Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-04
THE TRANSPORTATION or JENS
BERGER.

(By Oskar v. Bertelsen. }

Jens Berger was a very ordinary
young man. lie possessed no special
gifts. was tolerably intelligent. amiablc
aud quiet aud very popular with all who
knew him. lie was rich. on rather hig
father was. hui .IcnS was his only heir,
aud he always had plenty Of money.
Like al other young men. .;enk Berger
had been examined for military service
but had been sent nome becau~ Of a trif-
ling defect II one leg OF which he had
never expected 20 exist. but which made
him very happy now Is ~ - exempted
him from mIntary service.
Ii was two years later that the war
broke out. Jcns did not care Llurh one
way or the other and his parents, who
were quickly affected by tie general pan
~ which seized the whole Population.
were overjOyed that their boy. at amy
rate. would not have ID serve.
As for .lcnS himself he did not even
think of TIN war. far less talk ~ IN. ami
very often .xprr>Sed his contempt of
those who followed the events Of every
day with the greatest i%atcrtit and AZ
pressed the fear that their Gwn rountft
might 5crDmc involved.
la the me- ntimc the news became more
aud more alarming. the air Was .ull NJ
rumors aud more saldiers were called 80
the cnlorS every week. Many ~ JcmS
friends had already left. As Tor himself
he spent most ~ his time "a his parents
country seat just outside the city. run
ming in. however. in his rir 90 spend his
evenings III 4 cahr ana thus pri away
from I'll atm - here Of fear which AT
moved him exceedingly. Ills parents
were abs ute prcDf against lis argu
mcniS ami Lis i~mT~rtnrhlblc good hum
~. They were continually grnining AMI
signing III the dreadful hard times aud
at the bottom of their hearts they felt
not a little shocked nj their sons cal
luuSntSS.
Occasionally. .JcnS had To admit To-
himself 4 feeling h. had never known
before arose within him for u short mo
m-nt. but he immediately rrlap>rl into
~ usual Indifference. This feeling was
not tear Of what might happen. but "A
feeling If having no interest Ia common
with his surroundings. a fear Of being
abnormal. But most Of the time h. was
perfectly calm.
Then one afternoon the old Berger
was notified that he must vacate his
country home. II was la the line of lire
from one of the forts and had "a he RACED
10 the ground. The family must leave
within twenty four hours.
But lens Berger came home late that
night and H. was surprised "a iind the
house Illuminated from top 10 bottom.
and a. he entered h. found evrrybply
busy packing. The eyes Of the woIncn
were swollen with tears aud his fathers
face wore a strange, stony expression.
And this house. which | have built
myself" h. concluded his expression a.
Jcn>. and IL was easy to see how hard he
was hit ~ the blow.
JcnS took his hand aud tried t0 con
sole his father hut could not find the
proper words.
The next afternoon the house was emp
~. thu family had moved Ia the city and
house wreckcrS had already started 10
tear down the building.
II was eight o'clock. the sun was set
ting and the shadows were d~nrkrning
when JenS Berger arrived in his ear To-
have \ last glance at the place whrr- ~
was born. lie stopped short. greatly i'm.
pressed ~ thr unexpected sight. The
fence was down. doors and windows were
gone and Of the roof only the bare raftrrS
were left. The beautiful flower bpdS his
fathers pride. had been ruihlr>>ly tram.
pied by many heavy feet.
Then 4 strange thing happened .IenS
wak overwhelmed w \ feeling ~ had
never experienced before. lie went into
the summer house and wrpt.
The destruction If his childhood home
had pierced his phlegm and Indifference
and ia their place came an intense hat
red against the nation which had started
the war.
lie shook his head and thoughts rush
cd madly thru his brain. IIr knew his
friends enthusiasm. their cagcrness 10
gct into the fight against thu Germans.
One day Denmark might become invol
we'd ~ the war AMI share the fate ~ nn
BILE Belgium. NJ. this must never hap
pen ~ long ~ thcra vs. a man left ~
defend Danish soil. IIr had \ solemn
duty tu fulfill now aud il should no long
cr H. said ~ him that ~ wanted ~
Shirk IL.
III. raced madlv hack "a Town and ~
cry stroke of the motor seemed a. repeat
the cry nf his heart: Tomorrow ven
will enlist ~ u volunteer
tomorrow !"