Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-11-19

u.
held By the scene that a score or
more Gray soldiers, who had riotously
| crowded into the dining-room, were
enacting They were members of
Fracasse's company OF the Grays
whom Marta had seen from her win
dow the night before rushing across
/ the road into the garden.
When, finally, they burst into the
redoubt after il was found that the
Browns had gone, all, even the judges
son. were the war demons own. The
veneer had been warped and twisted
and burned off down to the raw ami
nal flesh. Their brains had the fever
itch of callouses forming Not a sign
OF brown there in the yard; not a sign
of any tribute after all they had en-
duredl They had not been able to lay
hands on the murderous throwers OF
hand-grenades. Far away now was
barrack-room geniality; in oblivion
were the ethics of an inherited civil
| cation taught by mothers. teachers and
church
But here was a house-a house OF
the Browns; big, fine house! They
would see what they had won-this
was the privilege of baf1ed victory.
What they had won was theirs! To
the victor the spoils! Pell-mell they
crowded into the dining-room, Hugo
with the rest, feeling himself a straw
| on the crest of wave, and Pilzer,
most bitter, most ugly Of all, his short,
strong teeth and gums showing and
his liver patch red, lGmpy, and trem-
bling. In crossing the threshold of
privacy they committed the act that
leaves the deepest wound of wars in
heritance, to go on from generation
to generation in the history of fami-
lies.
"A swell dining-room! I like the
chandeliers" roared Pilzer.
With his bayonet he smashed the
only globe left intact by the shell fire.
There was laugh as q shower of
glass fell on the floor. Even the
judges son, the son OF the tribune of
law, Joined in. Pilzer then ripped up
the leather seat of chair. This in
troductory havoc whetted his appetite
for other worlds of conquest, as the
self-chosen leader of the increasing
crowd that poured through the door
way.
Maybe there's food" he shouted.
Maybe there's wine!"
Food and Winei"
yes, winei We're thirsty
and maybe women! I'd like to kiss
a pretty maid servant" Pilzer added,
starting toward the hall.
'Stop!" cried Hugo, forcing his way
in front of Pilzer.
He was like no one of the Hugos of
the many parts that his comrades had
seen him play. His blue eyes had be-
come an infexible gray. He was stand
ing half on tiptoe, his quivering
muscles in tune with the quivering
pitch of his voice:
I'VE have no right in here! This is
a private housed"
Out of the way, you white-livered
little rat!" cried Pilzer, cor III prick
the tummy of mammals darling!"
/ What happened then was so sudden
and unexpected that all were vague
about details They saw Hugo in a
catapultic lunge, mesmeric in it's swift
ness, and they saw Pilzer go down, his
leg twisted under him and his head
banging the floor Hugo stood, half
ashamed, half frightened, yet ready
for another encounter.
Fracasse, entering at this moment.
was too intent on his mission to con-
slider the rights of a personal differ
ence between two of his company.
There's work to do! Out of here,
quick! We are losing valuable time!"
he announced rounding his men to-
ward the door with commanding ges-
lures. I'VE are going in pursuit."
Marta, who had observed the latter
part of the scene from the shadows of
the hall, knew that she should never
forget Hugo's face as he turned on Pill
ger, while his voice of protest struck
| a singing chord in her jangllng nerves.
1t was the voice of civilization, of one
who could think out of the orbit of a
whirlpool of passionate barbarism
She could see that he was about to
spring and her prayer went with his
{ leap. She gloried in the impact that
felled the great brute with the liver
patch on his cheek, which was like II
birthmark of war.
CTO BE CONTINUED0