truth.

In the Paris " Midi" was a cabled quotation

from

this

morning's leader in the "Times." I

think even the English are beginning to realize

what France hundred and

doing. Kitchener promises three

fifty

thousand

men next month and

HENRY FARNSWORTH a million more by spring.

The French papers say

nothing of two million in the

field,

and

heartily

applaud the British, saying politely that Kitch-

same

ener's opinions are the

Over and above French have more

the

as facts.

men

mobilized, the

recruits, foreigners, reformes^

and those over or under age, than they can handle.

The whole

beyond the too

much

countrj^ gives

that are starving

and

money, and

fact that the ''Marseillaise"

in theatres

sung

and played too much

movies, nobody glooms

it,

its

much of any. Even those

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not few â&#x20AC;&#x201D; keep

realize that those

who have

quiet about

something are

doing their best for them.

Have you heard of the Catalan regiment from Toulouse,

who

stayed

two weeks

in their trench,

fought seventy-two hours without stopping, and

when them

there left;

were only

five

and they were

hundred and

sixty of

relieved, asked for

ammunition and permission to advance?

With

love, dear,

Henry

LETTERS

Paris, January 5

1915

Dear Mamma: I

formally and definitely joined the Leg-ion

Etrangere

morning, and to-morrow morn-

this

ing I go into barracks here in Paris, and as soon as the

company

ing

was

me \&ry solemn.

and examined a

ready, on to the front.

certificate

After being stripped

as carefully as a horse,

of "aptitude,"

and was sworn

place

two medals and a

in.

The join-

and given

went to another

little

old

man

with

glistening eye looked over

papers and then in a strong voice asked

if I

my was

prepared to become a soldier of France and, asked

to, lay

down my

life

for her cause.

Then

and was told to report the next morn-

I signed,

ing and be prepared to start training at once. I

went out and walked down the Boulevard

des Invalides, with Napoleon's It

tomb behind me.

was warm and foggy, and the golden-winged

horses on the Pont Alexandre III seemed to be stirring

through the mist. Lately

to love Paris in a

love

her

dim way it.

life,

I I

beyond I

all cities,

can understand

suppose should

how

America were

feel

the

have come

and now

I think

the French fighting for

same way about

HENRY FARNS WORTH own

country, though I don't about England

or Serbia, and differently about Russia. Belgium surpasses everything.

Last night I met a newspaper man I had in Vera

Cruz and Mexico.

has been in the Egyptian

and knew a

lot

about

known

an Eng-

who was most

lishman, also a reporter, esting.

He was with

inter-

civil service

Mohammedan

matters.

We talked from nine to three, while Rourke slept peaceflilly,

and

I was much flattered that the

lishman took copious notes on the their strength in times past, and

the Turks' attitude

and 1913.

Rourke

German spirit,

on Turkey and

toward the Germans told

Eng-

1912

that Varges, one of

Hearst's photographers, had been in jail ever since

two days

after landing. I

was ver^^ intimate

with Varges in Mexico City. I

enclose

New

Temps." With love

Year's to the

Your Son, who

leader

from "Le

Da,

feels

Paris,

on the brink.

January 9

1915

Dear Ellen: I have now been five days in the Legion and am beginning to feel at home there. We are at pres-

LETTERS

ent in the barracks of Reuilly, but already there is

of going to the front. I

talk

in the 15*^^

Company, 2^ reghnent^ premitre regiment de marche (whatever that

Company, which

13*^^

next, lacks twenty

ours.

in English),

men and

of going. If infinitely

men

do,

will I

so far in

good chance

told that I stand a

more than

after

to take them from

there are only thirty-five

the 15^^\ I

week

leaving the

and the

be luck surpassing and

hoped

for.

this

anon.

for the Legion, as far as I

not

it is

much

regiment

like its reputation.

newly recruited

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

have seen

Of course

it,

this

although the two

regiments de marche are already on the front,

and the 13^^ Company In the at

all.

first

Many

very lowest In

place, there

of the

going to

men

up gaps.

no tough element

are educated, and the

of the high-class

room, for

fill

workman

instance, there are

Pere Uhlin," an old Alsatian,

who

type.

" Le Petit

has already

served fourteen years in the Legion in China

and Morocco; the Corporal Lebrun, a well

known

in his

own district

cotton broker fi'om Havre;

;

Socialist

Engler, a Swiss

Donald Campbell,

— HENRY FARNSWORTH a newspaper

man and

family

England

left

short story writer,

English

will not serve in the

who

army because

his

in 1 745, with the exception

his father,

who was

Fusiliers;

Sukuna, a Fijian student at Oxford,

Captain in the Royal Irish

black as ink ; Hath, a Dane, over six

feet,

whom

Campbell aptly calls ^'The Blonde Beast" (vide ''

Zarathustra")

;

Von somebody, another Dane,

very small and young; Bastados, a Swiss carpenter,

born and bred

in the Alps,

— when

given half a

far better

than most comic opera

does the

at times

Ranz

litre

who

sings

of canteen wine stars,

and who

des Vaches so that even

Pere Uhlin claps; the brigadier Mus-

Petit

sorgsky, cousin descendant of the composer, a little

Russian; two or three Polish Jews, non-

descript Belgians, Greeks,

Roumanians,

etc.

already have enough to write a long (ten thou-

sand word)

article,

and

at the

end of the cam-

paign can write a book truly interesting.

going to the front,

against the rules, as only those

it is

technically

who have

been

—

inoculated four times

—

are supposed to leave.

On the other hand, I stand

in well

at ten-day intervals

with the Corporal, thanks to Bles,

who

LETTERS

taught

with

drill

eyes shut and in

God and

any language; and thanks to

was lame

for

done the

feat

and thanks

strength to raise a

— have —

from the muzzle with each wrist

service rifle

hip,

which gave

in Mallorca,

a month

two days, but was reported ''''tout

simplement^ en passant''''

an unmistakable

on the

bullet scar

which the Sergeant, a Russian of the regular

army, noticed and gave undue importance to it

came

in the

Telacpalon

with cotton and

electric

affair

and was

—

treated

tape at the time

— and

thanks to young Christobal de Qu)tos,

lastly

whom

I left in

ranks of the

Madrid and found again

13*^^

Company, about

to be

in the

made

Corporal and very friendly with both the Lieutenant and Captain. Also the fact that I

how

to clean a

food" weighs

gun and never "kick about

in the scale,

please don't think I

most of your

— knocked esoteric

knew

men

and

also,

having

the

—

trying to be tough, for

friends could

and would have

out one of the Belgians in a certain

manner which made me

close with the

instantly very

Pere Uhlin, the Mulvaney of the

three companies.

All that page

what

most

full

— my

HENRY FARNSWORTH own

chances of getting to the front.

Now

for

general detail.

46*^^^

racks of the

known

Caserne de Reuilly in the bar-

live in the

regiment de ligne

who have been

regiment,

and have

since 1650,

the wall. Also

it is

their

fortable barracks in town. It

Faubourg

St.

one cup of

coffee,

Good

fast

drill,

and

wars

and most uncom-

and

Antoine.

a very well-

campaigns painted on

the oldest

the Place de la Bastille

—

in all the

drill

about a mile from

rise at 6:30,

drink

from 7:30 to 9:30.

with guns at the regulation

French "Carry arais"

—

a hellish position

most of the time. At 10:30 La Soupe^ and until

more soup on those

The

Then

12:30.

at 5,

and freedom

drill is

may add

tells

Bles

done half

The more

was

bom

hard

that he has

I learn, the

gone I

it.

as smartly as

for a drill-master.

an aeroplane, with the French. he

8:30. It

Lee could be taught

that it's not

know that

Q,u}Tos

till

rest

clean arms,

purely of the recruit order and done

Bles used to exact. I

3:45,

drill till

—

in soft condition, but easy for the others.

in sections. Little I

in the Quartier

as observer in

wish him luck;

physically unfit for either the French or Brit-

— LETTERS

98 ish service,

but deserves better. To-day

and we get of

letter.

off at

all

a really interesting man; Harrow,

it,

but

I suspect

from

certain

of the trade that I picked up from Race

whom

he knows

—

that he

British secret service. is

this length

over the world in most capacities.

He never mentions tricks

Sunday

Ordinarily I cultivate acquaintance.

Campbell

and then

10:30 a.m. Hence

no stranger

His acquaintance

of the amusing type.

to the

in Paris

He has already taken me

up to the " Daily Mail"

office,

where

met some

among others, S. Ward Pryce, whom I knew slightly in Turkey, and Rourke, whom I knew pretty well in Vera Cruz and Mexvery nice men,

ico.

All these people seem to respect us very

for joining the Legion.

respectable

from the

standpoint, but he a'

that

—

Campbell

New York or New

man and

much

not over

England

a gentleman for

Scotch of course by descent, although of

French upbringing

in spite

of an English school. also

worth know-

ing; of Belgian descent, although

in Paris since

Lebrun, our Corporal,

six years

of age.

He is of the type which brought

victory to the French Revolution.

Wounded

go back

the beginning of the war, he asked to

HENRY FARNS WORTH the front; but recruits,

when

requested to stay and

drill

he accepted, on the condition that he

might remain a corporal. authority,

and

He does not approve of

men were

if all

not be necessary. Like

him,

all Socialists,

would

likes to

argue. Last night, after the lights were out, he

began to argue with the cotton broker, and be-

came very heated. So much so that Campbell was afraid of

bad blood. The broker had announced

himself as a radical anti-clerical. Finally bell

made

Camp-

himself heard, and Lebrun angrily

asked him his party. " French Traditional Royalist," replied

Campbell, and Lebrun gave up with

a good-natured laugh. Extremes met. Bastados

began "iVow^ sommes tous gion's song,

and

all

les freres^"*

the Le-

passed over.

With

love,

Henry Amhassadt

Republique Franqaise aux Etats- Unis

Washington^

January 12, 1915

dear Governor:

In answer to your say,

first,

worth

letter

of the

that the enlisting of

7^^, I

hasten to

young Mr. Farns-

one more token of the admirable sym-

LETTERS

100

pathy shown us by so great struggle in which

good

as to

many Americans

in the

we are presently engaged.

convey to

his father the feel-

ings of gratitude which such a noble act cannot

but

elicit in

every French heart.

Concerning the Foreign Legion,

you that most of the elements

can assure

there are excellent.

A great many people are French; the officers are among

the best

have, most of them being

French too. The number of Americans very great, and,

if I

group apart, having been included recently, where,

also

mistake not, they form a

judging fi'om

in the

letters

same

now and

then printed in the American papers, they lead a

life

which seems to

interest

them very much and

to answer their expectations. I have just before

me,

at the present time,

my table, a letter from who wants to possible, and who has

an American friend of our cause enlist himself, if that

already at the front, in the Deux'ieme Etranger^ his only I

son and his two nephews.

do not think

it is

at all impossible to locate

a private soldier in the Foreign Legion, any more than in any other regiment. If your friend knows the

Company

to which his son belongs, he has

HENRY FARNSWORTH

101

the fairest chance that his letters, or almost any-

thing he

him.

would choose

Some

letters

may

to send him,

lost,

would reach

but others, with-

out doubt, would reach their destination. I

have several nephews

while at

in the trenches,

and

in the confusion of the early days,

first,

nothing from their families could reach them, for

many weeks now

almost every

letter,

bundles and parcels of chocolate,

without

and even

etc.,

arrive

difficulty.

With best

wishes for the welfare of the brave

young American who has

so pluckily espoused

our cause, and with best souvenirs to you and

Mrs. Guild,

beg you to believe me,

dear

Governor,

Most

sincerely yours,

jusserand Hon. Governor Guild, Boston, Mass.

Paris, January 17, 1915

Dear Papa: Although

to forward

have sent a postcard to Hottinguer

come through

mail to the barracks, none has

yet,

and hence

am without

any

news from home and have nothing but Legion

LETTERS

102

gossip to write about. I don't suppose

spite of dirt, cold, blistered heels,

home by

thoroughly at

friends with every one in the

including a Belgian

thoroughly. songs,

and hard work,

fascinating.

good

the

you much, but

sort of thing that interests

find

^''

whom

The two

this

time and

company, even

was forced

to lick

great Legion marching

Car nous sommes

tous les freres^''

and

the old, the finest marching song in the world, '*

Legion

Soldats de la

La Legion

Etrang'^re,

N^ayant fias de fiatrie.

La France

est notre m'^re^^*

are quite true at bottom, at least in the 15*^

Company. Farm hands,

wood

professional soldiers,

workers, journalists,

Christians, and

royalists.

Jews are all working in harmony,

and each one doing comrades.

socialists,

Our

his best for himself

and

his

Captain, a veteran of 1870 and

a retired Legionary,

Frenchman of the

largely responsible.

best type, an aristocrat, a coun-

trjTnan, the best shot,

and

still

one of the best

marchers, he uses the most extraordinary com-

mon sense. He

keeps up the most iron discipline

HENRY FARNSWORTH while

days

drill is

103

man two

going on, and will give a

in jail for a dirty capote or

even for talking

in the ranks or for being late to the appel^ but

outside of business he

In spite of the good place

as indulgent as possible.

spirit

he could

raise trouble if he

winks at the delinquents. thinks of them again.

of the company, the

no Sunday- School, and on some occasions

far

wanted

and what he

tells

will

to.

if it

nobody has repeated an

There is also a picturesqueness about I never expect to see equalled.

never

them what he happens offence. it all

that

Reggie Water-

bury has turned up here, and having been

in-

troduced to Donald Campbell, a most genial and

amusing soul of vast acquaintance here

three often dine together. Campbell

get leave bully suit

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

till

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

and

10 p.m. and Reggie puts on

his

so as not to be refused admittance

the three of us

"exclusive" bars and that

in Paris,

Campbell and

go about cafes.

to all the

The ftmny

most

part

being in Legionary uni-

form, excite great admiration, and the most respectable old gentlemen, catching sight of the

Legion button, step up and ask us to drink with them. The other day I bought a pair of boots and

LETTERS

104

was

at the caisse paying for them, when the

man-

ager of the shop dashed up and said that he would

not take any pa\Tnent from " iin des petits Legionnaires.'''' I

explained to

would

tion, I it

would be

francs

and

off,

had plenty

me a reduc-

see that the difference

went where

really appreciated.

and

five to

him that

he would give

of money, but that

gave

five to

gave

Petit

ten

Pere Uhlin

de Hath, a Dane and a gentleman,

explaining of course how I got the money. Uhlin

money order

sent a

to his wife in Alsace

de Hath bought a pair of gloves. episode because things

it is

ish

mention

this

good example of the way

our company. Although Uhlin has

spent hours showing rifle,

and

me how

to take

down

the

to grease boots, fence with the bayonet, pol-

belt, etc., I

have never dared

any money, although

offer

knew he had not

except the five centimes per

day

that

him

a cent

the reg-

ulation pay.

The

other day Campbell

dred francs for some

" Daily Mail."

and Sukuna,

stories

he wrote in the

He dined Waterbury and

the Fijian

bought twenty

was paid two hun-

litres

myself

from Oxford, and then

of wine for the company.

HENRY FARNSWORTH As

for leaving for the front.

pany, which was due to go I

had put

was

week,

13^*^

Com-

is still

here.

an application to go with them, and

told yesterday

sisted, I

this

The

105

by the Captain

when

could go

they

left,

that if I in-

but he asked

personally to stay in the 15^^, and I think

in the long

run

will

be better

so.

The

nothing to brag about, and

of by the general

reviewed us

other day. cial

staff

who

the other hand,

not well thought

in jail at present

had anybody on the pany,

we have

sick

list

rejfused all

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

all

the

received spe-

mention and are well thought of by

have not a soul

13*^' is

all.

and have never also, as

a com-

bureau jobs, and by

we all carry ftiU weight packs at all drills. am now in the first file, and have so far the

request I

best shooting record in the

dard

stan-

low and 150 meters the longest range

Our

old captain puts his ten shots in a

so far. circle

company. The

is very

of eight inches at 400, just to show us what

he considers normal Legion shooting

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and is

considered one of the best shots in France

Pere Uhlin,

who

detests

marching and

drilling,

never appears at the butts.

In the meantime,

am learning to really speak

LETTERS

106

French and understand the French, and when is all

over, will have material for an interesting

book.

A bit of silliness that, being on the heart, must come

out,

lieves

he has divining powers,

who

that a Martinique nigger, fell

be-

into a violent

fever yesterday after the typhoid inoculation, and

prophesied about some of us. killed,

Two

were to be

one of them the Corporal, several of us

wounded, and

would give

With

for myself, medaille militaire. I

soul for

it!

love to Ellen and Mother,

Yours,

Henry

Hotel

St. (fe

Pkttrshourg^

35 Rue Caumartin^

PariSj January 21, 1915

Dear Aunt Alice: While

was eating sodden potatoes and

out of a tin

pail,

known

room of the

15*^

Company of

salt

beef

as the gammelle.^ in the

the

first

regiment

of the Paris Battalion of the Foreign Legion, a

letter

was given me, and

ÂŁ5.2 5. from you.

was a check

for

— HENRY FARNSWORTH I

don't

know when my

with joy.

own

107

heart has so bounded

funds being somewhat ex-

hausted, I had for ten days been living on the

regimental pay, sou per day and half a pound of

tobacco every ten days.

any of your Christmas

I don't believe

brought more joy.

for the afternoon,

and

hot bath,

gifts

immediately obtained leave

am now

smoking a good

cigarette, writing

am brimming

and

in a comfortable hotel,

just out of a

with

gratitude.

month we

the 31^* of this

the 15^^ of

and on

February

town on the Somme, where fighting

leave for

Lyons

for Albert, a small

am glad to

say the

active.

In the meantime I have found four sympathetic friends in

them.

my company and

The work

it,

myself

and we talk, as

all

like the rest

hard, but every one

—

some one

glad to

not writing to hear

said of Hall Caine

love France and are willing to

do our

little

best

for her. I

think of you, in your

dome,

all

February

rooms

— am — and thank you from peaceful

in the

Ven-

I until the 15^^ of

the

bottom of

LETTERS

108

heart.

You have

provided

comforts, and during the

body as well

life

with

little

in barracks

my heart will remind me of youi'

everlasting kindness.

Your

affectionate

nephew,

Henry

Hotel

(fe

St.

Petersbonrg^

35 Rue Caumartin^ Paris^

January

\_about

2 5,

1915]

Dear Papa: I

have just read your

gion.

well

letter

concerning the Le-

What I have written before explains pretty the situation. To be technical. I am in the

Premiere Battalion, Premiere Regiment, 3 Regiment de Marche, de Paris

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which means

Legion Etrangere de

that the regular

Legion has

been made open for enlistment for the duration of the war and that an extra battalion has thus

been formed. Paris,

the

As most

Battalion

fitrangere de Paris

another,

was

of the recruits joined in

was

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

called the

christened as they

Legion

may form

first.

for the class of people,

Hath, Broke-

man, Campbell, Engler, and Sukuna are

all

gen-

HENRY FARNSWORTH tlemen

whom

dine at

home, though Engler

would not

(the virtues compris)

you would

hesitate to invite to

very bourgeois

for the rest of them,

and

I say frankly that

them, for the most part, and so does the

I like

Captain,

detest them,

109

us.

who

They

more of an

aristocrat than

when

are rough, drink

they have

money, and when they have not, do not

bum

drinks.

trouble to

They

will all

do a comrade a

try to

to considerable

favor. I

not the

one to rave about "good red blood," but a personal pride in the 15^^ stand up for

it.

The way

horribly blistered to the officers,

feet,

the

I feel

Company and

men

will

and say nothing about

splendid,

and the drill

We march 24 kilometers a

outfit.

march

shooting days

no joke.

day, manoeuvre two

Parade ground. That

will

march on

hours at Vincennes, and two hours' section in the

any

in full

we do no

drill

campaign drill,

only

from the Reuilly barracks to Auteuil,

shoot at the butts, and march home, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. I

assume you

will think

me young and

hence wrong, but I would rather go into action

with

my company

than with any English regi-

ment, or most that would be raised

Boston.

LETTERS hope you won't think

bottom both

uppish, because I

affectionate

and

respectful.

Pans, January 25, 1915

Dear Mamma:

have

at last definite

marching orders, and

twenty of us leave Thursday for Peronne, the general headquarters of the Legion. It fifteen miles fi-om the

make

German

lines,

and we are

ourselves useful there and complete our

training, get used to the atmosphere,

our place in the All

about

bustle

ti'enches as

and take

soon as possible.

and excitement. Everybody

being re-equipped, and with the best that a

ernment can supply, and many of the going to the various newspaper ging

warm

clothes, etc.

the last

of unexpected pride prevented I

have

left

me home

enough

after the

offices

Gov-

men

are

and beg-

moment

me from

a bit

going.

letter

of credit to get

war and buy

my own extras.

There are so many without a centime, who are going just as as

much.

am and who hate the

cold nearly

HENRY FARNSWORTH Last Friday gether, at four

shot, all three

hundred meters.

that the night before, instead of

111

companies to-

I regret to say

coming back

8:30 as the regulations rule, I returned at 1:30 a.m. and unfortunately ran into a Brazilian tenant of the 13*^ detested.

Company, whom

said nothing about

lieu-

had always

at the time,

but at the Butts, as I went up to shoot, he stood

behind

me and made sarcastic

handling of the

rifle.

that range. Fortunately the

with

me and

remarks about

shoot lying

French

rifle

agrees

Lieutenant, contrary to regulations, gave

four

more and it is

told

to shoot again.

that

a great strain, at least for me, to shoot

with the necessary care.

I perspired freely,

got four more

ended by

bulls. It

a perfect score with twenty rounds. relented,

put four shots in the bull's-eye.

The

range

down

and

lepointeur

my At

said to the scorer, ''''Enjin

ne vaut pas

but

making last

nomme

peine de bruler

les

munitions tout la matinee^^ and then in English to

me, with a

man

private, accent,

days are

in jail

now

to man, instead of officer to " I was going to give you four

on bread and water. Instead, you

a sharpshooter. But please don't

let it

LETTERS

112

happen again, and soon as the war

gave

you

wanted

to resign as

You may be of service

my opinion

at the front, but in

type that

advise

over.

you are not

in the ranks."

the

After that he

a drink from his canteen, talked about

Mexico, and ended by telhng

to ride his

horse back to barracks, as he was going else-

where. It

was owing to

to leave.

The

talked with those go.

When

and said

this affair that I

am on the list

Colonel reviewed us Saturday and

who were recommended to his foot down

he came to me, he put

must have

at least

two months'

train-

ing before going out, and the Brazilian saved the

day by personal

intercession.

I can't express dirt

my joy

and dulness and

Peronne we

drill

of barrack

life.

and

have the work without the ex-

will

citement, but

at leaving the cold

it is

a step.

We will be doing some-

thing actual, and I have hopes of being sent on

among

the very

The Captain were tolerated

first.

told

in the

briefly that

some

things

English and American

armies that were not in the French, but that enfin I

had always given proof of hon

volonte v/hen

HENRY FARNSWORTH work was concerned, and

men and he would among

the

after the

war.

that gallant

that France needed

try to give

a chance

because he was sure that

first,

volunteered to

113

fight,

little

and not to get a

would

really

had

better

job

do anything

for

old man, with his wispy fiery

moustache, proud, kindly bearing, and wise old desert eyes.

Our

caporal Fournier, a Swiss, has deserted

and disappeared. The prospect of a winter campaign was too

Jew had

much

for him.

death of his brother-in-law.

morning and dismissed

Also a Russian

when

told of the

He was He

reforme this

hysterics last night

quietly.

always was

a swine, and there are three or four more, his friends all,

whom

would not

trust

under

fire.

the whole, twenty of the twenty-six I

personally sure of

and

glad to be with. Old

father Uhlin, the old legionary,

who, by the

way, always does exactly as he

likes,

has ar-

ranged to ride on the wagons and

fight

a most remarkable

cannot read or write, the more I

I believe

foot.

man, and though he

know him,

one of the wisest

men

the

I ever

LETTERS

114 met. His

common

sense

truly the type of peasant

astounding.

who wrote the " Fabli-

aux" one thousand years ago. have material for a book worth reading.

know write

that a second it

Abraham

Lincoln would

by the camp-fire, but being

can't write with half-frozen fingers,

a long time to digest what

for

what

wrote

and a half of St.

as I

and

am,

takes

I take in.

in Mallorca, there are a block in the

Hotel Terminus Gare

Lazare.

By way

of lugubriosity^

you can recover sul here to

January

get myself shot,

my effects by asking

send the trunks which

6. I

the con-

I left there

locked them up in the storehouse

this afternoon,

with

all

if I

my name.

and they are

all there,

marked

In the meantime, the mails are

not very regular, and you

may

not always hear

from me. If anything should happen, you would hear almost at once, so for once no news will be

no damage. I

have arranged with Hottinguer to forward

my mail,

and

in the future if you will write there

I will get the letters in time.

HENRY FARNSWORTH

My official address 2

1 1

Armee 14 Corps

28 Division 56 Brigade Premiere Etrangere 3

Regiment de Marche 15 Companie

Caserne de Reuilly

(That

the Legion post-office.)

All revoirf

to the

Da.

With a

full

and joyous

glad you

all

heart.

Love

approve of

action.

Henry

Paris, February 1, 1915

Dear Ellen: At last the final experience is

over, and

delay that according to

inevitable in all

to-morrow we

army movements

start

forward.

were supposed to go Thursday, but is

this

time

a sure thing.

Yesterday

we were

hundredth time

in full

reviewed for about the

campaign order. Even the

LETTERS

cartridges have been served out, ninety-six of

them per man, and they add considerably to the weight of the equipment. You, with what you consider

your nose

vital things in

mind, will turn up

at this last item, but if

you stand

the ranks for one hour and ten minutes with the sort of pack necessary for

back and shoulders will

you

utmost importance.

have made up

actual

Pere Uhlin has gone over

nounced

make

quite sufficient.

inspection,

know you

few weeks, but even that

in a

tell

in such a

that

it is

your

of the

get used to

unnecessary.

campaign

kit

and

thoroughly and pro-

has also taught

workmanlike way that

who happened up in the barracks asked me where I had seen service before. It weighs

a captain

about two-thirds of what the with.

What

rest are starting

more, Uhlin assures

that I

quite right in thinking that anything that

necessary can always be got hold of at the front in

one way or another.

At the who says

last

minute another legionary, a

man

he does not remember what country

he came from, but

whom

German (Bavarian

or Bohemian), has dropped

I suspect

of being a

HENRY FARNSWORTH in

and

to be our Sergeant.

and

his fifteen years

wants to have

Although reason

that

his is

this

you

has completed

coming along because he

pension in his son's name.

what he

the joy of

I could write

says, I think his real

it.

ten pages about the doings

one and Uhlin during the

on how

to pass the

and generally

guard

inflict

few days,

last

at the barrack gate,

def)' all the rules

but I shall not

117

them. In

would be wasted. Hereafter,

of military

life,

all affection, it

be written,

shall

but by an unworthy hand. Uhlin's song of packing the sack ling to

would need a Rabelais and a Kip-

expound

to the public.

There

official

string provided to tie the tent pegs to the outside

of the sack. to which

gave at

might be put,

least

twenty-seven uses

all in his

slow Alsatian

legionary argot. Before the end Campbell and

myself were rolling on the floor in an agony of laughter.

The

scene in the dirty whitewashed

barrack room, lighted by one guttering lamp,

with the black shadows cast by the rack, old Uhlin with his

little

rifles in

the

desert-bleached eyes

waxed moustache

snapping and his

fi-eshly

tling like a cat's,

and Campbell with

bris-

his genial,

LETTERS

118

Bohemian

ineffaceably

main,

many

a worthless rolling-stone

and

Pharisees

always re-

will

one of the pearls without price that

it is

memory, but which, part

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

air,

alas

that a faint one,

who

may

carry in his

he can only share

and with a world of

turn up their noses to

method of

aesthetically the

stand nothing at

all

consciously pity the

criticise

presentation, under-

about any of

man who

it,

and sub-

in turn pities

them

back.

All

this,

however,

of no great matter.

one thing of any importance for the front

to-morrow morning

that

to actual active service. All the

are

good

looked on by

all

understood that

the officers,

men

company and

it is

The

leave

at 12:35

for anything in our

and that

are well

generally

we are actually to fight, and

that

before long, too. I

have overhauled

time and put

in a

condition. I long ter

rifle

for the fifteenth

properly greasy campaign

and long to

see something bet-

than a black spot at the other end of the

From general gossip where we are going most of sight.

lage fighting, which

far

fi-ont

thought that

the fighting

vil-

more amusing than

HENRY FARNSWORTH

bad weather,

the trenches, particularly in this

when not very much

going on.

be more serious, the more

French and France, the more

have a chance to do

119

little

learn of

glad to

best for her.

For

Heaven's sake, try to give your boys a chance to travel

and

for a while to live in Paris.

they lose in worldly in

of. I

ance and

that

some

very glad even of

know

either

am making their acquaint-

for details, I have shaved

growing a beard.

fortunate can

less

don't set up to

French or Paris, but

What

they will gain tenfold

inward joy, which those

never dream

that.

my head and am

of a dark reddish color

gorillas have,

and

far

from

pretty.

for other things, write to Hottinguer, 38

rue de Provence.

you when

They know how

to address

they will get there. I will write

letters so that

effects

may

not

send you

have the chance, but

be very often. In the meantime

best love.

Henry

LETTERS

120

\_Somewhere in France]

February 14, 1915

Dear Mamma: After a week in a small village, where we

made

route marches every day, learned to carry the sack, and personally got into wonderftil condition,

we packed up our this village

belongings and came on to

lery contact with the

where we are

a few kilometers from the

In four or

On ters,

of trenches.

first line

days more I ought to be there

five

myself. In the

breaking

in daily artil-

Germans and not more than

meantime we are getting a

arrival here

we were

fair

of war."

in to the '^horrors

put into bad quar-

and Engler, Campbell, Sukuna, an old

le-

gionary (not father Uhlin), and a Pole hovn Igeria,

and

fortable

I all

got out and found a very com-

hay-mow near the kitchen of a battery of

artillery.

soon made friends with them,

and yesterday when they went to bombard, they left

us in charge of their

ourselves at

home.

fire

and told us to make

We did this by fiying some of we began

their potatoes.

In the midst of

bombard with

fury, until the echoes

continuous. This put us

all in

this

high

began to be

spirits,

when.

HENRY FARNSWORTH with a

hiss like a hellish rocket, a

came through

Two men little,

121

German

shell

the roof of our sleeping quarters.

were knocked down and one hurt a

the rest of us not touched.

course

had to pick up and get back to the company quarters. I personally lost half of

my belongings,

buried in dust and debris. However, nothing of

any value was

and now

lost,

pack

easier

to carry.

For about an hour lage, but not

night

last

dropped on the

vil-

much of any damage was done.

All

shells

and now the German around burst,

us. I

though slowly,

fired pretty steadily

suppose

shells are falling thickly

fifty

have come over and

one carrying off another piece of our roof.

Campbell, Sukuna, the old legionary,

Moreno

by name, and myself have found another quarter. It is

again in a hay-mow, reached by a ladder,

which the Just

rest lack

now we are

all

energy to go out and

up here

writing,

seems to mind the continual I

wrote a postcard

him

that I have

day

to the

of moneys. Please explain

ÂŁ40 on my

but need that to get

and bang.

earlier in the

Da and asked for a gift to

hiss

steal.

and nobody

home

letter

after the

of credit, war. Also

LETTERS

122

need any.

I don't, strictly speaking, it

buy

hot

cigarettes,

white bread,

etc.

only want

coffee, clean socks,

would of course be

me to go without such luxuries. As for mail, write to Hottinguer. He

wine, better

for

ways

can

al-

get mail to me.

Love

to the

Da and

Ellen and Ellen's brood.

Henry

March

Dear Papa: I am writing from

the trenches, so please excuse

the extraordinary paper. I have so mournful as

As trict.

for news.

no need

There

not

much

Communique

our

my company we

as excessively violent,

have a

own

head below the trench

dis-

described in

has dwindled to an occasional flurry of

usually the man's

to be

looks.

The cannonading, which was

the Officiel

1915

loss

fault for

line.

now and

shells.

then,

not keeping his

We have been work-

ing fairly hard mounting guard and digging

through the night while bit

in the trenches,

all

and a

of digging on other sectors during the four

days' repos.

Not an

over-exciting

programme,

HENRY FARNS WORTH but there a

little

A a

123

a general feeling in the air that with

better weather, things

may

start

up a

bit.

few mornings ago the Germans delivered

flirious attack

on the French

line

about seven

kilometers to the right of our position. These

wretched people chose a minute when one battalion

was replacing another in the trenches. The

French were trenches,

practically

and they say

Germans

suffered

that the

an hour and then the

rifles

for about half

began to

growing rapidly from the

like crackle

splutter

prairie-fire-

of the beginning of an engagement

to the constant

charge.

in their

was cannonading

big losses. There

briskly,

elbow to elbow

drumming of the

The whir of the

at once loudened

resistance to the

mitrailleuse at

speed

fiall

and steadied the sound

effect.

Rockets and candle bombs hung steadily over the scene.

The light

artillery roared,

and way back

the distance the English naval guns, so gossip has it,

mounted

rifles

died

away

thundered steadily.

in ten minutes,

and

The

in half

hour the thing was over, except for the rumble of distant big guns.

well provided.

In that respect the Germans are

Russian of the 4*^ section of

my company told me

the other

day a 405

milli-

LETTERS

124

meter

shell

dropped

on them and destroyed a

week's advance digging that they had been doing.

As for personal matters. I Mother's and Ellen's

know

did before. I

and suppose there

much

not

capote^

and

to keep as

comes,

that

more than

you are eager

I ever

for mine,

ought to write more, but really

kept clean, the

love to get your and

letters

time;

mud must

need

fit

lots

rifle

and arms must be

be scraped off shoes and

of sleep nowadays in order

When

as possible.

the advance

want to be one of those capable of doing

share of

it.

still

have trouble with

feet

marching, but by taking good care of them and using plenty of grease, I get along well. In an-

other

month

physically, that

ought to be a is,

be said fi'om the

for

though

fireside

fairly

good

soldier,

know what

on the

point, I

not

very strong on cantonment discipline, or on the

due the humors of

respect

sous-officiers

In the meantime Sukuna and I greatest peace other's

live in the

and mutual enjoyment of each

company. We are

in the

same section and

squad, and in the trenches share the same cabin.

Sukuna tlemen

always writing to old ladies and gen-

who

interest themselves in Indians

and

HENRY FARNSWORTH

125

other native students at Oxford, and in return

has received delicious tucker boxes from them.

These we share en Legionnaire^ and sometimes he gathers in so much that

to carry

it is all

can both

it.

Evening ''Alertef'

Love

work

dawn.

till

all,

Henry

[About

March

1915]

Dear Ellen:

When I wrote to Mother last, bombs were bursting not far

away and two of

the bunch

had

already been slightly hurt, but I was not yet a soldier.

Now

am, having just come back from

four days in the trenches. sitting in the

biscuit tin,

idleness

which came explained

mounting guard village. I

ing,

and

am now

has also provided is

the

moment

last

by the

in a little

night to Sukuna. Tlie fact that six

wood

little

of us are

outside of the

have been washing clothes

all

the

morn-

about to cook some macaroni,

also the property of

There

sun and writing on the back of a

Sukuna. The same kind soul

with some good cigarettes.

hint of warmth in the sun

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

only

LETTERS

126

random

rifle

shots

and a

distant battery

quacking of wild ducks breaks the

Your and Mother's

came yesterday,

letters

apparently just having heard of

and were a great joy.

you

to try to put trenches,

and

enlistment,

have not the time here atmosphere of the

in the full

their sensations

read the papers and

and the

silence.

know

and

reactions.

that there

You

a deal of

mud and water and cold, and not overmuch room. Sukuna, Campbell, and myself are stationed an avant

4 and,

petit paste.

all

Our

cabin

was 10 by 5 by

of us being lazy souls,

ordinary clutter and

dirt.

cleaned our trenches and

kuna's tobacco.

The

unlimited old ladies

filled

All day rifles,

with no

slept, ate,

and smoked Su-

wily Fijian seems to have

who

send him "tucker"

boxes.

Then came the magic of the nights. At sundown we began to do sentry, hour on and hour off" till

the

daylight.

German

(why,

We were about 50 meters

trenches

I don't

know) As .

the night

you stand crouching and watching of

life

ahead of you, the very

life.

All

is still,

from

and not allowed to shoot

nobody

talks

air

grows and

for

any sign

seems to come

above a whisper,

HENRY FARNS WORTH and

are out.

all lights

maze of line bullets

From trenches all

shots crack out

and

along the

stray impersonal

whiz by on unknown errands.

rocket candle shoots up

above the try, big

127

and hangs

earth, lighting

guns

boom

up a

huge

moment

section of the coun-

and

out,

for a

shells like witches

riding to a feast whiz by. Sometimes, with a whistle

over

and bang, a half-dozen "75's" swoop covey of

like a

and we stand

devil's quail,

crouching and watching for any sign of hfe. It

and I

never came. Just the impersonal bang

whistle.

must do

unsaid. I

cooking

will try to write

some

now and

leave a lot

We go again to the trenches in two days.

good-bye,

from

there.

— send me two — both with

a Parthian

tooth-brushes, stiff, and

paste (easier to carry) , a machine to light

cigarettes

string stuff

with

alcohol

and

that

— a pot of boracic ointment, and one

of vaseline,

this latter

a big one, and

the sort of Christian Christ was, I

human

have not a centime to

With

love to

100

you

are

cigarettes.

bless myself. all.

Your

brother,

Henry

LETTERS

128

March

17, 1915

Dear Mamma: It

seems an age since

last I

wrote, and I have

received a whole packet of letters from

Da and

the

us here,

Ellen.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our

regular

work

in the trenches

going out at night to strengthen the

and

and hasty digging

for

what you know

and

on the move,

dui'ing the four days' repos^ always

places,

you and

Times have been busy with

line in

weak

in the pitch dark,

what

not.

think they are overworked,

Many

of the

men

and grumble the way

such people do. Sukuna and I go on as peaceful

and contented it all

as ever.

winter and are

Hottinguer also sent

The

others have been

tired, I suppose.

me 250

francs,

which

He must have telemy begging letter. I

suppose must be from the Da.

graphed

after receiving

am much touched and

very grateful.

thank him

as best I can.

Knitted socks, from the maids, as you say,

have also arrived, and a most glorious muffler.

One

pair of socks

on and comforting, and the

muffler, during the one cold night since

its

arrival,

we have had

was wrapped about

a belt and was welcome.

my body as

HENRY FARNSWORTH The money

made

has

was immediately

able to

cabin in the trenches; loves, matches,

etc.

129

a great difference;

buy

candles for our

Sukuna

sugar, which

Sukuna

moment

for the

without a centime, though his train of eatables still

arrives with fair regularity.

morning we arrived

here,

where

the front,

by the way, and

morrow

hope to give a

this

seven this

I first

in is

sit

and with slow

all

those

destitution.

the usual scarcity.

The Germans have been bombarding at times,

of cheese, white

feast

bread, tobacco, wine, jam, and pate to

who have been kind to me As for war news, there

came

evening or to-

fliriously

steadiness all the time.

our trench cabin or mount guard at

night in the advance posts, and dig interminably,

deepening and strengthening the trenches, and little

or no attention

bang of the

The

paid to the whistle and

shells.

other day, for various reasons having

rowed with

was

the Sergeant, I

sent

up to work

through the night with the 3^ Company, and stayed up there during the day, as

pany, the

6^^,

was

to replace

during the next night.

As all

my own com-

them some time

the cabins

were

full.

LETTERS

130

two

others in the

same predicament and myself

established ourselves in the cellar of a house, the

top of which had been blown entirely away. That afternoon the

on the ble

Germans

and wonderftil,

too.

drop

let shells

The

village for a while.

The damage,

already ruined, amounted

being

Finally they set

fire

to a

everything nothing.

the darkness

on, the flames became fearful. I never

came

saw such a

up the whole countryside as bright

was put on "kitchen

as day. I

terri-

group of farmhouses on

the other side of the canal.

blaze, lighting

like rain

was

noise

corvee

^"^

which

means carr}dng the stuflTof the Z^ Company down to where the 6*^

which

was

wagons were, making room

Company, which was coming is

up.

for the

The

road,

unfortunately exposed to the enemy,

as bright as day,

and most of the men were

herded into a hoyau on the other side of the canal.

staying discreetly in the rear I

get

left

managed

behind, and was free to take the road

with only

my sack of bread

none can paint such a

scene,

to attempt a description.

two or

company. Alas!

and

The

poplars, which cast magic

ing flames. Every

for

canal

am is

too tired

lined with

shadows on the

blaz-

three minutes shells

HENRY FARNSWORTH came over and ment

burst over the

in the afternoon

the poplars,

The bombard-

fire.

had smashed

and they lay

131

several of

mangled and drag-

all

ging their tops in the sleepy, beautiful canal. Bul-

sailed

when

to hide

into the black sky,

candles

and hanging

like earthly stars,

beyond the

from time

German

the great green

minute or two ity

zipped by and forced

lets

to time,

lit

up the

for a vicin-

firelight.

War is terrible and hard, incredibly, but what thoughts and scenes

raises

Walking back with-

out the bread sack, and knowing there was no hurry,

whistled the

Fifth

know when

thought of you. I don't in a sadder or

Symphony and I

have been

more tender mood. The

shelling

died down to an occasional shot, and no Germans disturbed ing,

walk home.

and with the

fire

Dedham garden on and long

to be at

know

was a warm even-

to help out,

home

again, but

it,

got

war

war.

and every man ought

once.

After getting back to the 3^ ters, I

was almost

a night in June. I longed

Nothing can approach to

Company

quar-

sack and things and crossed the

canal to the burning village. It

in the trenches

LETTERS

132 in front

this that

section

placed.

company turned up about midnight, and

I spent

the night on guard on watch, and as usual, set-

our cabin with Sukuna.

tled in

All

this

may not make much

sense, but I

have

only had two hours' sleep in two days, and have

done a

lot

of digging and marching and a deal

of ear and eye straining, watching for of a

German

attack,

which

first

signs

all their shelling

was

thought to prelude. It

about 11 a.m. now, so good-night, dear

you

She. I long to be with

war

ends. I think

will

all

again, once the

this

summer some

time; then for the rest and peace of

With

love to the

and

Dedham!

Ellen,

Henry

March

18, 1915

Dear Ellen: I

wrote a long

there remains is

letter to

little

only because there

and because

I enjoy

I write at all. I

Mamma

of news for is,

yesterday, so

me to

tell

you. It

for once, nothing to do,

your

letters so

tired out, covered

to foot with dried trench

much, that

from head

mud. Sukuna and

I are

HENRY FARNSWORTH sleeping or

making

tea in

our

little

letters

from home.

It really

news from Paradise. Not that the contrast of

When

seems

a bunch of like getting

am unhappy, but

it all.

on guard

I spend hours

home

imagining myself

assuming the war ends with Sukuna about

Mamma

cabin, a cor-

poral puts his head in and gives

it all,

summer;

is,

also I talk

and he knows you and

and Papa, the

Dedham

and hours

next autumn, that

this

horses, the

Nickersons, the Hales, the river, and

133

so that I think he

polo, the

the rest

all

would be

able to

pass for a native, if he should ever meet another

wandering Dedhamite. island,

two hundred

father

chief; the Island

spends his time

ham

I in turn

know

his little

miles from Suva, where his

when

of Tonga, where he

possible; his rooms,

College, Oxford, his friends there,

chiefs at the Colonial Office in

Wad-

and

his

London, where

he once worked as some kind of a deputy commissioner from Fiji. I think I

fond of him than any as

man

possibly

know. He's

quite

amusing as the average, better educated, and

of course knows the world well ling sense, I

mean

;

also, to

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

in the travel-

be comrades and share

LETTERS

134

we do through

everything as

our section

mean

don't

no mean

who

Sukuna

have not

let their

really

he and

Paris

nerves go a

and keeps

despises petty things

of character. I

who came up from

of proportion just what

test

seem to brag, but

myself are the only ones together

a winter campaign

bit.

his sense

was.

,for instance, has utterly gone to pieces.

piece of chocolate or a hot coffee seems to him,

when he wants them, Twenty minutes

earth.

extra on guard, because

some

the greatest thing

one has overslept, will put him in a rage for the

day.

a nice fellow and I

companion

as a is

of sterner

I prefer the black

evening

we went

factory to get coal. at that time, but

German

to the

dark

Sukuna,

distance

of the

who

that the coal

trenches.

Two

and wrecked

We did not know the section

knew

and begin

field.

Suddenly

made

to a deserted

saw a party of

him, but

stuff.

have an amusing anecdote about

One

us.

still

was exposed

While gathering six

in the

men come up

at a

to gather at the other

had

rifles.

They did not

end see

dropped something and

a noise. Instantly

we heard

a bolt flung

HENRY FARNSWORTH back and a cartridge slipped

in. I

135

pulled

down and we lay for a minute waiting. Then we heard the men talking German. As we were unarmed, it was no place to I

through

men from in

offer fight.

On all

fours

departed to the shelter of the building, went

and approached the

to the other side,

the back. I soon found out they were

French uniforms, and

turned out they were

Russian Jews, belonging to our company.

back to

expecting to find

work, and rather ashamed of mental attitude.

him

went

quietly at

my own

found him with

his

nervous nose in

the coal, quite demoralized. It must be added that that

was

in the

very beginning, and

now

has better control of himself and does not trouble too

much over

All

this aside

bring Sukuna

till

point. I propose to

from the

home

before September.

open

or stray bullets.

shells

with me,

The term

the

war ends

Oxford does not

November, and he has much reading to

do before it does. features. I

wonder

chial to stand for

black and has Polynesian

him.

home is

are too paro-

a chief at Fiji and

a swell in England, with a crown agent to

age his

money

affairs,

and

all

man-

that sort of thing.

LETTERS

136 I

afraid that just the people

who would

run

heads off to meet the people in England

their

that he visits,

and who write and send things

him, would be the ones to make themselves snobs if

he appeared

Dedham

with no other recom-

mendation than he had been Foreign Legion. It ish

my comrade

may be added

Government want him

in the

that the Brit-

to take

command of

a company in the Expeditionary Force that the Fijians are sending, but that he prefers the gion. I is

know

that all of us

would

him.

Le-

about as lazy in small ways as myself, and as

fond of creature comforts.

would study hard

would Ggg me on about I vate.

this as

The more

bit it

swears that he

he came with me, and that

to write. Please advise

soon as

have also a

be pleased.

tell

thought.

granted, but

sentinel

your socks

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and read

You want

and

duty

mud up to your ankles, you

to change

again in an hour

as pri-

things are nice to have

from four hours'

a freezing rain, with

do not want

you

shocks you, the better I shall

Warm

you come

possible.

of spleen to

books are interesting to read, that if

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you go out

a book on

German

smoke and a drink of hot

rum.

HENRY FARNS WORTH

137

I say this because several times I

have been

notified that there

were packages for

paymaster' s

To go

things,

office.

at the

there hoping for such

and receive a dry book and a clean pair

of socks, has been

known to

raise the

Don't dwell on

ful profanity.

most dreadIt's

this.

only

amusing at bottom. I

meant to say

Mother wrote me

at the

very beginning that

the babes

were

better, but

would have interrupted the flow of I

suppose

have

left

say, but can't think

continuity.

out something I want to

up now. Oh, yes

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some

from Mother that was most

boracic arrived

gratefully received.

As you may remember,

had already written

With

love to

you

all,

for some.

your brother,

Henry

March

27, 1915

Dear Papa: After writing so lengthily to Mother and Ellen, I

was moved on

be honest, the

at 5.30 letters

a.m. to a new

sector.

were written from

jail,

where my row with the Sergeant had landed me,

and

was

sent

forward with the other prisoners

LETTERS

138

Company. In our new

to reinforce the 3^

Germans are more

tion the

continual firing almost

all

posi-

and there was

active

night, also considerable

cannonading. Little damage was done, however.

resumed

my company replaced the my normal standing. I was of

silly ass

to allow matters to get in the

After three days 3*^

and

course a state

they did, where the

first

with the slightest infraction I

imum. However, punished and the Captain

this

made a

time I was caught

was given the max-

morning another man was false

and

silly

and

reference to myself as one

who, when caught, admitted the

good

the punishment in

excuse,

spirit.

guilt

and took

don't think

the incident did any harm.

The afternoon my company mans flung

let

fall

by a

something

arrived, the

Ger-

a flock of saucisson^ huge bombs

modem

sort of like

catapult.

They

carry

a hundred pounds, so people say,

of explosive, and made a truly horrible explosion.

Several cabins were knocked

some damage done

our

4^^^ section.

down and At last our

"75's" came to our rescue, and for ten minutes the air

was

filled

with the whistling

shells

and

the hard metallic bursting of those famous shells.

HENRY FARNSWORTH The German

lines, after

139

a short smoke-covered

period, were quiet for the rest of the night.

After five days in the trenches,

we came back

to our usual resting-place, rested yesterday,

and

are off again this afternoon for the trenches once

more.

new

adjutant has been placed in

of our section.

though

still

command

He is an old legionary from Africa,

a young man, and has the eannarks

of a good soldier. It will be a comfort to have

man who knows

over

his business

may

firemen from Paris

us.

The

be good drill-masters,

but as campaign leaders they are nothing but a nuisance. I

cannot

tell

you how much

by your telegraphing the money,

my own stupid and that to

was touched

especially after

despicable actions. I reiterate

have you pleased with

my actions now

an undying joy! Also,

it is

getting

warmer, and

hke the

life

better.

With

love to Mother,

Yours,

Henry

LETTERS

140

April 4, 1915

Dear Ellen: We are now en

corps. eral it is

"We"

town.

little

ment, and

repos at a rather comfortable in this case

we have also been put

the whole regi-

new army

into a

Two days ago we were reviewed by

Gen-

Castelnau, second to JofFre they say,

rumored that he was pleased with our appear-

ance.

What

interesting

rumor

the

and Senegalle

Tirailleurs Algeriens

Turcos. That would the time

mean

nor exciting. is

when

do and long guard hours, I

may add

there

the the

fighting

and seems almost too good to be

Trench-holding, especially to

and

attack

that

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

we are to be joined with the African troops

all

and

true.

work

neither inspiring

that being

not too attractive, either. There

bombarded nothing to

do but wait. You can hear the whistle of the shell louder and louder as

then the shock,

and bang of the explosion;

flash,

comes nearer and nearer,

a breath of relief, purely instinctive, and you wait for the next will

and wonder

which direction they

change the range. Luckily

that I

do not

especially

when on guard

may say frankly

mind them, and

in fact,

advance post with Sukuna,

HENRY FARNSWORTH we have several until

we brought down a

Polish Jew,

who began

much importance

know

I don't

Chapman

if I

told

and just as

hurt,

community.

wrote that

met Victor

in.

dirt

see him.

was near us

I got to his cabin a

though the

beard that

and now often

went down to

and knocked the roof

was

the officiousness of a

that he

Mitrailleuse section. I

couple of 77's upon us.

to think himself of too

in the

in the trenches

Somebody

away with our rifles

times blazed

was done to discourage

141

bomb

in the

visit

fell

him,

back of

Fortunately nobody

was so driven

have hardly got

into

out yet.

This morning tooth-brushes, etc., arrived, and

were much used and welcomed. I

am afraid

that

have been something of a brother to the daugh-

ter

of the horseleech, but then, I always have, so

far as that

concerned.

What

worse, I don't

see anything in all this that points to that ised

day when

I shall

for other matters,

company matters, a new

adjutant, an old legionary of

has been put in reign of the

phasized

prom-

be self-supporting.

some

forty years,

command of our section, and

Pompier

by Sukuna and

over. This myself.

the

was well em-

We went out of

LETTERS

142

our cantonnement one noon when

we were

sup-

posed to be consigned, and lunched at a neighboring inn. Unfortunately the Pompier Sergeant,

who

especially delights to punish

me, was

there.

After lunch he amused himself by yelling at us for

some minutes and by giving us both four days

consigne.

the thing

had not been done abso-

lutely according to the letter

the Adjutant about

it,

of the law,

asked

taking the ground that

a mistake had been made. That delightful soul explained that what was meant by the restriction

was

that

was forbidden

for legionaries to

get themselves caught out of hours, and that the affair

was unfortunate. Ten minutes

testable Sergeant turned

later the de-

up and rescinded

his

punishment, a thing he would never have done

his

own

I express

really,

long

free will.

my thanks for

material benefits, but

letters are just as

With

welcome.

love to your boys,

Henry

HENRY FARNSWORTH

143

April 10, 1915

Dear Mamma: It is a warm April morning

and, having spent

three days digging second-line trenches in beastly

weather,

tonnement is filled

are having a

day of

Our

repos.

can-

and now the yard

in a large farm,

with soldiers, washing, cleaning clothes,

am sitting on

rifles, etc. I

a chair, borrowed from

the patronne^ beside the dunghill,

Sukuna

and writing.

in the kitchen persuading the slavey to

and standing near me, smok-

make cocoa

for us,

ing, eating

an orange, and

talking,

a young

Swiss from Montmartre, putting the finishing touches to a clay head which he began to model in the trenches. Yesterday, being cold

and

rainy,

everybody was gloomy and cursing; to-day are cheerful, talking in

and English, and one fingers

little

man

and singing a Spanish song.

still

odd jobs

shaving, but

Hebrew, Russian, French, snapping his I often talk

him about Barcelona and Madrid,

Spanish

this time,

I see

remember, and for

all

me.

my beard, which

of the

what

return he does

Many

men

are

an actual beard

remains untouched.

Chapman

every day

now and

enjoy him

LETTERS

144

very much.

He showed me

eight articles

by a

swine named Rachr, written in the "Evening

World." If by any chance you saw them, you

may

down

put

ning to end as I

Some day you

again and I can

know.

some

and

tell

I really lack cour-

will hear

you

all

my camel

you want

not sick of the war, and burn to see

real fighting ; but yet, I long with a steady

yearning to be

home

again with you and the

Ellen.

Sunday morning and a

bell is ringing,

heap.

war

Dedham.

be upon the

Your

little

church

and cocks are crowing on the dung-

far as the

well be in will

lies.

have so much to say that

age to begin. bell

whole business from begin-

the

letters

concerned, I might as

hope that before long we

firing line again.

are a comfort.

Love

all.

Henry

April 23, 1915

Dear Papa: The other night we were bundled out and moved still further back. We are now almost outside the sound of guns. As usual, there are conflicting

HENRY FARNS WORTH rumors of

all soits,

before long

and

in a

we will

but I hope and believe that

be sent back to the

active section.

For

We have

first line

the last three

weeks we have done nothing and had to ourselves.

145

little

time

been reviewed by Gen-

by the censor^ put into a new

eral \^obliterated

division,

brushed and polished, and in some cases

put into

new

clothes; also

making quick marches the line,

where

spent a few nights

to small villages close to

in case of necessity

could be

rushed up.

As ciel

for further details, as they say in the Off-

Communique^ Rien a signaler.

fully cold for this

suffering. I

time of year, and

is still

fear-

my hands are

only sending this because I've

waited already too long for a

tiTily

comfortable

opportunity.

My love

you

all.

{Mailed

May

1915]

Dear Mamma; I

do hope

May

19. It

that this arrives is all,

on the morning of

naturally, that I can send in

the way of birthday offering. It carries

much love,

and hopes of seeing you before the next year ends.

LETTERS

146

There

for news.

nature.

are

still

none of any personal

our small

village, drill

every morning, and get ourselves cussed

Ames, and myself back

late to

come

are in jail for having

cantonnement^ and Sukuna and I are

trying to transfer to the Mitrailleuse service.

may

the

all

Chapman,

afternoon by stupid sous-officiers.

succeed. This so-called repos

harder than

anything I have ever done, and gets desperately

upon the

nerves. Strangely enough,

men seem to

like it;

because their miserable skins

are in safety, I suppose. In another

to the Colonel

and try to

active regiment, if such a thing

are

many

talkers

who

would be desperately

D' Amade there 'd be no I suppose

came

way

we I

There

are destined

hope we

are.

and under

lack of incident.

all

well advanced in

of a sudden, for

en tirailleur through the woods,

peted with flowers and with It

I shall

possible.

picturesque,

by now spring

Dedham. Here

we go

week

transfer into is

are sure

for the Dardanelles. In a It

most of the

little

all

now car-

green leaves.

makes me think of the Little Welds and Green

Lodge.

are so far from the front that even our

HENRY FARNSWORTH own

big guns

make only a

however, to

ficient,

blood.

With

out of

new

hope we

and I

us.

will put

With

the

Grace of God,

have received two

fire.

gifts

briquets^

of cigarettes and

and Hottinguer has

you would

H. W.,

address everything to me. Legionnaire

C/o H.

With

our bayonets on some night

said nothing about duties to pay. If

etc.,

in the

must be going to do

receive our baptism of

some magnificent

going

reorganization and giving

supplies they

something with

distant thunder ; suf-

start the fever

all this

147

& Co.,

would obviate

all

trouble.

love and happy returns of the

day

all senses,

Your

son,

Henry I

have been given a new

had

style

of capote and have

picture taken therein. I

have also one

taken in the old en tenue while on guard in a village,

and

of them.

hope to be able to send you both

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; LETTERS

148

May

19, 1915

Dear Mamma; I

new cantonne-

writing once again from a

ment^

this

time after six days in the trenches.

Thank God,

the repos of our regiment

They woke

us up at three

''^Allez

off

hop. -Sac

au dos

over.

one morning,

We trooped

route.'''*

on a hot, muggy morning and did thirteen

kilometers before the grande

halte.,

held in a small village. Here for the

was

definitely

known

relieve a battalion

trenches ate

that

and went

of Tirailleurs Algeriens., in

some twelve kilometers

at seven

time

first

we were bound

and lay about on the grass

and

which was

fiirther on.

all

the afternoon,

heaved up our sacks once more

off at the

command,

En avant marche^'' which means

Pas de

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

route.

a long jour-

ney ahead. In the gathering darkness we passed

through a couple of villages where the Tirailleurs

were drawn up on both

As the

stars

sides

of the

streets.

began to come out, we approached

a black "Pelleas et Melisande" sort of forest,

with high towering oaks and small young birches

and beech

amongst.

gateway of ancient

We passed through a high

brick, with the top

of the

HENRY FARNSWORTH coat-of-arms shot off by a

shell.

was so dark we had

149

Inside the

in single

woods

file,

each

holding to the back of the other's pack. Big

guns were pounding occasionally rious

in their

way, and the big war rockets

their light flickering

through the

myste-

at times sent

trees so far

over

our heads.

In time

we came

out on a brick wall pierced

with loopholes and shattered by

dim

in the starlight,

for there

All was

shells.

was no moon.

There the boyau began, two kilometers of

row and

to our trenches,

we threw our

Then most of good

luck,

and our squad

The Arabs went

and once more

alone under the stars lence

them. In

packs on the cabins allotted.

the sections slept,

took the guard.

nar-

and found the Arabs already

at the entrance, with their sacks beside silence

it,

we came

deep. Before our backs broke

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; watching my

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

off wishing us

after six

peculiar

weeks

was

gun-broken

section, leaning

si-

my rifle

watching the rockets and thinking long thoughts.

The guard

over, three hours of it, I

a heavy sleep without noticing cept that I

was

beside Sukuna. In the

birds were singing,

fell

much where,

and we found

that

into

ex-

morning

we were

LETTERS

150 in a sort

of a fake section, some 600 meters from

the enemy. These trenches

The

were not bad, though.

cabins were arranged

by twos and I also

threes.

by squad,

Ames were

found that Chapman and

with their Mitrailleuse directly beside the six

days we saw much of each

Chapman

I talked

had just been up

American

us.

During

other.

— him —

With

his father

politics

Amiens to see

instead of

We had nine in place of six.

Charles

Lamb, Emerson, and other worthies. With Ames I tested his

doing

all

system on the revue de

night. It really

most astonishing system. If you

start

and play long enough, you cannot

sections of

40.

the

with 2000

lose. It

goes

50 's, and you never bet more than

The drawback

that

you have

work

whole gambit sometimes to win your 50. is

Carlo,

We won between

the baUs for a week.

£100 and £1000 every

Monte

the offspring of an

when cast off by his

Ames

and came back

married to a noble Spaniard.

Ames

pant, ill-disciplined, amusing,

have the most nerve to

Ames

of Baltimore who,

family, ascended to the inner

parts of the Argentine

no mean thing

the

rich

and

very

flip-

and supposed to

in the Mitrailleuse section,

have said of any man.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; HENRY FARNSWORTH The

afternoon after arrival

and two wounded since then

Money ettes

151

lost a sergeant

bombardment, but

in a little

have had no trouble. has arrived from the Da, and cigar-

and unguents from

yourself. I

very

gratefril for all.

caught a furious cold lying out in the

but not the only

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

cold night

we had.

there en patrol^ but needless to say,

put in an appearance.

was out

no Germans

They never do when

about.

With

love to

all,

Henry

May

30, 1915

Dear Papa: Your funds and

those of

Aunt

Alice arrived at

same time and were both more than welcome,

the

I being entirely out last

80 francs a week

and Sukuna having before.

lost his

You can hardly

im-

agine the joys of cooking eggs and fresh vegetables, after I last it

an uninterrupted

am writing

spell

in cantonnement.,

oi game lie.

having arrived

night from six days in the trenches. This time

was

for our section a very peacefiil session.

LETTERS

152

Most of

the time there

of a

to break that peculiar brooding silence

rifle

was not even

the crack

that pervades the inactive portions of the front.

The

night that Italy declared war, the French

regiment on our right wing began to shout, and

brought on a

The

frisillade

and some cannonading.

next afternoon there was another bombard-

ment and trenches

several

were done

where we

for.

Fortunately, the

are, are too far apart to

throw

the big

bombs they gave Dompierre, one of our

winter

billets.

and

Here we have adequate

are negligible quantities.

shells

Sukuna and

I are

and go out whenever

We made some

two

affair

capturing any

us, including

now it is

this last fifteen

recognized patrolmen,

the turn of our section.

few days, one a cumber-

men, with the intention of

Germans

about in front of the

that might be prowling

lines.

The

two corporals and a

other, seven of

sergeant. It

to carry French newspapers into the lines.

stuck

Although

was

German

could not get through the barbed

wire, there being an incredibly bright

shelters

them on a

stick

plainly visible

their

barbed wire.

from our own

Germans have ignored them.

moon, so

lines,

the

HENRY FARNSWORTH I

into

153

about to write to Debby, and will go

details there.

With

love to

Mother and you,

Henry

May

30, 1915

Dear Ellen: It

being a very cold, gray morning and the court-

yard of our cajitonnement being dirty rived last night from the trenches to porte

ma lade and ^

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we

ar-

I decided

succeeded in persuading

the doctor that I needed a

day of

rest.

Hence,

while others are cursing and brooming, I write in peace ; also I

side of military ent. is

have gotten a sheaf of straw and

very comfy. This throws a glimpse into the life

not

A species of low

much

advertised at pres-

and self-contained cunning

a thing one learns from association with old

Legionnaires. thinks

The

strange thing

any the worse of you

that

nobody

for these self-given

holidays. It goes without saying that in the

trenches one does one's

and

well,

sergeants.

work without

and thus stands

For

murmur

with corporals and

the trench loafers the trick

so easily turned.

not

LETTERS

154

Of the last six days in the lines, rien a signaler^ except two patrols, which lacked nothing but

Germans

the

the lines

and

make them

a broad

fertile

of beet sugar

field

grows high enough

clover. It

Between

successful.

to hide a

man

crawling on his stomach, and in spots, even on all

fours. It

The of

here that the patrols take place.

was an attempted ambuscade. Fifteen

first

with an adjutant, a sergeant, and two

us,

went out and hid

corporals,

Germans had been

seen twice before.

peared.

The

to carry

French papers,

from 9 o'clock

till

their

telling

German

11:30,

though

and

tell

each

pockets are

ap-

Italy's declara-

lines.

sunset

man

filled

We crawled

and succeeded

much

in stick-

to our disgust.

a certain fascination in

may seem. The

afternoon.

None

barbed wire. They have since

then steadily ignored them,

There

where

next night seven of us were detailed

tion of war, into the

ing papers

in a spot

patrol

we meet

his

all this,

dull

selected in the

make

the plans

duty; then at dark our

with cartridges, a drawn bay-

onet in the belt, and our magazines loaded to the

brim.

fi-om

which

go along the boy an it is

to the petit poste

decided to leave. All along the

HENRY FARNSWORTH

wish us good luck and a safe

line the sentinels

In the petit poste

return. onets,

blow

we clamp on

noses, clear throats,

three hours of utter silence. chief we sentries

form

begins to

the bay-

and prepare

for

word from

the

last time,

and the

up on the edge of the trenches and

work

his

way

quickly through the

barbed wire. Once outside he disappears beet weeds

Then

and one

after another

in the

follow.

begins the crawl to the appointed spot.

We go slowly, with frequent halts. must be analyzed.

would-be ambush,

admit

a while in the It

The

prearranged order.

line in the

wish us luck for the

chief jumps

155

warm

the I

Ever)^ sound

occasion

went to

fresh clover

of the

sleep after

where we

lay.

was the Adjutant himself who woke me up

with a slight night,

hiss,

but as he chose

me again next

he does not seem to have thought

serious matter.

Then, too, once home we do not mount guard all

the rest of the night,

in the

morning;

and are allowed to

sleep

also there are small, but pleas-

ing discussions of the affair,

and above

all

the

hope of some night suddenly leaping out of the darkness hand to hand with the Germans.

LETTERS

156 It's

time

now

that I

my midday meal

and

dear,

and love to

began cooking Sukuna's

of eggs, so good-bye,

all.

Henry

June 4, 1915

Dear Mamma: This afternoon we go up to

the trenches; hence,

peace and time to write in the morning. It a dull, gray, hot morning, and I

sitting

a big pile of freshly cut clover that smells of

Your

so-called hero

pastoral

ease.

moment

"ver)^ calm." In the distance

for the

can

hear the clarions practising a march tune, but not

even the distant thunder of big guns speaks of war.

The digging teau,

other morning the

when

the

Germans

calibre in the space

of munitions

company was on a

a battered village near the cha-

coj'vee in

less

let fly

912

shells

and

The

casualties

six horses. It

all

noticeable here than in the

papers, but they have at least kept very then.

of forty minutes. Their lack

still

since

were two or three men

does not seem as though there

were any way of ending

this

rabbit-warren war.

HENRY FARNSWORTH

157

Nevertheless, I have an inward conviction that it

end

will

seem

September or October.

credible that

humanity

will

does not

go through an-

other winter campaign.

Victor Chapman, at his family's suggestion, has put in application for transfer to the Ameri-

can Flying Corps, but marche^ for as long as

all its

fond of the 3^ de

grumbling and cursing; and

you are agreeable and our Captain

stays with us, I too shall stay.

There are obvious

drawbacks to being a soldier of second I

was always a runner after the

class,

but

picturesque,

and

good weather am not one who

where

I sleep,

troubles

much

or when, and the picturesque

ever with us. It so

happened that the Captain was pleased

with our bringing the papers to the Germans

and gave the seven of us fete.

What

to prepare a

little

an unforgettable supper!

There was the Sergeant, Zampanedes, a freak of

classic type,

his stripes in

who won

his spurs at

Zanina and

the Bulgarian campaign. Since,

he has been a medical student

in Paris; that to

please his family, for his heart runs in different

channels,

and he

studies

music and draws in

LETTERS

158 his spare time.

(From

the

amount he knows,

should judge that "spare" time predominated.)

first fell

and

cemented a true friendship over Turkish

sympathy over the Acropolis,

into

war songs and Byzantine

chants,

with a mournful romanticism that

which he sings I never

heard

before.

Then

there

was

Nicolet, the

Company

ion, serving his twelfth year in the

credible

little

the fore

and

Legion, an in-

Swiss, tougher than the aft,

and wise

Clar-

drums of

as Nestor in the futile

ruses of the regiment.

The

Corporal, Mortens, a legionary

wounded

during the winter and cited for bravery in the order of the army. eller in his

He was

native grand

but decided some

five

a commercial trav-

duchy of Luxemburg,

years ago to leave his debts

and troubles behind him and become a Petit

Zephyr de

Legion Etrangere.

Sudic, a butcher firom the same grand duchy,

man

tally

of iron physically and morally, and men-

unimportant.

Covalieros, a Greek of Smyrna,

have spread

his silks

feudal princess

and

who might

laces at the feet

and charmed her with

of a

his shining

HENRY FARNSWORTH

159

eyes and wild gestures into buying beyond her

means.

also has been cited for reckless gal-

lantry.

Sukuna and myself brought up the were

all in

good

spirits

ing in funds, put in

Some of

and

flattered,

list.

and

be-

10 and Sukuna the same.

us drank as deep as Socrates, and

ate a mammoth salad

under the

stars.

Mortens talked of the battalion

and Zampanedes sang even Sukuna was

Nicolet and

in the Sahara,

his Eastern songs,

moved to Tongan

iEneas on Polyphemus'

years hence, well out of tune with

all

and Like

chants.

I feel that

isle,

some

sur-

warm we slept

roundings, I shall be longing for the long

summer days

northern France, when

birds under

friends,

the stars,

among

congenial

when no man ever thought of the mor-

row, and you changed horizons with each new conversation.

This time our company lage, a

guard and

stationed in the vil-

corvee. It

a bore that the

companies take in turn and I have dreaded

Now

it.

Sukuna, Covalieros, and myself are ap-

pointed to the post of observation on the roof,

and

unless a shell

blows us

all

to glory,

we do

LETTERS

nothing but mount guard at night, being exempt

from

corvee.

all

With

love to the Da,

Your

son,

Henry

June

1915

Dear Ellen: I is

have just posted a long one to Mother, so there nothing to be said, but as I

in the obser-

vation post at night and have nothing to

and

moves

Sukuna

is still

again.

Our company village

do days,

obstinately asleep, the spirit

on guard

in the deserted

belonging to the chateau behind our

and

trenches,

sitting

on a junk of white

cornice stone, leaning against the battered Hospice.

Not

a floor or an interior wall remains of

what was once a

fine

old abbey or monastery of

some kind, only the bare

brick walls

coat-of-arms over the main gate; tered, twisted, burnt,

and

brick-walled fruit garden. piles

all else is splin-

and shattered by the

the debris slops over

by huge

and the

fills

The

half the

ruin

shells; little

completed

of earth flung up by the chambres

HENRY FARNSWORTH d'^abris in the

shells

making.The ground

which have dropped

swarm of men

and

about the grounds a

all

are working in the usual dilatory

way, picking up rubbish,

German

pot-marked

there.

a bright morning, with a fresh breeze

stirring at times,

(Tahris^

161

finishing the

chambres

carr^^ing big logs for the same.

aeroplane

somewhere over our

for I can hear the batteries shooting at

soon learn to

tell

lines,

You

it.

match from

aerial shooting

an actual bombardment. Here, of course, we in the

depths of the strongest

cellars,

live

which, filled

with straw,

make a better cantonnement than we

usually get.

The

people

who

naturally grumble a bit

the trenches, where,

thing a

little

safer,

are doing the

by the way, you are

but

work

and wish they were

any-

three observers have

time to see the mournfiil beauty of

it all

and are

content to stay here for six days.

In case of bombardment into the cellars

all

the sentries

and we mount to our

come

shell-splin-

tered, unprotected roof. Hence our present free-

dom from bickering am low enough to might

fall in

for

or snarling sous-officiers. I rather hope for one.

some kind of a medal,

We they

LETTERS

162

knocked the roof

down

without blowing us up.

I really believe that if a hit,

be.

he will get

The

man

regardless of where he

was

other day a mitrailleur

came through

eclat that

destined for a

the

killed

may

by an

narrow door of

his

cabin while he was reading the paper in supposed security.

as Paris again, I

hope you

soniers in the Louvre. spirit

as far

will visit the

Meis-

They

achieve the very

of soldiers on campaign.

The

other night, while

had an

alerte.

the order, sat

come

you ever have the ambition

about

still

cantonment,

course rumors of

preceded

and everybody got ready and then

in the gathering darkness.

mandant's orderly,

who

plays

first

The Com-

violin at the

Cafe de Paris, brought out his violin and the Adjutant played the accompaniment.

Some thirty or

forty soldiers

and an old hag with three

dirty children

were the audience, and the two

tiny,

played the same tunes that danced Maurice into fame.

The Adjutant,

a well-born

man whom

fourteen years in the Legion have turned into the

most blase soul on earth (though the iron has entered into his heart), with his firm-featured.

HENRY FARNSWORTH weak, indomitable

face,

and the

in his cavalry gaiters,

ist

163

half-caste violin-

and the crowd of us

standing about and beating time in spite of ourselves,

brought Meissonier with a rush to

mind, that made

With

reverence him.

love to Lee and Famie,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

for

Heaven's sake, don't bring them up too cramped.

What

they lose in shekels they will

more than

gain in treasures of the mind. Tell them early

about Burton, and

him

let

early be one of their

heroes.

With

love,

Henry

June 10, 1915

Dear Papa: This

designed to arrive on July

you know perhaps,

that I

full

am more

of thoughts

and to

let

than ever before,

and

longings

you and Mother. Next year we may

all

for

be to-

gether.

We are

still

our usual

inactivity, and I

no Prussian helmets or other trophies have sent Aunt Alice photos of the

enter the boyau to

have

to send. I

village

where

to our trenches.

For

LETTERS

164

company has been mount-

the last six days our

ing guard there. I

how Sukuna and

wrote Ellen

the job of observateur. It first

was decided

night that the roof where the post

ated

was

in for

after the

was

situ-

Shortly after finishing

insufficient.

Captain came along and sent

letter to Ellen, the

us out to hunt

fell

up a

better place.

at once

seized

on the belfry of the ruined church and

found

that,

would

though

still

in a terribly dilapidated state,

bear our weight on the very top. The

view from there was

mounted

for the

Russian Corporal

what we

to be

ing one with

family weigh

excellent.

first

time, accompanied

charge of us.

'd call a

whom

night-time

"married man," mean-

the thoughts of wife

more than

was nothing

Not

a shot

long,

and the night

tified

tower which the

after

was

but

but to

and

let

fired all night

we went up in

artillery

we had

room under

for

the for-

had just given up.

the north of us the French have

successfial attack,

and

the "lure of danger."

already boosted up straw into the

us sleep there.

by the

He turned out

The wretched man protested bitterly, the belfiy, and there

made a

to the south there has been

— HENRY FARNS WORTH rumbling of heavy

terrible

some day

will

165

have to be our turn.

does, everything being comparative, I

and more sure that

I shall

suppose

artillery. I

When it am more

be able to give a good

account of myself

Last night a torrent of rain

fell

and there was

a meter of water in the trenches.

With

love and hopes for

many happy returns.

Henry

June 19, 1915

Dear Mamma: In a

letter lately

dered

if I

was

received from Ellen she

in the

now you must know been

—

reaches

for the last

you

won-

Dardanelles expedition.

pretty well where I have

month.

the time this

hope, and half expect, to be in the

region north of Arras, where the 2 de marche^ stiffened

fame

with old Legionnaires^ fought

— and

its

way

sadly, to practical annihilation. It

held the centre, being flanked on one side by a

regiment of chasseurs and on the other by one of tirailleurs (Algerian)

After

fifty

minutes of

pas de charge, three Gennan trenches were taken.

Then

the chasseurs

and the

tirailleurs quit

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; LETTERS

166

according to the story

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

alone and took the fourth.

the Legion went on

our regiment

something below half strength and there are no

recruits to

fill

up, there seems

we will

ability in the

rumor

and the two

cast into one.

As for news here, other night the

that

it is

some prob-

be sent up there

not of the brightest. The

Germans

crept

in the grass

off two men of our third section, who were working some thirty meters beyond

and carried

our

line.

Sentinels

beyond the

line

were supposed to be posted

of workers, and Sukuna and I

were on a patrole

sent out to

guard against just

The disgrace did not fall upon us we were under orders and could only do

such doings.

two,

as told; but such things rankle,

proud of our company

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; much

and

was so

the best of the

regiment.

The patrole

consisted of four

men and

a ser-

and four men of ours

geant of the

first

section

the second.

were told to be ready to leave

9:30 from the petit poste of the the appointed time

first

section.

met, and with no in-

structions at all scrambled out of the trench, in close, disordered

and

formation began to climb

HENRY FARNSWORTH

167

through the barbed wire. I happened to be next one of our men, a Russian peasant, quick, resolute,

and conscientious

— a good

patrolman.

exchanged glances. " // va arriver une malheur^"* he said, and without an order went off to right wing. Sukuna and

took the

left.

The rest scram-

bled on in the middle after the Sergeant.

time

we had

much

working

By the

passed through the entanglements,

noise

had been made of their

in fi-ont

by the sound

— were

lines

that

—

Germans

cutting grass,

called in, or at

any

rate

stopped working.

blundered on in

meters, and then halted

dimentary

line

way some

this

and formed a

tirailleurs.

sort of ru-

No directions were

given as to what to do in case of attack

was more than probable,

Germans had heard

thirty

— which

was evident

us and as most of the

walked upright. During

this halt

the

men

we thought we

heard a rustling towards the right wing, but in

our

own centre several angry disputes were going

on and nothing

definite could

on we went again

in the

be made out.

Then

same fashion towards

the middle of the field which divides the trenches,

and

after a time lay

down and,

I believe, consid-

LETTERS

168

ered ourselves in ambush. There

hour and a

half,

fusees every

we stayed some

during which the Germans sent

two or

ing which the grass on

three minutes, all sides

the subdued gentle rustling of

was

men

and dur-

filled

with

crawling, as

a patrolman should.

Our people kept up a brief dispute in whispers, and a nineteen-year-old wiggled his be afraid, notice fact

when we

and

signs

nothing definite could be

of the times, and

made out. There we

of us waiting with cocked

fire,

rifles

for the off,

in the confusion that

such an event would have brought on. I

expected to come back that night.

At midnight we and found in

As you

am given to undue optimism, but neither

Sukuna nor

gone

mo-

would

and with the expectation of being shot

by one of our own men

know,

ready for the butcher, the minor-

ment when the Germans, having cut us open

Sukuna

told us not to

remonstrated. Naturally, no

was taken of the

lay, like sheep ity

child next to

feet obstinately,

did troop back in perfect safety,

that the

behind us

Germans had

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from

the right

taken two of the unarmed workers to guard.

let

us alone,

wing

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

we were there

HENRY FARNSWORTH If

we go

I will

169

to Arras, according to percentage,

very likely get

hit.

Personally

don't for

an instant dream of such a thing, and have the

same conviction please don't

way

come

always did have. If

do,

you again any

over. I will see

few months now, and over here you

in a

Da and make

could do nothing but torture the yourself sick.

Mother, but

I love you. cially the

mean

this,

espe-

no need

part about there being

worry.

Henry

July 4, 1915

Dear Ellen: This

is late

for the 16*^^, but

sages as though

were

has the same mes-

earlier.

should have been writing, I was at so morally

it is

the same.

the

the time I

least thinking,

same time

was

marching (or most of the time), so physically

was

Long in

ago, during the bleak

Capy, the Russians

petition to get out

impossible.

in the it

bombarded days

regiment

set

up a

(each hoping to himself

fmd a loophole of escape during

the change of

LETTERS

regiments)

bore

The other day,

fruit.

Now

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

we were peace-

they are to go either to Russia

or to a French regiment

unwept

while

of Tilloloy, the petition

in the trenches

flilly

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Ahab, they

leave

the Belgians are going, too.

The

Italians

have already gone, and the Deuxieme

marche

tal

either

under the ground or

in hospi-

and cannot give us reinforcement, so we are

way back from

again on our

We were

the front.

by a French regiment

relieved

9:30 of a very stormy evening, just as the rain,

which had been only an intermittent

drizzle dur-

ing the day, burst into a near-tropical

pour. knees,

some vague

started for

meters of march, but

place the other

was only eighteen

side of Montdidier. It

it,

down-

Wet through and covered with mud to the

milli-

put the whole night into

arriving at 3:30 of a

damp, misty morning.

During the night the rain stopped and we walked ourselves nearly dry.

new arrangement

five

men

in each sec-

tion were told off to put their sacks in the

and to walk

at the rear

sacks of those out. I

who

wagon

of the section and carry

otherwise would have fallen

was one of the

so-called bon marcheurs^

— HENRY FARNSWORTH and

171

excited myself to a great degree of dried

spleen

by carrying the sacks of lazy, but healthy,

Jews.

took the road again

and did twenty-five more

kilometers. It speaks

After a day of

rest

well for the training

you get

truthftiUy say that I

was not a

I carried

my own

hope nobody

sack,

at the front, for I can

which

bit tired, is

though

a heavy one.

will shake the wise finger

and

say I should not have grumbled about the Jews.

Those

sorts

of jobs go in turns, and Sukuna took

place in the natural course of events.

Papa

has gathered the impression that because I often write that I

upon by least.

am in the boite^ I am not well

superiors.

That does not follow

The Foreign Legion

looked in the

not a bit like Gro-

ton School or even Harvard College

— and

Rules are

opinion has a far better

spirit.

many and strict. You break one and get caught. You make no excuses and are given a punishment. There is no ill-feeling on either side. At has been that

way

since the

Adjutant

least

who

has been promoted Lieutenant

us as Chief of Sections.

— came

At Capy, under the yoke

of the Pompiers, I was given to frequent and

ill-

LETTERS

concealed rage and scorn. It faction with

a point of

satis-

me that the sv/inewho used to do the

cursing has, in spite of very general promotion,

remained

in his

grade and been kicked out of our

by the Lieutenant, and

section

Moses. With the Captain and

ries, I

called

very

much

bien vu,

now

all

meek

the Legiona-

and nearly always

for patrols, observation posts, etc.

my opinion that shortly the

regiment will

be broken up and the engagements broken. I

do not want go

become naturalized French and

in a line regiment. Neither

want

leave the war, or to take a three-year engagement

The American Ambulances

see

nothing, in spite of what they write home. I

in the

very

Legion.

much want

They have been

to join the Aviation Corps.

flying at the front. I shall write

to this effect to the I

suppose

Da and

explain things

a nuisance. Also, if things

move

have to cable before these

letters

With ories

lots

flilly.

should need about ;^1000, which

of love. Dear, and

quickly, I

may

reach you.

many soft mem-

of past 16*^^ and hopes for future ones,

Henry

HENRY FARNSWORTH

173

[July 4, 1915]

Dear Papa; About

week ago

welcome note

I received a

from Hottinguer, saying he had received funds

my account.

But there was an unpleasant adf 128.50 he had

dition to the effect that of the

kept

125 for himself for charges he had paid

in postage, etc., for

out of my

letter

me. Hence

of credit

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

have taken ÂŁlO

or at

least

begun the

process. I

don't want to seem stupidly extravagant,

but really in the

enormous it

means

etc.,

army here money does make an

difference.

that

Now

that

you can buy eggs,

summer

here

fresh vegetables,

even fresh meat in some places. Things cost

very much, eggs 3 sous apiece, and

of thing. I don't merely throw for the fact that the

nutritious

and

agus, macaroni,

Now

for

and

all

amply

cauliflowers, aspar-

eggs.

seriously depressing news. I

how and why we have

been again called back from the front. opinion that

that sort

away, except

company food

do not need

have just written Ellen

all

shall

shortly be disbanded and

the duration of the engagements broken. In

LETTERS

174

that case I tors,

who

anxious to join the U. S. Avia-

now

are

north of Arras.

port myself, and see in

me to

at the front

suppose

should have to sup-

would mean about ^1000

war

the end of the

November

and have been

— and

I hate to ask for the

get

— which

me home

will occur

afterwards.

money, and naturally put

myself entirely according to your advice. The be as follows:

facts will I

can become naturalized French

do not want

— and

— which

join a second-rate line

regiment, one which will never see any fighting than in the

did.

know means nothing. ing one of the

sign a three-year aifair

the I

Ambulance

— which

know a Sophomore driv-

Morgan- Harjes ambulance

cars,

thought himself quite a hero because he had

two or

three times

lages to cart

was the I

Legion and hope to get to the Darda-

nelles eventually.

who

away

village

gone up to bombarded the

vil-

wounded. One of them

where we used to go

have just time to give

this to

for repos.

man who

going to Montdidier.

Love

Mother and

yourself,

Henry

HENRY FARNSWORTH

175

[Jlbout July 17,

1915]

Dear Papa: By this time I suppose the drafts have arrived, and any way there is no good in mincing matters. I

was given two days' permission

an American

citizen,

big city went quite off

and

and knew

at the first sight

of a

my head and blew in every

cent I could get hold of. If lately

in Paris,

you had been

in Paris

the enthusiastic reception with

which the permissionaires were greeted, and the exceptional tolerance from

all parties

given to the

troops of the African Army, Zouaves^ Tirailleurs^

Chasseurs^ and Legionnaires^ you would that there ceedings.

was some excuse

for

know

piggish pro-

A thin one, for I personally have done

nothing to deserve any ovation.

had a time

At any

that I shall never forget. I it,

and

ance of regimental

life

cerely sorry for

am now

rate, I

sin-

doing the pen-

on one sou a day

quite

contentedly.

Many

people with broad hems to their gar-

ments say that the Legion makes a brute of a

man; but don't blame

proceedings on the

Legion. I have done the same thing before, as

you know, and

the

Legion

no way to blame.

LETTERS

176

Think only

line, as

that,

when

all

the other troops said

was impossible, the Legion took not one

the thing

was not stopped

planned, but four, and

then,

though more than half the

were

down

now

have I

at the taking

all this

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; what with .

the

Z de

and men

of Souchez.

to say about the Legion, because

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

officers

the real, hard, incredible thing

and Belgians

the Russians, Italians,

marche so we were

brought up to

with professionals from Saida

full effective

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Regiment Etranger. After coming back from Paris days' desultory

drill,

did two

with constant rumors of the

change coming, and then suddenly at the com-

pany rapport one afternoon the Captain came formed by the

into the square his best jacket,

face than ever,

vous'*''

wearing

with the big Officer of the Legion

d'Honneur medal on

angrily.

sections,

his breast,

and with

his

more red

in the

mustachios twirling

Old Moreno roared out

his

" Garde a

with a tinge of break in his hard old voice,

and the Captain said

''''

Repos'''' right

stood for an instant looking at us.

formal military

way he

told us

away, and

Then .

in the

when and

where we would entrain on the morrow,

details

HENRY FARNSWORTH as to pay, etc.

regiment,

how

Then he began it

had been to him ever have a

it,

tried,

how

but

and what a comfort

since the winter

months to

men who always

nucleus of

little

to speak of the

had never been

he had never doubted

177

could

be trusted to volunteer for anything hard or dangerous, and could be trusted to do

and

intelligently.

was

that he

regiment.

served

He ended up with the bad news

to leave us,

" effected " to a French

For twenty-five years he .

well

and now to take

said he

off the flying

had

wing

of the Foreign Legion, even to go into any other regiment on earth, was a terrible blow to him.

At any

rate,

and help

though he could not be there to us,

see

he hoped that the Volunteers

of Paris would hold up their end with their older brothers,

Arras.

who had

We were all

fought so gloriously in

fighting for the right cause,

and that after all was the most important. If after the

war any of us should ever

he hoped that

we would

see

him an)^vhere,

take a drink together as

two good Legionnaires,

Then he walked

out,

and not half a dozen had

the voice to cry, " Vive Captain Escall! " justice, gallantry,

By his

and wonderflil constantly good

LETTERS

178 spirits this

most unemotional of men had so eaten

himself into our hearts that

many wept

frankly

of leaving him, and those of us

at the idea

did not had a hard time not

who

to.

The next morning after the Captain had made good-bye speech and we were

his

lined

up be-

hind the fessos waiting for the order, " *Shc au dos^^''

down

he came

When

by the hand.

and shook us

the line

all

he came to our squad, with

Corporal Mortens, Sukuna, Covalieros, and that

crowd, everybody being already much strung up, he embraced us one the

same

body to all

and

all.

have not had

feeling of desolating woe at leaving any-

since the

days when

Mother and take

used to say good-bye

the train to Groton, finding

lonely in the world. Escall

had punished me, but there had never

been any discussion about the justice thereof nor

any respect

knew him,

lost

either side,

and

you only

would be a pleasure to you

no mean judge of nature

liked

that this

and respected

in spite of certain obvious failings. I shall be

proud of the

fact all the rest

knew

what happened

exactly

As for the other details, we

life.

Escall

in Paris, too.

are

now in the first

HENRY FARNSWORTH Moroccan

Division, the best one in the French

Army, and though now their losses

called

upon

they are reforming after

around Arras, we are bound to be to

do the same

again. If anything

happens to me, you can be sure that

way

the .

179

was on

to victory, for these troops have been

but never beaten.

With

love to

Mother and

Ellen.

Henry 2nd de ?narcheâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;l^^^ Etrang'^re Battalion A, Comfiagnie

\_Postmarked August 3 , 1915]

Dear Mamma: I

have received

two from ings

the

at least live letters

and come

into

weary world most wel-

come. The two regiments being

cast into

the whole division being brought etc.,

from you and

Da. They are the greatest of bless-

one and

to strength,

goes wearily on, and in the meantime our

A droit par quatre'*'* and other section drill until it seems as though my mind would soldiers

*'''

go.

Having slopped over more than a

little

ing

my two

was an

wind

that

days' permission in Paris

had some good

effects,

durill

for I feel that

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; LETTERS

180 I

have had

my good

my service and

to any but you.

carry a

not kick against the pricks

Here

when

sack

full

thne and can well afFord

am on good I

behavior

know how

pad one

with straw in the most cunning way, and

that

all

sort of thing.

Papa ing

writes

Bob Stevenson is going to

camp where they

miles per

wagons.

day with

not

are to

full

march

of fighting, but

five

or six

complement of transport

place to set

having done nothing at

thority,

a train-

the marches

as an au-

all in

the

way

were sixteen to

seventeen miles, half the wagons broken down,

much

rain, trenches to dig, etc., they

some

actual idea of

what war

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

might gain

not an expe-

ditionary campaign, but the sort of thing they

would have to I

face if

America was invaded.

suppose that can never happen, and there

use giving people sore feet

Still is

and aching backs

no for

nothing.

The

other day

we were waked

at 3 sent off in a pouring rain for nite place across the

review.

went

darkness, but about

2 a.m., and

some

indefi-

mountains for a divisional

off slowly

dawn

through the wet

the sun

came out and.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; HENRY FARNSWORTH as

usual with the Legion, eveiybody cheered

up, and at 7 a.m.

ground its.

181

arrived at the parade

after fifteen kilometers in

The two

very good spir-

regiments of Zouaves from Africa

were already drawn up.

formed up beside

them, and then came the two tirailleurs regiments, their colors with them, then the second

Etrangere^ two thousand strong, and

squadron oi Chasseurs d^ Afrique.Wo.

arms and lay about on the grass

till

finally

all

stacked

8:30.

Sud-

denly the Zouave bugles crashed out sounding the " Garde a sion

was

and

all

up the

vous^^''

and

lined up, every

two minutes the divi-

man

stiff

as a

board

the time the bugles ringing angrily line,

and

from

the short staccato trumpets of

the chasseurs answering ity.

from the other extrem-

The ringing stopped suddenly, and the voices

of the colonels crying

''''

Bayonnettes aux Canons''''

sounded thin and long drawn out and were

drowned by going on the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the flashing rattle of the bayonets

moment of perfect silence, and then

slow, courtly-sounding of the

General! qui

passe!''"'

General!

broken by the occasional

crash as regiment after regiment presented arms.

Slowly the General rode

down

the lines, with

LETTERS

182 the

two Brigadiers and a Division General

in his

suite.

Then came

the dejile.

their bugles playing

Then

casquette.^''

march of

The Zouaves tu

the tirailleurs^ playing

own, slow and

their

led

off,

la casquette^ la

fine,

some

the bugles

answering the scream of the Arab reed

flutes as

though Loeffler had led them. Then the Legion, the second Etrangere swinging in beside us at the

double, and

all

the bugles crashed out with the

Legion marching song, ''

Tiens

-voila

du boudin fiour

en a fiour

Parce

les

Beiges

Beiges y en a^

qu'ils sont des bons soldats.

Pour

les

Suisses y en a

et les

Alsatien-

Lorraines,^^ etc.

and on went the bugles playing that

light,

slangy tune, some of the verses of which would

make

Rabelais shudder, and the minor varia-

tions of

which bring up pictures of the Legion

marching with thin ranks lands,

sound

foreign, blazing

and the drums of which, tapping slowly, like the

feet

of the regiment scrunch-

ing through desert sand. It

was

all

very glori-

ous to see and hear, and to wind up, the chas-

HENRY FARNSWORTH by

seurs went

at the gallop

— going

183

off to their

quarters.

To wind up the day, the straight over the mountain

Colonel took us

—

over mountain-goat tracks.

home

fourteen kilometers

When we

got in at

3:30 p.m., having had nothing to eat but a bit

of bread, three sardines, and a finger of cheese,

few of the men were really exhausted. I it

got your

me think and

letter

less

was then

about the training camp. Really

make me

did

feel

a bit superior, and

made

than ever of our military system

if possible,

more of the French.

any other army would have done

—

I don't think

on the food

we did, and even Sukuna admitted that it was doubtfi.ll if many English regiments would ration

have done

under any conditions.

for news, that 's all I have, but

to write

to say. fi-om

Here

do continue

frequently, even if there

nothing

in this division I feel incredibly far

home.

Love There

to Ellen is

and the boys and the Da.

rumor that we may go to Morocco,

as things are going badly there, but

believe

it;

cannot be replaced here.

don't

LETTERS

184

August

Dear Ellen: I am sending enclosed

in this a

not supposed, by myself at beaut}", but

minum from

the

fiise

of a

old Legionnaire with a

where.

made of

German

at Tilloloy

ring. It

alu-

or Austrian

and made by an

little file

some-

stole

How he made the little holes in

don't

know, but he worked for some time, and gave to

because I did

to be a thing of

interesting. It

shellhead picked

least,

little

1915

A^,

him a good turn one

night,

when he was about to be arrested by the patrole for being out late at night in a state of obvious

and noisy drunkenness. I flesh

wish I could ;

make you

see the

man

in the

people like him appear only, as far as

experience goes, in the Foreign Legion

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a Rou-

manian from Constantinople, speaking Turk, Greek, Roumanian, French, a Spanish, and

Arab; about

and very skinny and

little

six feet

English,

two

inches,

pale, with a half-dozen long

upper

about the

hairs

on each

color

and consistency of a big tomcat's whiskers.

side of his

lip,

has more useless accomplishments than can

be stated.

He imitates cats, dogs, and mules from

HENRY FARNSWORTH Senegal

—

a peculiarly noisy breed

same

use his feet with the

When

he thinks

drill is

185

— and

can

and accuracy.

force

getting a

little

dull,

amuses the whole section by going through the motions as though he were a monkey, and when the Sergeant begins to scream, quotes accurately fi'om the theory

done.

He was

broken

—

book how the thing should be once a sergeant himself

now

first-class,

but too lazy to go

to the class of eleves corporeaiix.

pour a

of wine

litre

bottle a foot spilling a

erman,

into his

away, and get

drop.

rifle-shot, etc.,

stories, falls in occasional

himself,

and

sings

it all

and was

student in Constantinople.

Turk

can also

mouth, holding the

down

an expert

also

— was

without

tailor, wash-

originally a

law

He has a fund of comic glooms when

ofl'

songs, gets drunk once

a month, and stays so for three days.

There

something so incongruous about your

wearing his ring that but the

than

man

don't suppose you will,

absolutely honest, which

many are under like circumstances, and even

when drunk

washes

shaves

will never ask a sou

clothes, cleans rifles,

people, cuts

from any one.

mends

hair, greases

capotes^

boots,

and

LETTERS

186

mounts guard Also he it

rains

for others until he has enough.

when

a brave man, and always cheerful

and the marches are long and the sacks

heavy.

The corpora/ d'' ordinaire is screaming " Aupotales

;'^'^

which means that

must go and peel

potatoes, so good-bye, dear,

and love to the

boys.

There

no news.

Mgust

1915

Dear Papa: News from Hottinguer of 330 francs has arrived just now and is more welcome than ever. Many thanks to you and Mother and Ellen and Alfred.

As send a

to the details letter

account,

forwarded is,

you wanted, they always

saying that they have received for

always ask to have

which they promptly do;

etc., etc. I

in cash,

I think, the

only way. Drafts direct I should

have to send back to them and run the of their being

lost,

Parcels I receive at weird intervals; five altogether

cigarettes.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

risk

whether registered or not.

three of chocolates

think

and two of

HENRY FARNS WORTH Sukuna, by the way,

on boracic acid

The only kick

becoming

Mother

numbers,

in fact. I

I could not agree with

dependent

herself.

have about mail

stopped coming some time ago five

187

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that" Life"

after four or

much enjoyed

it,

though

Mr. Martin's high opinion

of Wilson as President. His famous note did not

me any

seem to

Mexican

better

sayings,

and

those, I did not for a

worded than some of his as

he never backed up

minute think that anything

but the whirlwind of public sentiment would

make him stick

to this one.

long as the people

" stand behind the President,' they will stay where '

the immediate profit leads. I position to

a bit because I tion I

was

feeling

am, of course,

judge those things, and only

remember the unwholesome

in last

splutter

posi-

August, when there could be

of pride in announcing

my nationality.

Here people seem well disposed towards Americans and

many

individuals are doing fine work,

but as a Government I I really

and

and that

it is

makes us

so.

for the souls

am ashamed

truly feel that

we are

to say that

contemptible,

Wilson's talk and shilly-shally that

We who

have an expression over here never can take a leap at the

LETTERS

188

Rubicon and yet are Legion, but

I shan't

fine talkers

obtrude

you would write me and your

fi'iends

here in the

on you.

do wish

some length what you

do think of our

With much

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

love to

attitude.

you

all,

Henry

August 13, 1915

Dear Ellen: I

have received Mother's of July 19 and 25 and

can think of nothing but one quotation therefi-om

" Our

last

note

is off,

and now

Germany

we shall have to take action." Since then, according to Paris newspapers, another Amerpersists,

ican boat has been

perceive that talk,

and

blown up.

When will

people

Wilson will never do anything but calm

realize the Devil's role that his

views, high principles, and endless staying open to the other side's point of view has played in

Mexico ? I

suppose as usual that

as childish as

all this will

be put

and unconsidered, but save

you did the one about

down

this letter

the Illusions Perdus^

and you

will see I

bitterly

about Wilson and his bourgeois

right later on. I feel

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; HENRY FARNSWORTH

189

Balzac sense, not the ordinary French one virtues than I ever did about

any public thing

before.

for local news, as usual there

sig'naler.

lage,

are

and rumors

still

fly

all parties,

and

vil-

and stand well

and the mountains are

and you may bathe

rien a

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;d

about three times a day. As

for myself, I keep out of trouble

with

refitting in this

beautiflil,

mountain streams,

in ice-cold

see all Switzerland rising like the pillars

Heaven out of the haze over

the French low-

lands. Nevertheless, I should leave to-night for

Lyons and

liberation, Marseilles

danelles, or the fi'ont

cheer.

and trenches with an equal

We march, clean

ourselves till

and our

and the Dar-

linen

rifles,

present

them and

and our reserve

rations

the grasshopper weighs like a cross and the

men grumble and do

so stupidly that

it's

worse

than the infernal barking of the Sergeant.

We will If so, so I

probably go to the trenches shortly.

much the

better; but if we are liberated,

think I shall dash

stay there a

home by

month or

six

the

first

boat and

weeks and get

" Campaign with the Legion" written, and then try to get back again in the Aviation or

Am-

LETTERS

190

Papa approves. This

bulance, or anything that

seems too ideally happy ever to come true

worse than night,

and

that, I

dreamt the whole thing

dreams never come

—

last

true.

are put into French regiments to finish

a year's service, as the

has

latest

it,

I shall ask for

the Legion or the Zouaves at the Dardanelles. It will at least

there are

fate,

tinople!

make

a change, for

The Golden Horn knew

—

Some fifteen

—

still

cially the

let

seems to have

that

had

seen.

if I

I suspect

and have a fear of

pack up and

alone of any place I have ever

years hence,

already dried up

fall

triumph into Constan-

wanted to go to and have

bility,

appears that

dull secteurs such as usually

and to march

the mysterious fascination for

before I

cart the

and you are not

you of that

myself

—

possi-

you must

whole family, espe-

boys, about for a year.

You

are quite

capable of doing the guide to St. Paul's and other interesting parts of London and Paris, but

somebody who was

there

when he was young

ought to take them to Mexico, thence by the Spanish boat to Spain and Mallorca, thence to Russia by the

Nord

express to Petrograd,

Mos-

HENRY FARNSWORTH

191

cow, Odessa, Bucharest, Constantinople, a long stop,

and end up with the Egyptian mail to the

Piraeus and the spring morning on the Acropolis, to watch the maidens of the Caryatids' porch in everlasting beauty against a blue Mediterranean sky. I

know

you

as well as

of dreams and that that

the futility of this kind

leads to

some one who was not

would have sarily his

who

life,

benefit,

and

there in his youth

pay for the party. Not one neces-

home

stayed at

but one

who

at the grindstone all

has kept his interests there

and not been out searching for interest where he found

it.

All of which means that I

and make up present see as

and

for

future.

any of

this

bored to death

by dreaming about

The

last

my own

I shall

be cap-

way

the

thinks I ought to. I suppose the poor

able of earning

realizes this

the

and

campaign has done anything

towards that hoped-for day when

past

looks bad. I don't

and

living in the

adds to his worries; then,

gloom about

dream about

present

and

Dedham and

fliture,

the

happy

days there with you and Mother and the Da,

LETTERS

192

and long in the

for another session of it with

Good-bye, dear. With ^ '

\The

no worries

wind.

censor's stamp contains the

implying that he was near

^ Henry

love,'

word " Belfort,"

there.']

[August, 1915]

Dear Mamma:

are on the

that the repos

move

again,

over.

and

be sure

have hopes

are not

to anything very exciting as yet, only trench-

digging in a section duller than any as yet seen,

but once out of the infernal village, I have hopes

we will not go back there. As usual we left at 2 a.m. and marched under full moon through a misty sunrise and on into

that

the early heat of the morning, doing twenty-seven kilometers.

went on ing his

Then we stopped

for the night

at 1 a.m. the next day, the Captain

Moroccan burnous and looming ghostly

white at the head of the company.

one kilometers, much of hills,

and

wear-

We did thirty-

up and down

and some of the men got sore

feet

steep

and

fell

out. I was so glad to hear the booming of the

HENRY FARNS WORTH cannon again that

193

was no more than

healthily

weary of the sack and could have done ten or fifteen

more in the afternoon after a grande halte.

Here the trenches are held by a respectable Territorials. After

some of us were

battalion of

making the coffee,

lying under the trees

and

talk-

ing to these old boys and watching a stoop-shoul-

dered, unmedalled Captain talking to the Ser-

geant- Major about something, leaning on a cane

and looking much

like the

Suddenly a couple of

shells

talking to

Mike.

steamed past and

broke in a neighboring quarter of the town. With incredible activity

I don't think

naire to

fifty

all

of the old boys

even occurred to any Leg-ion-

out of a comfortable position in

which followed

aiming

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

but really

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

A tri-

brings out a point I

at.

Papa says he dislikes the reputation of

or even

miserable TT's.

gion, admitting that naturally he

dis-

abris^ the Captain included.

on a hot day for a couple

fling incident,

move

the shade

the

one and

down an

appeared

the

than that. If he could spend an hour in

village, I think

the contrast

Le-

knows no more this

he would change his mind, for

enlightening.

LETTERS

194

On the one every

man

hand are the

Territorials,

wherein

honest and respectable and legally

married to a wife, and all that sort of thing. They live in dirty quarters, carry dirty rifles,

and

a gossipy way, every

into their ranks in

fall

man

chattering with his neighbor or the Sergeant.

On the other hand, in the Legion everything is cleaned up and shipshape, with iron discipline and polished accoutrements,

men who

stand like

and of whom not a man but

chines in the ranks,

has utterly got over whatever fear he

have had of shells and so officiers

know

ward and

ma-

may

ever

With us the sous-

forth.

every detail of the service back-

are mostly capable of exacting

prompt

obedience and respect by force of personality. for the officers,

it is

well

known

best corps of officers in France,

that they are the

and probably

the world.

The

surroundings here are no more sordid

than those of the common soldier anywhere, and as long as

you

marrow of and

are soldiering, I think

with people

who

their bones.

fears that I

may

as well

are soldiers to the very

lose

my refinement my hands are in

for

it,

poor form, rather toughened, and naturally

HENRY FARNSWORTH have picked up a of

late

of argot; otherwise,

and Peace" over

London

are

think-

for a pair of

waterproof and practical boots and some

Vicuna underwear. H. G.Wells' ica" I found interesting, though

bottom. I wonder

irritating at

again. If I see

ing seriously of writing to

ber

have

and a deal of cheap French novels, and

to spend winter in the trenches again,

real

been reading Charles Lamb, Pickwick,

Plutarch,

"War

lot

195

"Ann Veron-

was

you remem-

trite

and

it.

wish from time to time you would send

one novel that you find too heavy to carry

when on

the move. Naturally

French or English. The

either in

German mind,

Plato, or

for the

moment, and

speare,

and Dante.

Books are

interesting.

Kant

of the

state

are not necessar}^

have read Milton, Shake-

September

2, ^

1915

Dear Papa: The night after writing to Mother of our trencheverydigging and marching, we received .

thing and

two

doing the

but oh!

how

fifty- odd

kilometers in

gladly, as far as I

was

LETTERS

196 concerned.

way

the

As we

stopped in a small village on

the

through the

real

that the

and

and .

saw our

their

was on

come

That evening our train

came through, echoing

that

at last.

sick ones

artillery

mad. Then

and

who came on by

trains

headed north,

and rumor says that the 2 Etranger moves out this

morning. This time things are sure.

stay here

more than two or

and reviews and

all

We can't

three days, and drill

the hell of military

life is

over.

where we are going, nobody knows

or cares very much.

Some

say Dardanelles, but I

don't think the tirailleurs would ever be sent to take Constantinople. It

too much in the founda-

tion of their creed. Others say

gonne, Alsace,

etc., etc.

Champagne, Ar-

Sukuna and

and

pray for Belgium and a general drive alongside the English.

do not put much

both want

faith in our

are really about ten .

will

much

good ones why

will be a second Arras,

and

that the

Legion and the

that should

this

be reinforcements behind, for

known

that

arguments, but there

time there

now

tirailleurs can

HENRY FARNSWORTH break the German

lines in

one go, and

197

it is

merely

a question of having troops that will go into the

gap we make.

should think the English could

hardly refuse that position, with the two million

and the twenty kilometer

front.

This would be very glorious indeed, and as the regiment

shot up,

would immediately be very much

might get what was

winter in the trenches.

left

of us out of

the other hand,

it is

a sad fact that regimental changes are always for the worse, ft-om

where

me it

and

suppose shortly you will hear

digging trenches in some

much.

for the ^85, thanks very

thought

had

better

do without

see the point myself, but in the

francs

filthy

hole

rains all the time.

make

easily

luxuries. I even

meantime a few

the well-nigh unbearable support-

able with philosophy.

With

love to

all,

Henry

September

Dear Mamma: As yet no progress, to move at the first

but

are

still

order. In the

1915

held ready

meantime

LETTERS

198 rains,

cold,

and

I personally

bore myself

terri-

bly and would welcome any conceivable change.

Sukuna, as usual,

"Weekly Times" and

very calm, reads the

including the advertisements,

me that when we are needed we will be up. The obvious truth of the remark helps

tells

called

not at

all.

If I ever find myself in a regiment about to

go back

refit

again, I think I shall take pains to

get myself decently

wounded and

pass the time

in hospital.

Hence

letters

from home are more

than ever before, and though to hear of

Adam's

downfall,

of natural reading. I almost

your riding Eve, stand on

all

not to ride at I

have had some

make

did

feel like

terrible

sort

suggesting

has proved herself able to I

suppose

the sensible course, though it

to you.

experience of misery in the

months, and would never advise anything

any one that meant

stances. it

all is

gratefijl

seems

some years now.

should never advise

last

who

fours for

Don't

let this

with open eyes and

same

idea. I

want

that,

under any circum-

work you

still

to see the

up, for I took

very

much of the

war from

close to.

HENRY FARNSWORTH and do not allow

199

incidentals to irritate for

than the moment. I

am much interested

in the Plattsburg Train-

ing Camp. If you meet any one who went I

wish you would

find out

and

all

stray

how

skilfully

there,

a bit and

practical the training was. Spirit

seem to have been

line,

according to a

copy of " Life" that turned up, but did the

trainers learn to get the

hard conditions feet

pump him

—

most out of the men

make them march on

— what food — work up with digging —

when there were no wagons

get

they could in a pouring rain night at the same dull

sore

night after

put

insolence of stupid sergeants,

the

and

all

the real

hardships of a campaign ? Association with such Legionnaire captains as Escall

and our present Leroy bring

and more.

What

captain

The

about a month.

home more

a rare bird even a

present

Came from

Legion of Honor

—

first-rate

Leroy has been with us

and has just been given the

many

hospital after Officers'

little

May 9

Cross of the

gratification that

a colonel has to do without. I shall prob-

ably write

Love

more of him anon.

to the

Da.

Henry

LETTERS

200

September 12,1915

Dear Mamma: Your

two of which arrived this morning,

letters,

are a great blessing. grateful thing

little

when one

sympathy

a very

bored to death and

exasperated by every one else in the world.

always try to write of the most interesting

events in these surroundings,

you seem

to look at

way makes

for

them

seem a

it all

and the

fact that

something the same

little

less futile.

your glorious French

Army

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

to differ. Glorious battalions d''Afrique as as

you choose and

ter,

I will

tale.

Our

significant that

French regiments are now

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

outfit,

of the three secteurs

pied, strengthened, fortified,

Germans

but

it is

we occu-

and turned over

in the

hands of the

the last one, Tilloloy,

what with the

barbed-wire, sixty feet thereof, in trenches,

Army"

old 3 de marche was never

considered as a very remarkable all

beg

much

always go you one bet-

but the conscript of the "National

are another

fi-ont

of the

and heavily embanked loopholes, was

untakable as long as the defenders stuck to their guns. That the thing it

all

the

was done by surprise makes

inexcusable.

HENRY FARNSWORTH To-morrow,

so they say,

201

leave at 3 a.m.

for Division Headquarters and Poincare presents

the regiment with a flag. I suppose the cere-

mony

will be impressive, but

ward

do not look

for-

very much. Marching orders are

all

I ask of Heaven, and there seems no sign of

them.

Why we were

rushed back from the trench-

digging in Alsace and

all

our hopes raised

question I suppose only the Chiefs can answer.

The thought

that they

had

their reasons gives

one no comfort. I

wish you could or would read

"War

and

Peace" again. Tolstoi, even more than Stendahl, arrives at complete expression of military Incidentally, his conception of family

life

less utterly true to nature, at least as I see

experience

life.

and

it.

With love to Adam's legs. May

they bear you

in peace hereafter.

Henry Will write again

comes

off.

after the review, if

ever

LETTERS

202

September 16, 1915

Dear Ellen: Yours of August 30 was a true pleasure. The

had

just written

which he assumes that events

a backing-up of Wilson, if I

and had a wiser

knew more of current

heart, I should already

have come to the same conclusions. These things being so, you poured the least of

oil

on the waters, and not

them was the

fact that

you scented

that I sometimes fear a Pharisaical outlook

your part

— when

and your

friends

was

say your,

mean

for

you

and entourage.

in the ranks beside

who made

Kraimer, the

man

the ring, this morning, when, a divi-

sion being drawn up,

M. Poincare and M. Mille-

rand and General de Castelnau and a lot of others presented the regiment with a flag decorated with the

grande croix de guerre.

When

the collective

bugles crashed out with the 'Mz/ drapeau'''' and the twenty thousand

rifles

flew

up to the present

arms, there were tears in his eyes and he whispered,

" Chez nous a Bel a Bes on porte

d^Honneur?''

The

President's speech

and very short and addressed

—

it is

Legion

was good

characteristic

of the French attitude towards the Legion

—

HENRY FARNSWORTH the Zouaves

of the

latter

and

203

tirailleurs^ the 4*^^

having received a

regiment

flag as well.

spoke of the Marne, where the Division broke the Prussian guard, and ended

up with a ringing

praise for the action north of Arras. It

Legion received

characteristic that the

before the others,

and

was

also

its

flag

that our Colonel gave the

commands. I shall write I

again in three or four days.

must go and bathe

in a

Now

mountain stream.

Thirty-five kilometers on top of the review and the defile

make

necessary.

With

love,

Henry

2<*

Regiment de marche du

ÂŤ^

Etranger

COMTEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; RENDU Capitaine Gabet:

r^ponse a votre note du 28, j'ai I'honneur

de vous rendre compte que worth, a ete tue

legionnaire Farns-

28 Septembre. C'etait un ex-

LETTERS

204

Ci joint en retour

cellent sujet.

demande de

renseignements de I'ambassade.

Capitaine

Command^

C'^

Lallseliez

Aux Armees le

28 Octohre, 1915

October 29, 1915

Robert

Bliss, Esq.,

Ambassade

des Rtats-Unis d' Amerique a Paris

Sir: I

have the honor of receiving your

letter

of Oc-

tober 25.

The captain of this company enclosed note relating to

has obtained the

Mr. Henry

W. Fams-

worth's death. I was not with him in the battle

where he died, but knew about

men

in his

much I

company.

by some of the

appreciated

him very

indeed.

am,

Sir, at

your

entire disposal.

Your obedient

servant,

AUGUSTIN HeREDIA

HENRY FARNSWORTH

205

Hospital Complimentaire 1

7 Pre

Aux

Lyon

Clercs,

(^Brettaux)^ France^

October 2, 1915

Dear Mr. Farnsworth: At the request of your son,

afternoon of the 28*^ of September 4*^

day of the of the

fi-ont

second

German

line before the

fire

in front,

on the

last,

of Champagne, a

battle

little

A large

the right flank,

where they were concentrating

on the leading

wire entanglements of the Fortin deNavarin.

number of machine guns were on and

to say with

he was severely wounded on the

real pain that

files

their

of the attacking party, and

no stretcher-bearer could possibly reach the spot where he was

was

still

this time,

lying.

Toward dusk

being held up. I but

all I

go up

has seen a great deal of

venture to mention fire

column

could do, I regret to say, was

to ask medical people to

who

the

for the rear about

left

if possible.

him

how much

As one

here, I

his coolness

would under

has on occasions helped to steady the section,

and how

his indifference to

danger prompted him

at all times to volunteer for the posts.

Under

a withering

rifle

most dangerous

and machine gun

LETTERS

206 fire,

he denied

me, to which act the present,

way, but

first

word and dug a

probably owe

fi-esh

information of him has

come

always be glad to fijmish

I shall

any previous news.

hole for

my life. Up

May

here express

my pro-

found and sincere sympathies.

Yours very

Camp

d'Jirovd^

truly,

L. V.

SUKUNA

November

1915

To Groton School Groton^ Massachusetts I

suppose you have heard by

Farnsworth was

killed in

days of September.

A brave

a gallant one.

The two

at college he

made

months

him and enjoyed more.

When

making

every all

Henry

in the last

fellow he

was and

impression.

in the

But of

the

Legion, I respected

companionship more and

everything was going badly

were disreputably

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

his

that

or three times I met him

little

knew him

now

Champagne

officered in the 3"*^ de

man was

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we

marche

finding fault, grumbling,

the possible steps to get out of the

HENRY FARNSWORTH

207

Legion into French regiments, he was always optimistic, serene, in his

and an immense moral

When we

were transferred to the 2^ de marche

and the true Legion, then he was

Many

of the

3"^^

felt

insulted to

these "desperate characters," but

them since they had come to the

force

company. "Leave the Legion? Never!"

more happy

fight,

exultant.

be put with he only told

they should be

to be put with the

most

fearless,

perhaps the most famous regiment in France, since the

9*^^

May and

16*^ of June. I

know

he could have wished for nothing more glorious than to die as he did again covered

The

itself

when

the

1^*

Etranger

with honor on the

Tirailleurs Algeriens flinched

29*^^.

the right,

but his Battalion went on and was demolished.

Victor Chapman

WITH THE LEGION IN THE CHAMPAGNE By

The

24'^^

day.

The

L. V. SuKUNA

September broke a

severe cannonading of the

and warm

two

ous days had perceptibly calmed down. tine of the last few nights

previ-

The rou-

—communication-trench

digging in the white clay

soil

of the Champagne

District

— had been

dispensed with the evening

before,

an omnious

sign, the old

Legionnaires

whispered, of the closeness of the impending storm.

Here and

there, basking in the sun,

were

scattered small groups discussing the superiority

of the French

— —

the advance,

would

be,

artillery, the possible rapidity

for an advance all believed

or the probable part of the

roccan Division in the coming

conflict.

of it

Mo-

In the 2^

Company's camp a young Cambridge undergraduate, a half-blue,

was sparring with

his ad-

jutant before an excited and sympathetic audience.

Throughout the day the

ning from Suippes was units,

men of the

military road run-

filled

with Territorial

Colonial Corps, and vehicles of

every kind and description. Late in the after-

LETTERS

210

noon the " fall in " was called, and the Colonel, vismoved, announced the part

ibly

regiment. It

Turcos

was

allotted to the

to be in reserve to support the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Zouaves and Algerian

the 2d Etranger^

whom

upon

Rifles

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and

of the Moroccan

Division had fallen the honor of participating in

That evening the

the great initial assault.

ment was to move forward to take up

The

regi-

position.

high-strung feeling of expectancy culminat-

ing in the Colonel's speech brought in

reactionaiy feeling, confused

its

wake a

and depressing. The

hours seemed so long. All sense of relation and the

power of connective thought appeared

lost

or hopelessly dulled.

but the younger and the

either

Some laid down to less

rest;

experienced, betray-

ing unmistakable signs of nervousness, sat 'round

dimly

lit

camp-fires, chatting disconnectedly.

night was dark and

still.

The

Overhead ominous black

clouds seemed to be furtively gathering forces.

a.m. the rassemhlement was called, and a

few minutes ing for the

later the first line

Legion was en

route^

head-

trenches in close proximity

to Souain.

Drizzling rain

was

falling.

The communica-

tion-trenches, running immediately behind the

HENRY FARNSWORTH first line

trenches,

were reached

ders were given to settle

down

211

at 2:30 a.m. ;

the wait

Or-

would

probably be for some hours. Cannonading had

begun again, growing ceptibly.

The heavy

in intensity almost imper-

guns, far

away

in the rear,

were heavily engaged. Towards dawn the

field

immediately behind the Legion began

artillery

and

to thunder

roar.

From

tion post a magnificent

ment was

seen.

a deserted observa-

view of the bombard-

About two hundred yards away

there zigzagged a

narrow white

of the enemy trenches.

Away

line,

the parapet

to the left

dis-

appeared in the declivity of the ground, and to the right

ran back until

barren white ridge. Every

of light

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

was

lost

moment

behind a

white flashes

forked lightning in a tropical storm,

they looked like

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; seemed

to dance over that thin

white line, followed by columns of smoke of varying

some black and some white

sizes,

in color,

with others of a yellow-bluish hue; and then rendering crashes as the pieces of exploded

steel

flew

on their deadly errand. The air rocked and quivered. fibre.

The

vibration seemed to penetrate every

Overhead the

firom the

heavy guns

endless streams of missiles hissed,

and below them the

LETTERS

212 innumerable

shells

of the soixante-quinze sang

and howled not unmusically. But the German guns held a dignified

in torrents.

Rain was

silence.

8 a.m. the artillery

fire

falling

had de-

veloped into one continuous and incessant roar.

From

the observation post the thin white line

was no longer in dust,

visible. It

were now

firing

trenches.

The

some

order to

and hungry,

and machine gun

Through

the

tinual stream

using tear

field- pieces

were

falling in the

move came

at last. Cold,

shells

was a welcome change.

now

could

fire

the roar of the guns.

and

entirely enveloped

spasmodically at the

to the rear; but

stiff,

was

smoke, and flame. The German guns

The

Rifle

be heard above

attack

had opened.

Boyau de Martinique came a conof wounded.

shells.

The

The Germans were

eyes smarted

and ached,

tears flowed abundantly, obscuring one's

view, in that narrow

way

full

of wounded.

After half an hour's slow progress a shallow,

narrow communication-trench,

fi-om

which the

Turcos had rushed to the assault, midway between the enemy's

The

first line

and our own, was reached.

drain was a heart-rending sight,

dead and dying, those who

fiill

of the

in the previous nights

HENRY FARNSWORTH had contributed by hard and minimize the

losses

field batteries,

this

difficult

digging to

Some German

day.

somewhere on the Souain-Tahure

Road, were raining shrapnel on the dead

213

and at the approaches

two squadrons of cavalry were

that trench of

in the rear,

where

vainly endeavor-

ing to hack through that curtain of lead. Thrice

they reformed and thrice they were scattered.

some time no

further progress

was

possible.

For

Sud-

denly a battery of soixante-quinze began firing short,

For

dropping several

shells into the

Legion.

a few minutes a panic threatened. It

during these

critical

was

moments that Captain Junod

rendered signal service: stepping out of the trench and calmly walking along the parapet, in full

view of the enemy, he

enemy's

first

line

rallied the

had long ago

fallen;

men. The

but desper-

ate

hand-to-hand fighting was still taking place

the

woods immediately in

front.

A halt was called

at the German first line trenches to gather in pris-

oners and to reform the

line.

The havoc wrought

by the French bombardment was everywhere very evident

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; enormous

holes,

barbed wire en-

tanglements completely destroyed, trenches in

filled

and dig-outs smashed. Sandbag loopholes

LETTERS

214

above seemed able to withstand the unprecedented battery, and some of these were in a re-

markable

state

of preservation.

The German heavy guns and few field-pieces were now heavily engaged in a tir de barrage. At 3 p.m. the order the Turcos.

came

to advance in support of

Rain had again begun to

fall.

From

the direction of Souain French field batteries

were trotting forward advance.

Huge

smoke hundred

in support

of the infantry

shells, raising

columns of black

feet in height,

were bursting

all

around them; but on they came, apparently not in the least concerned.

From a small

valley south

of Navarin came the sharp crackle of

and

in the bluish purple light

twilight, troops

of the gray autumn

of various regiments

Infantry of the Line, Colonials

made

out deploying to the right and

stantly

call

could be

left;.

Sud-

rang out, followed

by loud and continued

were soon dissipated

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Chas-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

seurs.,

denly a strange bugle

rifle fire,

cheering.

in-

Doubts

French bugles began

sounding the charge. Chasseurs .^l^urcos., Legionnaires., all

was

in that fight,

and in a few minutes

The German

onslaught had been

mingled over.

met and broken. Early that night the Legion

HENRY FARNSWORTH replaced the Turcos in the

first line.

215

The Ger-

mans, evidently very nervous, kept throwing up lights all

through the night, followed by salvos

rifle fire.

Early next morning some units of the Chasseurs relieved the Legion; the whole of the

Moroccan Division being now gradually placed in the reserve.

The

regiment took up position in

a valley north of Souain at 6 a.m. in groups of sections. Its mission,

enemy's

seems, was to attract the

while along the

fire

wooded

ridge to

the east reinforcements could pass unmolested in the direction of the Butte, Souain, rin.

Through

the valley ran the

communication-trench

between Navarin and

the trenches passing Souain. It

was the obvious

route for fresh troops to take.

7 a.m. a

tir

Shortly after

de barrage^ which increased in in-

tensity as the

valley

and Nava-

main German

day wore on, was directed on

the

and on the whole length of the communi-

cation-trench. It

was a

perfect inferno. Officers

and men went down quickly; but the Legion clung on quently.

all

day, sections changing position fre-

At dusk

retire to the

the regiment

was ordered

southern end of the

wooded

ridge.

LETTERS

then to take

had now been limited space, tillery fire

place with the Division which

its

all

withdrawn.

and above

out heavy

The

darkness, the

the devastating ar-

rendered the movement an extremely

one to execute

difficult

all

loss.

good order and with-

In the circumstances confusion

was

inevitable. Captains lost their

men

their section

companies and

and squad commanders.

Many

strayed away, only to perish in the hurricane of steel.

Camped on

the

wooded

ridge, the expla-

nations, the anecdotes given gratuitously of that

trying

day, the charges and counter-charges,

would have made the heart of Tolstoi

The

glad.

morning of the 27^^ September was com-

paratively quiet; the enemy's

fire

being again

mainly directed on the valley below. In the meantime, the regiment proceeded to dig itself

Towards noon relieve units

Battalion

A was called

of the Turcos

in the

in.

upon

second

line, at

the northern end of the communication-trench

connecting Navarin and Souain.

showery and

The day was

cold, with occasional strong blasts

of wind.

Away behind

German

observation balloon floated in the

air.

This fresh movement of troops was at once

sig-

the Fortin de Navarin a

HENRY FARNS WORTH nailed diately

and some German

2\7

imme-

field batteries

opened a murderous

fire

commu-

the

nication-trench; while the valley to the south

again ploughed with huge a fire

more accurate and

shells.

intense than anything yet

experienced devastated the ranks. entirely disappeared.

was

For half an hour

Some

sections

But during the early part of

the afternoon several batteries oi soixante-quinze

moved up

into the valley

between the ridge oc-

cupied by the Moroccan Division and the Souain-

Tahure Road, and

these guns after a few rounds

silenced the enemy's field-pieces.

The

the 27*^

wood,

was passed

so far as

quietly in the

bombardment by

cerned; but

all

the

night of that

is,

enemy was con-

night long the soixante-quirvze

near the Souain-Tahure

Road

kept up an inces-

sant war.

On the early morning

of the 28*^ the

heavy guns began searching for these

German

batteries,

tearing and ploughing up in all directions the ridge

and woods covering the Division. The noise and din of the high-explosive shells were ear-shattering,

and the huge columns of

were awe

inspiring.

But

clear

thick black

smoke

above the thunder

and crash of the Teutonic storm the

decisive bark

LETTERS

of the 75's from the valley below rang sharp and true.

At 2

p.m. the order to prepare to attack

passed 'round, and an hour later the Legion, with

gaps

filled

up,

companies.

and

moved

out in columns of double

The bombardment was

still

heavy,

as the regiment following the ridge passed

by the Zouaves and Algerian falling

rifles,

men were

on all sides. Sweeping 'round to the north-

west at the end of the ridge, the Commandants led their

men

in the direction

Navarin. In the woods on the the

first line

of the Fortin de

left

were closely nestled

some knee-deep,

the infantry in

in their trenches,

others the regulation depth.

Stray bullets began to sing in the crest before the

air.

the

Fortin de Navarin the regiment

halted for a few minutes to enable the Turcos to

come

still

into line

on the

left.

The enemy were

about two hundred yards away.

with bayonets fixed, little

'"''En

avantf''

scraggy pine avenue Battalion

Away to

the

left,

in the

tap, tap,

methodically.

then,

rushed.

open space, the Turcos

were advancing. Bullets sang louder

Tap,

And

Through a

in the air.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the machine guns were firing

short halt

was

called

and an-

other rush till the wire entanglements of the enemy

HENRY FARNSWORTH were

clearly visible

Here again ment

for

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whole

and untouched.

some reason unknown

halted. It

the regi-

was now near 4 p.m., and

juncture no further advance could possibly

this

have been undertaken

machine gun left front,

the

219

in the face

of converging

from the wood on the

fire

half-

from the Ferme de Navarin, and from

wood on

suffered severely.

Of the

leading

officers the best

The Commandant was

ready

fallen.

leaves

and branches cut

ing like rain.

The

the right flank.

off'

files

had

al-

dead. Pine

were

bullets

fall-

The groans of the wounded and the

cries

of the dying sickened and weakened one.

Still

no orders came. Through

fire

was

its

of Captain Sunod, upon the

mes

command enfants!'''

heaviest, could be

whom had

of the Battalion

And there

far into the night.

all,

when

the

heard the voice developed

^^Ne boiigez pas^

the Legion stayed until

^'FARInSWORTH^ ^'^

129

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