Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-24


Hugging the cover Of the ridge Of
fresh earth which they had thrown up
the previous night, they watched the
white posts. Strsnsky. who had been
ruminatively silent all the morning,
was in his place. but he was not look.
ing at the enemy. Cautiously. to avoid
a reprimand. he raised his head to en-.
able him to glance along the line. All
the faces seemed drawn and clayish.
They don't want to tight! They're
Just here because they're ordered here
and haven't the character to defy au.
thority," he thought. "The leaven Is
working! My time is coming,"
For Dellarme the minute had come
when all his training was to be put to
q test. The figures on the other side Of
the white posts were rising. He was to
prove by the way he directed a com.
pany Of infantry In action whether or
not he was worthy Of his captains
rank, He smiled cheerily. In order
that he might watch how each man
used his rifle. he drew back OF the line.
his slim body erect as he rested on
one knee, his head level with the
other heads while he fingered his
whistle. The instant that Eugene
Aronson sprang over the white post
a blast from the whistle began the
war.
1t was a signal. too, for Stransky
to play the part he had planned; to
make the speech Of his life. His six
feet Of stature shot to its feet with
a Jack-in-the-box abruptness, under
the impulse Of q mighty and reckless
passion.
"Men, stop firing!" he howled thun-
derously. stop firing on your broth.
ers! Like you. they are only the
pawns Of the ruling class, who keep
US all pawns in order that they may
have champagne and caviare. Com.
rades. I'll lead you! Comrades, Wen
take a white flag and 60 down to meet
our comrades and we'll find that they
think as we do! I'll lead you'll"
The appeal was drowned in the
cracking Of the rifles working as regu.
larry as punching-machines in a fac.
tory. Every soldier was seeing only
his sight and the running figures un.
der It. Mechanically and .automatical.
ly. training had been projected into
action. anticipation into realization. A
spectator might as well have called to
a man in a hundred-yard dash to stop
running, to an oarsman In a race to
jump out of his shell.
The company sergeant sprang for
Stransky with an oath. But Stransky
was in no mood to submit. He felled
the sergeant with a blow and, reck-
lessly defiant, stared at Dellarme,
while the men. steadily firing, were
still oblivious Of the scene. The ser
geant, stunned. rose to his knees and
reached for his revolver. Dellarme,
bent over to keep his head below the
crest, had already drawn his as he
fastened toward them.
"Will you get down? Will you take
your place with your rife?" demanded
Dellarme.
Stransky laughed thunderously in
scorn. He was handsome, titanic, and
barbaric, with his huge shoulders
stretching his blouse, which fell loose.
ly around his narrow hips, while the
fist that had felled the sergeant was
still clenched.
mol" said Stransky. you won't
kill much If you kill me and you'd kill
less II you shot yourself! God AL.
mighty! Do you think I'm afraid? Me
-afraid?"
His eyes In a bloodshot glare, as
incorporating as those of a bull in
an arena watching the next move of
the red cape Of the matador, regarded
Dellarme, who hesitated in admiration
Of the picture Of human force before
him. But the old sergeant, smarting
under the insult of the blow. his sand.
stone features mottled with red
patches, had no compunctions of this
order. He was ready to act as execu.
toner.
"If you don't want to shoot, I can!
An example-the law! There's no
other way Of dealing with him! Give
the world" he said to Dellarme.
Stransky laughed. now in strident
cynicism. Dellarme still hesitated,