The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-08-22

veloped. scared high; 1t included no
table achievements as a labor leader.
although his notions Of the historic
conflict were a little vague.
AS they passed the mouth Of lit
tie dell they were halted by this tab
leau: Kazia leaning against a tree
and Jim Whiting at her feet tying the
shoe-lace that had come loose. He was
Internationally long about 1t, Mark
thought. He must have said some
thing. for she laughed, clear ringing
note The kneeling gallant arose.
Mark saw a man two or three years
his senior, not Unlocking despite his
too heavy lips and loose jaw and
sporty" clothes. Mark disliked him
at once. Whiting took Kazia's arm
and led her slowly along the dell.
"Psiakrew!" muttered Piotr, in the
Poles deadly insult
The homely face was pale. con-
vulsed with. hate and real suffering
Even Mark, self-absorbed, could see
that. He patted the boy on the Shout
der.
Never mind. Pete. She can't think
much of him."
He's not fit for her." Piotr cried.
Right" Mark agreed firmly.
Piotr went further. 'Nobody's fit
for her"
'Kazias a mighty nice girl" Mark
declared, less sweepingly.
Yes, she's nice. And she's smart,
too, smarter'n me. She's smart as you"
Piotr looked up fiercely, as if expect
ing contradiction.
Sure, she is, But I'm afraid"
very casually, this, "she doesn't like
me very we'll"
Piotr jumped at the bait. she
thinks you're stuck-up and selfish" he
explained And she's always afraid
everybody. 'cept Jim Whiting, II look
down on her because her mother
Piotr f1ushed-"wasnt married"
So that was the reason for her out
Mark had not needed to go out of vir-
tuous Bethel to learn the lot Of Hagar's
children.
do you look down on herr" Piotr
demanded aggressively.
"Of course not! And you needn't
be ashamed of her. either-it isn't her
fault, is it? l don't like" Mark said
slowly, ito see her with that Whiting.
| wish-I wish she liked me a little
better"
He did not see the startled Ques-
tioning look Piotr gave him.
"Kazia," asserted the boy, never
changes. I'm going home"
They strolled homeward. each mood
lily silent.
Despite the comfortable quarters
and nourishing food, now his strength
Jagged painfully; his scorched face be-
came haggard. And each morning he
dragged himself YEARLY homeward,
blind to the days beauty.
But he did not forget Kazia.
Always leech-like Piotr awaited
his return, with problems to be solved
and paragraphs to be construed. Nor
did he wait in vain. Every morning
Mark patiently sacrificed an hour of
the needed sleep on the altar Of the
boys rare stupidity. He did not look
to Piotr's gratitude for his reward.
The direct charge into the mouth Of
the enemy's cannon is spectacular and
heroic, but the great strategists have
relied upon the movement in flank
On Friday Mark came within sight of
the coveted position.
There's three problems and whole
page of indirect discourse" the scholar
announced. He added the complaint,
You're late"
"All right" Mark sighed. Bring
'em out
Then Kazia spoke her protest.
"Piotr, can't you see he's tired?"
But / can't do EN-" sPiotr became
sulky at once. And l haven't failed
once this week"
"Piotr, you're greedy Hunky pig.
Don't you do It," she turned to Mark.
Sundays the double turn"
Was this the. olive branch? Moth
ing then could have persuaded him
to give up the hour with ,Piotr. But
he saw an opening: he unlimbered a
big gun and sent one shell screaming
toward her camp. "You," he said with
crushing dignity. will be walking in
the park and won't care. Piotr. we're
losing time"
She turned away so quickly that he
could not judge his craftsmanship.
The lesson began and lasted until Piotr
rushed of to school
The double turn came and was duly
endured, as are most of life's dreaded
trials when they actually present
themselves. But even Roman showed
the effects Of the long strain. When
he reached home he began at once to
drown his fatigue in huge rotations.
Mark went to his room.
There surprise awaited him: clean