The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-09-15

fender of his country when he Is
grown mp. Your place Is ut our
household hearth. 1t il to pro-
tect this. and guard IL from any
hostile attack, to preserve peace
for our homes and our wives, that
we men have to go to battle"
1 don't know why. but these
words, or something OF the same
sort. 1 had often before heard and
read with assent. this time seens-
ed 90 me TO be in sense mere
phrases" There WAS certainly
no hearth menaced. no horde of
barbsrians st the gate. merely a
political tension between two
cabinets.
No, this splendid. perfect hap
piness which fate had just built as
a snug house for me, IL was inn
possible that the same fate
should roughly shatter IL to
piecesi 20 Arno, my dearly-be-
loved husbandl 1t would be hor-
rfble to know that you are In dan.
geri" These and similar outpouf-
ings fill the leaves of diary which
were written in those days. 81
My father also. was all ON fire
for the war. To conquer the Pied
montese would be only ehiid's
play, and. I'm support of this as
sertion, the Radetzky anecdotes
were poured out again. l heard
the impending campaign talked
about always from. the strategic
point of view. E., a balancing
OF the chances on the two Sides
how and where the enemy would
be routed, and the advantages
which would thereby accrue TO
! JUS"
My husbands regiment was
quartered in Vienna. From our
house there was view over the
Prater, and from the window
there was such a lovely promise
of summer over everything. 1t
was a wonderful spring.
Now, thank God. at last this
uncertainty is at an end" cried
my husband one morning-April
lon coming home from pa
rade. THE ultimatum has been
sent"
shrieked out: Eth, what?
What does that mean"
1 "It means that the last word of
the diplomatic formalities, the
one which precedes the decIara-
tion of war, has been spoken.
Our ultimatum to Sardinia calls
on Sardinia to disarm. She, of
course, will take no notice of It,
and we march across the from
tier"
Good Cod But perhaps they
may disarm?"
We'll. then, the quarrel would
be at an end, and peace would
continue"
I fell on my knees. I could not
help it. Silently, but still as
earnestly as IL with a cry, there
rose the prayer from my soul to
heaven for "Peacei peace!"
Arno raised me up.
MY silly child, what are you
doing?"
threw my arms round HIS
neck and began to weep. 1t was
no burst of pain, for the misfor-
tune was certainly as yet not de-
cided on; but the news had so
shaken me that my nerves qufv-
cred and that caused this flood of
tears.
Martha. Martha, you will
make me angry" said Arno. re
proachfully. rs this being my
brave little soldiers wffe2 Do
you forget that you are a gen
erals daughter, wife of a first
lieutenant, and" he concluded
with a smile, mother of a cor
poralf"
"No, no, Arno. do not COM
prehend myself. IL was only a
L md NJ En4z n :
self ardent for military RIory.
little while age everything was
hanging ON q single word, which
must by this time have been
spoken-'yes' or NON answer
TO this ultimatum rs IL Is called.
and this yes or mo- is 60 decide
whether Thousand must bleed and
die-die I'm these sunny happy
days of spring-and 50 it came
over me that the word of peace
must come. and I could not help
falling ON my knees IN prayer"
ITO inform the Almighty of the
position of affairs. you dear littH
aoosei"
The house bell rang. I dried
my eyes at once. Who could it
be so earlyf
II was my father. He rushed
In all I'm q hurry.
Now. children" he cried, al
out OF breath. throwing himself
into an armchair Have vou|
heard the great news7 The ulti-
matum"
Il have just told my wife"
Rejected. The ultimafum re-
jectedt This took place at Turin.
April rs. The die Is east war
"'' 9 sceea,. GU. r.m.<~.z