Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-10-30

nut buAg udu ulb ONh iulhu bAoHh NC
yond what were to him the narrow as
sociations of his old La Tir days, but
that hers had grown. too. And you
what have you been doing all these
years?" he asked.
Living the life of a woman on a
country estate" she replied. "Since
you made a rule that no Gray officers
should cross the frontier we have been
little lonelier, having only the Brown
officers to tea. Did you really find it
so bad for discipline in your own
case?" she concluded with playful
solemnity.
"One cannot consider individual
cases in general order" he explained.
"And, remember the Browns made the
ruling first. You see, every year
means a tightening-yes. a Tightening,
as arms and armies grow more compli-
Gated and the maintaining of staff
secrets more important. And you have
been all the time at La Tir, truly?" he
asked, changing the subject. He was
convinced that she had acquired some
thing that could not be gained on the
outskirts of provincial town.
mo. l have travelled. have been
quite around the world"
you have!" This explained much.
How envy you! That is privilege
l shall not know until am superannu-
ated" While he should remain chief
of staff he must be literally a prisoner
in his own country.
Eyes, l should say 1t was splendid!
Splendid-yes, indeed!" Snappy little
mods of the head being unequal to ex-
pressing the joy Of the memories that
her exclamation evoked, she clasped
her hands over her knees and swung
teen. Splendid! l should say sol"
She nestled the curling tip of her
tongue against her teeth, as If the
recollection must also be tasted.
Splendid, enchanting, enlightening,
stupendous and wickedly expensive!
Another girl and l did it all on our
own"
"O-oh!" he exclaimed.
ooh, oh, OH" she repeated after him
ooh, what, please?"
"Oh, nothing!" he said. 1t was quite
comprehensive to him how well
equipped she was to take care of her
self on such an adventure.
Precisely, when you come to think
1t over!" she concluded.
What interested you most? What
was the big lesson of all your journey
ing?" he asked, ready to play the lis
tener.
Being born and bred on frontier
of an ancestry that was born and breC
on frontier, why, frontiers interested
me most" she said. 81 collected i'm
pressions of frontiers as some people
collect pictures. found them all alike
stupid, just stupid! Oh, so stupid
Her frown grew with the repetition O.
the word; her fingers closed in on hel
palm in vexation. He recollected tina
he had seen her like this two or three
times at La Tir, when he had fount
the outbursts most entertaining. HI
imagined that the small fist pressed
against the table edge could deliver {
singing blow. LAS stupid as it Is fo
neighbors to quarrel! 1t put me a
+. war with all frontiers"
Apparently" he said.
She withdrew her fist from the table
dropped the opened hand over tn,
other on her knee, her body relaxing
her wrath passing into a kind o
shamefacedness and then into a soft
prolonged laugh.
Il laugh at myself, at my own incon
sistency," she said II was warlik
against war. At all events, If there i
anything to make a teacher Of peac
lose her temper it is the folly o
frontiers"
"Yes?" he exclaimed. "Yes? G.
on!" And he thought: "I'm reall
having very good time"
"You see, came home from my tou
with an idea-an idea for life occu
patton just as engrossing as yours,
she went on, land opposed to yours.
saw there was no use of working wit
the grown-up folks. They must be lef
to The Hague conferences and tn
peace societies. But children are quit
alike the world over. You can plan
thoughts in the young that will tax
root and grow as they grow"
Patriotism, for instance" he oil
served narrowly.
mo, the follies of martial patriot
: ism! The wickedness Of war, whic
is the product of martial patriotism!
The follies Of patriotism! This wa
the red flag Of anarchy to him. H
started to speak, flushing angrily, bu
held his tongue and only emitted
"whew" in good-humored wonder.
Il see you are not very frightene
by my opposition" she rejoined in
flash Of amusement not wholly unten
pered by evaporation.
I'VE got the appropriation for an az
ditional army corps this year." he e,
planned contentedly, his repose con
pletely regained.
! "Thus increasing the odds apains