Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-16
THE SPARK"
lBy Jean he kerleq.l

lily Jean hr Merle I'll
Dragging his leg with him. covered
with blood aud mud the Serbian soldier
Danilo koSSicwitz slowly made his way
down The steep slope ~ Mount Oplcnatz.
Ills regiment Was camping in the val
ley. sent out as a scout he had a chance
at the same time of seeing his family and
his native district. which h had not seen
since he left home at the outbreak of the
war with Austria five months before.
II was exactly three wears sine Kos
siewitz first hid given up the pillow for
the rifle. lie had fought first against
the Turks. then against the I;ulgarians
and now against the soldiers of tn great
double monarchy. Still he did not com
plain. for waS he not defending his wife
his children. his home When H. had an
hour or two Of rest he thought of them
all. Of his pretty cottage. and the field he
had Inherited from his ancestors. No; rs
long az there was a irop IF blood left 10
his veins hr wonld fight against the for
Icign invader.
After the second war H. had gladly
taken mp his work. but he had hardly got
the field I'm shape again when the order
came once more Ia take up arms. What
was wrong with all the world? he asked
himself. How much blood did they want
shed before the earth might be- permitted
"a know peace once more.
Vt present. however Danilo koSSic-
Witz had forgotten all bitterness. His
heart was beating with joy az the
thought that in a short time h. was 10
see again An hiS beloved ones. Ills
'scarrtIv healed wound hail not seemed
to pain him ANYMORE and the thunder of
. IT,. ..rtft Ia III. .listat... Hi NnI ltEfnpl
his dreams.
When naniln had reached the foot Of
Mount Dpcnaltz and suddenly h. rccciv
IA 4 shock. The village that used a. greet
his eve, was no longer there. with its
small white houses grouped around the
church. lie ~toppcd. unable TO under
stand this. H. knew he had followed
he Old familiar road. crossed The rock Of
ArbS and PASSED the seven miracle rocks.
each ~ which bore The name Of 4 saint.
Nature was Interchangeable and now
suddenly the village appeared Ia have
been swallowed mp nv the ground.
KuS>irwitZ began 10 hurry. What bad
spirit could hr nave met. iata inorganic
was a. The victim since his eyes could
not see what must surely be- there. Far
away clouds of smoke were arising. Ia
. NitR AEAi - fNil is lsNt IL ~ hNtiiit. Nii
his heart had suddenly grown heavy.
When H. had run about a half \ mile he
stopped. for his heart was beating 80
fast tha, hc could not hardly breathe.
lie wiuri his forehead. closed his ewes
and looked once more. Before him lay
(. his village. now a heap Of smoking ruins.
panilo could hardly believe his ewes. lie
ran head again. turned \ side lane and
.4r.t AZ. tI. 49, nuplyIttv Nam
Nobody was there. Flames were still
licking The c%rumbling walls of the house.
lie called and tn echo Of his voice al
most frightened him.
Martha. Marital"
Ills wife. where was she? What had
happened Ia her! Ills own house was in
ruins and ~ he approached il he nearly
fell over a chlrrcd body at the door.
i Again h. cried:
Martha, What have YOU lone with
uur children"
Shrill laughter from 4 corner between
two walls nearly frnzc the blood ia his
veins. \ oma appeared holding =
dead child in her arms. Her fa~c was
that that ~ j living corpse.
Here | am" she cried.
llr recognized Dragoma Willovinc. Y
. - iHtfiN' VI IL wiz - llN lAIfA Us Nit
on her shoulder. she roarcd like a wild
beast and fell back.
she had gone mad" he thought. lie
ran after her. but could Sc her nowhere.
Crushed with sorrow. ~ Sat down on 4
stone and stared III the ruins II his
house.
lie raised his head and looked across
his devastated field. aud realized that for
f 4 II pgn N..ap. L. h.t1 l..... tHIV.,. III. -.
had suffered all kinds ~ iortnrcS. phvSi
cal and mental. "a protect those H. loved
AMI al in vain.
lie had enough of this war WHY should
he fight now To satisfy the ambition
~ ariStocratS aud generals No. not he,
Had hc not done hi duty during these
three Years? Had hr not she'd his blood
time aud again Now il was enough
The rulers Of thepcople had sold them TO
death and did not share their dangers.
Almost insane with pain again he
ricd:
Martha, My children"
IT. walked around his house several
time. with clcnchrd fists fun Of hatred
and fury. lie ran through the village.
Among the ashes Of his stable near the
charred body Of his cow sat an old meas
ant. waiing Tor death "a relieve him from
his misery.
banilo began 10 ask him what had han
pcned AMI he heard the drama in All its
horror.
The AuStrianS had come and set fire to
the honSeS.
Martha they had carried on. The chill
drcn they had killed. Danilo rushed
away like a mailman. How he hated war.
II they would onlv treat the Kings nal.