Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-01-28

the Grays, should realize that they
could not take their range PartoW
had not taught him to put himself in
other mems places in vain The boy
who had kept up his friendship with
engine drivers after he was an officer
know how to sink the plummet into
human emotions He reminded the
Brown soldiers that there had been a
providential answer to the call OF
God with usi" he reminded the pee.
pie Of the lives that would be lost to
no end but TO eIgender hatred; he
begged the army and the people not
TO break faith with that principle OF
Not for theirs, but for ours" which
had been their strength
Il should like you all to sign ito
make 1t simply the old form of the
staff has the honor to report, >" he said
finally.
There was q hush as he finished
TIE hush Of a deep impression when
one man waits for another to speak.
All were looking at him except the
vlce-chief, who was still staring at the
table as If he had heard nothing. Yet
every word was etched on his mind.
The man whose name was the symbol
Of victory to the soldiers, who would
be more than ever a hero as the news
OF his charge with the African Braves
Travelled along the lines, would go oE
record to his soldiers as saying that
they could not take the Gray range.
This was q handicap that the vice
chief did not care to accept; and he
knew how to turn phrase as well as
TO make soldierly decision. He
looked up smilingly to Marta.
Il have decided that I had rather
not be Westerling, Miss Galland. I"
he said. We'll make it unanimous.
And you," he burst out to Lanstron-
you legatee Of old Partow; I've al
ways said that he was the biggest man
of our tins. He has proved it by
catching the spirit of our time and in
carnating it,
Vaguely, in the whirl of her JOY,
Marta heard the chorus Of assent as
the officers sprang to their feet in the
elatFon of being at one with their CHIEF
again. Lanstron caught her arm, fear
ing that she was going to fall. but a
burning question rose In her mind to
steady her.
"Then my shsme-my sending men
to slaughter-my sacrifice was rot in
vain?" she exclaimed.
The sea Of people packed in the
great square of the Brown capital
made roar like the thunder of waves
against a breakwater at sight of A
white spot on background of gray
stone, which was the head Of an emf
nent statesman.
ut looks as if our government
would last the week out" the premier
chuckled as he turned to his colleagues
at the cabinet table.
AS yet only the brief bulletins whose
publication in the newspapers had
aroused the public to a frenzy had
been received. The cabinet, as eager
for details as the press, had remained
up, awaiting a fuller official account.
1--WE have long communication in
preparation" the staff had telegraphed
Meanwhile, the following is submit
ted"
Good heavens! It's not from the
army! It's from the gravel" ex.
claimed the premier as he read the
first paragraphs of Partow's message.
"Of all the concealed dynamite aver!"
he gasped as he grasped the full mean.
ing of the document, that piece of
news, as staggering as the victory il
self, that had lain in the staff vaults,
for years well, we needn't give it
out to the press; at least, not until
after mature consideration" he de-
clared when they had reached the end
of Partow's appeal. Now we'll hear
what the staff has to say for itself
after gratifying the wish OF a dead
man." he added as a messenger gave
him another sheet.
THE star, IN loyalty to it's dead
leader who made victory possible, and
in loyalty to the principles of defense
for which the army fought, begs to
say to the nation
1t was four o'clock in the morning
when this dispatch concluded with
I'VE heartily agree with the forego-
ing" and the cabinet read the names
Of all the general staff and the corps
and division commanders. Coursing
crowds in the streets were still shout
ing hoarsely and sometimes drunken
". aOu RI tho Grow 20 ritoIr Ara4L
ing can stop US now!" The premier
tried to imagine what a sea of faces
in the great square would look like
in a rage. He was between the peo-
pie in a passion for retribution and a
headless army that was supposed to
charge across the frontier at dawn.
"The thing is sheer madness!" he
cried. tits INSTRUMENTATION! III have
it suppressed! The army must go on
to crafty public demand. I'll show
the staff that they are not in the
saddle. They'll obey orders!"
He tried to get Lanstron on the long
distance.
Sorry, but the chief has retired, >"
answered the officer on duty sleepily.
In fact, all the rest of the staff have,
with orders that they are not to be
disturbed before ten"
Tell them that the premier, the
head Of the government, their COM
mander, is speakingi''
Yes, sir. The orders not to disturb
them are quite positive, and as a jul
nior l could not do so except by their
orders as superiors. The chief, before
retiring, however, repeated to me, in
case any inquiry came from you, sir,
that there was nothing he could AID
to the Stairs message to the nation
and the army. 1t is to be giveE to the
soldiers the first thing in the morn
ing, and he will let you know how they
regard it."
"Confound these machine minds that
spring their surprises as fully execut-
Cd o1o