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

4OO
MILITARY LIFE.
being said while the soldier was dividing
his bread with the
poor, and fighting, suffering, and dying for the health of the
country.
Sometimes the municipalities
to whom the soldiers rendered
great service, offered them in compensation the little money
and these municipalities were
which they had at their disposal ;
not a few in numbers.
facts and names can be cited to prove it.
But the money was always refused, and
The municipality of
Licata, toward the end of August, offered one hundred lire to
the pth company of the 57th regiment. The evening of the
i4th, Captain Pompeo Praga returned to the barracks at the
retreat to announce to his soldiers the municipality's offer.
They were all drawn up in the dormitory, and the quartermaster-sergeant
was calling the roll. The captain interrupted
him and gave his news, adding :
"
Quartermaster, let this sum be divided among
all to-morrow
morning before rations."
"
Yes, sir."
A moment of silence followed.
" Mr. Captain," murmured an uncertain voice in the lines.
" "
Who spoke
? asked the captain. No one " replied. Who
spoke ? " he repeated.
"
I," replied a soldier.
" What did you wish to say ? "
" I wished to say that, as far as I am concerned (and he
glanced bashfully around as if to seek an expression of assent
in his comrades' faces), it seems to me that a sou more or
less, is the same thing for us, and it would be better, it seems
to me . . ."
" Go on," said the captain.