Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

39^
MILITARY LIFE.
" '
sou.
41
Even that is
something,' replied the sergeant, taking the
'
Are there any more ?'
'If it is
only the question of a sou, I have one too,' replied
another, throwing him the sou.
"'Is a sou enough?' asked a third. 'Yes, quite enough.'
4 '
1 have one too.' I too.' And so all the soldiers handed
him their sou one after another, and the sergeant, as he took
them, said to each :
what good fellows !
his Ifand, but one thing more.'
" '
" '
What ?
Bread.'
'
'
'
Bravo ! Well done !
Capital ! Ah,
he exclaimed when he
asked all the soldiers.
had all the sous in
'"Bread? If that is al!,' several replied, 'there is more
than enough." And first one and then another cut a slice
from his loaf of black bread.
" '
Where shall we put
it ? asked one.
'
" A corporal took a ramrod and stuck on to it all the slices
as fast as they
were handed him. The
soldiers laughed.
" '
Now who will carry the money and bread to the children ?
'
asked the sergeant.
" '
The handsomest man,' replied some voice. All laughed,
and approved the proposition.
" '
Oh, yes, the handsomest man ;
let 's search for him ! Who
can this beauty be ? '
" '
I,'
exclaimed a Neapolitan soldier, who had the reputation
of being the ugliest in the regiment, and among the laughs of
his comrades, he stepped forward, put the money in his pocket,
took the ramrod with the bread, and prepared to go out with
the sergeant. All the others clapped their hands. '
Oh,
come now,' shouted the Neapolitan, turning and facing his