Cane and Conscription

The conscription constitutes a true rite. It occurs in two times:

1. Drawing of lots
2. The medical examination, where the non in conformity ones will be eliminated.

What about the others? " Good for the service " wants to say good for the marriage. Many besides carries large rosettes with "Good for the girls" written in golden letters.

The conscription is worth certificate of virility. Since the beginning of the ritual, the conscript was surrounded with what should be described as the amulets, the grigris, because he felt not reassured, will he be taken or not?

If yes, he will be able to make the fanfaron in its village, but the state of soldier is not reassuring. The Napoleon wars devoured men.

Then! trim with tricolour ribons and rosettes, covered with medals and other decoration proving their membership of the class, they ravel in music, dancing, singing, drinking and yelling in the inns, chasing the girls of little virtue in the country. They drink again, are found in the brothels of the country town, makeing processions in music, the cane with the hand.

Not the cane of glass which would be too fragile, but large canes of wood, high, studded, painted in spirals of blue, white, red and twisted with ribbons, which they make whirl in the air and catch up with with more or less address, imitating the drum major. Others carry painted wood axes.