The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-09-01


I'VE are well aware that IL war
should break out between France and
England or Germany. 1t would be but
the capitalists of each country cudgel-
ing each other for the markets of the
world. If we hare to risk our lives,
we should risk them not to defend ma
tionalities, but rather to found the
socialist nation that we already carry
in our brains"
"Herve," cried Tillier. as he raised
his rifle and flung 1t on the ground.
. The name was repeated here and
there; and another rife-two, three,
four-slipped from loosened fingers
and dropped into the dust or were
thrown down like Tillier's.
"Yes, Herve. our great teacher, our
prophet. Listen!"
And while the roar OF the battle
grew steadily nearer. on the other
side of the hill, he read:
Flags are only emblems. They
have no value beyond what they seem
to represent. There are thousands of
flags that no longer stand for any
thing. And countriesi What are they?
Every country or nation, SO called, is
composed of two groups of men-the
few seated at the loaded table and the
mob begging for the crumbs. A
country of the present time is nothing
but monstrous exploitation of man
by man. Behold your country that
they wish US to die for! Behold"
A shell came screaming over the
hill and exploded so near them that
dust flew into their faces. Duprez
stopped for an instant, and there was
brief change in the expression OF
his countenance.
But, whatever It was, he forced It
back and read on. And as he read,
in his fervid and thrilling way, more
rifles dropped from the hands of the
men before him.
TITS true!" cried one as he tore
of his belt and buttons.
mo; that's too strong" protested
another, but not quite resolutely.
THE time has not come" was Du-
prez's answer. I'VE shall be dead to-
morrow anyhow. The hour has
struck"
Looking keenly at the faces of his
comrades. he saw that he had all but
won the day-that in another moment
his men would follow him in whatever
path he might choose to lead them.
Thrilled with his triumph, glorying
in the sacrifice he was about to make,
he thrust his book back into his
pocket, and faced the men to make
the last appeal. something from his
own heart, clothed in his own elo-
quence, a speech he had long ago
framed for some such moment of
greatness. But even as he opened his
mouth, before he could utter the first
word of his peroration, there came
an interruption that held him and all
the others spellbound.
There was first furious outbura
of battle-sounds, cannon and musketry
and shouting; this time very near
nearer than they had imagined the
fight to be at that moment
And then, over the brow of the hill,
and not three hundred yards away,
appeared a part of the battle-line it.
self under their very eyes.
There was a tattered flag that
wavered and dipped and rose again
and dipped and rose in the thick of a
terrific hand-to-hand encounter-men
in fury of battle fighting around
the flag. And the flag was the tri-
| color-merely three strips of bunt-
ing sewn together" as Duprez had
said.
And it was retreating. The French
line on the hill had been broken and
this fragment, with the flag in its
center was being forced back and
German hands were at the very
throat of the flag-bearer.
Back they came, back down the
hill, the F'renehmen rallying again and
again around the flag, again and again
thrown away from it, again and again
f1inging themselves to save 1t. God
of battles, what sight!
And then the watching knot OF men
caught sight of the color-bearer him.
self-a mere boy. capless. his coat
| torn almost from his body, the flag
staff clutched to his breast with one
hand while with the other he thrust
at enemies right and left with some
weapon they could not see.
In an instant he was swallowed up
again.
There were sights that were new
and fearful to the men in the road,
in their new uniforms, with their yet
unused guns lying in the dust before
| them.
They heard death-cries, saw death
itself. They thrilled at the sight of a
youth who, flung out of the struggling
mass, maddened with pain and shrek
ing shrilly, ran and threw himself on
the ground and began tearing up the
| sod with his fingers
They are dying!" murmured Du-
PREF. Our brothers-there-a DIV.
ingi"
Suddenly, as suddenly as he had
thrown it at his feet, Duprez whirled
and ran and picked up his rifle and
/ bayonet in the road and was back
again to face his command.
They're dying!" he cried fiercely.
''Pick up your rifles, menI We must
save them!"
He saw a wondering look on the
faces before him.
1--WE will save them!" he shouted
And then: "Tillieri Duvali Mar
tineaul All Your guns,"
They were already picking them up
| from the dust
Forward"
They leaped as one man from the
road to the green grass of the hillside
Fix bayonetsi"
The voice of Duprez rang across the
fields. above the sounds of battle
Charged"
They were only twenty-one-a mere
handful compared with the hundreds
ngnulng on the hill. But the section
around the flag had been torn away
from the main battle line and whirled
backward down the hill, partially de-
49, I ~