Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-08
q
Human Slaughter House
b. WILHELM LAMszUs
-
CHATTER ~.
Ths Last Night.

CHATTER w.
The Last Night.
am lying in bed, and counting .
hundred slowly. It must be close on
midnight now, and am still unable
TO ret to sleep.
The room resounds 70 the noise Of
snoring. they are lying to the right
and left Of me. and Is I turn over on
my hack, ! am staring up ct the wood
On planking Of bed. For the cots
extend all alDng the wall from door to
window, one above the other, and In
every cot . soldier b lying asleep.
Now ana asain. one or other losses
about, and rolls heavily over to the
other side.
Further awsy. near the window.
some one 10 mimbling in his sleep.
Suddenly he shnats out aloud: and
that wasn't mo. I amt touched bit
Of the wire. Dtyou take me for .
theft"
Il sounds exactly as,if he were wide
awake. i am on the point Of speak
Ing to him. Then al is silence again,
and lie listening intently for what
10 going TO happen next. But hs keeps
quiet, and goes on dreaming. He 10
It'll In the midst OF his workshop;
yet tomorrow he ~ going to DO carted
out to war.
And nothing but sleeping and snor.
ing men all round me.
Wonder II any one else in barracks
10 lying wide-eyed and staring into
the future?
NY thoughts fit homeward. Won
der whether she slept well tonight?
Wonder II she has CHANGED to be
thinking Of me? Wonder how the lit
tie chap is getting on? His teeth
were giving him trouble. - It
IL not good to marry 20 young; the
unmarried men who are called out
now are better or. Wonder whether
the war win last long? We have put
by 4 little Aest-ess. But what's the
good OF that in these time Of famine
prices? The allowance for wife and
children is 20 small that 1t won't even
cover rent. Where's she to turn for
money when the post once savings
book 10 finished? She will have to. 60
out sewing. But what's to hsppen
when hundreds Of thousands Of 9TH
err have 10 @ out sewing too? Well.
then she vim have to start . little
business. open = sreen9rocer'a shop.
But what's to happen when hundreds
OF Thousands Of others have to- start
shop?
The state ID taking charge Of your
wives ana children, that's what It said
"a t6b regimsntal orders yesterday.
Well. there 10 no use in imagining
the very worst from the start. The
war may be- over quickly. Perhaps It
will never get - far - big battles.
Perhaps they Will think better OF It.
ana give way yet.
and then my mind feels ct ease
again. In spirit see myself back
again ct my ONCE desk and writing
invoices. A glance ct the clock-its
close ON the hour-only few moro
strokes Of the pen. So lets finish up
quickly. Let's hang up our once coat
on the nail and slip into another.
And then get out into the street, for
Dora must be waiting supper.
BY this time We have already
reached tho bridge by the town hall.
with the two big triple lamps. :.
Who IL standing there by the railing
Of the bridge. and gazing down into
the canal % motionlessly? It's wo-
man. She must have run straight out
OF the kitchen, for her apron-strfngs
.ars hanging to the ground behind her
,aayho.. And al Of . sudden her red
striped skirt strikes me % so familiar.
and q pass behind her she turns
around without . word. and looks ct
me wi1d-eyed.
Dora. II that you?"
Then she bows her face. streaming
with tears. and says DULY to herself:
"fhey have shot my husband dead
4 .But, Dora" shout to her anxiously
for 1t suddenly flashes upon me that
jshe 10 why. hero am! Don't
you know me any MORE"
!. But she shakes her head, and turns
away from me comfortless, and passes
Jme BY like . stranger.
"Dora!" shout aloud, "Dora!" and
stretch out my arms toward the van
fishing figure. A sob chokes my throat
Then / start, and am sitting up IN
bed, resting on my elbow. Through
THE window sounds the long-drawn
irsvsille. Dawn Is peeping through the
lpanss.
SO. I did nod on after all, and / did
have . pleasant dream. But l have
no time to be grumpy over 1t, for foot
steps are ringing along the corridor.
,Hobnail boots clatter across the noor.
The door 10 flung open.
Il 10. the. sergeant on duty. BY this
time he has already reached the next
door. And sleepy figures are rising
from their cots. yawning and stretch.
1ng their arms: are turning out and
slipping, shivering with cold. into their
clothes. Yawning. they stretch their
limbs and nap their arms until the
second more welcome morning signal.
sBrsakfast rations." lends life and AMI.
1Gtj0n to fasting men.
CHAPTER W.
The Departure.
We are already drawn up IN the bar.