The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-01-21
CHAPTER w.
Times Have Chained.


The SD of the Browns had started
for La Tir on the same day that the
12Sth of the Grays had started for
South La Tir. While the 12Sth was
going to new scenes, the SD was re-
turning to familiar ground. 1t had de-
from which it's ranks had been recruit
ed. After steep incline, there was a
welcome bugle note and with shouts
o. delight the centipede's legs broke
apart! Bankers, laborers', doctors
Wallets, butchers, manufacturers and
judges sons threw themselves down
on the greensward of the embankment
to rest. With their talk of home, OF
relatives whom they had met at the
station, and of the changes in the town
was mingled talk OF the crisis.
Meanwhile, an aged man was ap-
preaching. At times he would break
into kind of trot that ended, after a
few steps, in shortness of breath. He
was quite withered, his bright eyes
twinkling out of an area of moth
patches, and he wore frayed uniform
coat with a medal on the breast
Us this the 5Sd?" he quavered to
the nearest soldier.
ut certainly isl" some one answered
Come and join US, veberan!"
rs Tom-Tom Fragini here?"
The answer came from big soldier
who sprang to his feet and leaped to-
ward the old man.
tits grandfather, as / live!" he
called out, kissing the veteran on both
cheeks. 81 saw sister in town, and
she said you'd be at the gate as we
marched by"
Didn't wait at no gate! Marched
right up to you!" said grandfather
Marched up with my uniform and
medal on! Stand off there, Tom, Sc
/ can see you. My word! You're big
germ your father, but not bigger'n
was! No, sir, not bigger'n l was in
my day before that wound sort o. bent
me over. They say it's the lead in the
blood. I've still got the bullet!"
The old mans trousers were thread
bare but we'll darned, and the holes in
the uppers of mis- shoes were carefully
patched. He had merry air of
timism, which his grandson had ia.
herited.
well, Tom, how much longer you
got to server" asked grandfather.
six months" answered Tom.
zone, two, three, four" GRANDPA
Their counted the numbers off on his
fingers. That's good. You'll be in
time for the spring plo0ghing. My
how you have filed out! But, some
how, / can't get used to this kind OF
uniform. Why, don't see how a grid
be attracted to you fellows. at ALL"
"They have to, for we're the only
kind of soldiers there are nowadays
Not az gay as in your day, that's sure
when you were in the Hussars. eh?"
Eyes, l was in the Hussars-in the
Hussars! l tell you with our sabres
a-gleaming, our horses bits a-jingling
our pennons a-fying, and all the color
Of our uniform tell you, the girls
used to open their eyes at U.s. And we
went into the charge like that-yes
sir, just that gay and grand. Colonel
Galland leading!"
Military history said that 1t had
been rather foolish charge, a fine
example of the vainglory of unreascn-
ing bravery that accomplishes nothing
but no one would suggest such skepti
cism of an immortal event in popular
imagination in hearing of the old man
as he lived over that intoxicated rush
Of horses and men into battery OF
the Grays.
well, didn't you find what I said
was true about the Iowlanders?" asked
grandfather after he had finished the
charge. referring to the people Of the
southern frontier of the Browns, where
the SD had just been garrisoned.
mo, kind of liked them. ] made a
lot of friends" admitted Tom. They're
very progressive"
"Eh, Ell? You're joking!" To like
the people Of the southern frontier was
only less conceivable than liking the
people Of the Grays. That's because
you didn't see deep under them
They're all on the outside Eighty
lot! Why, II they'd done their part
in that last war we'd have licked the
Grays until they cried for mercy! II
their army corps had stood its ground
at Volmer-"
$50 you've always said" interrupted
Tom.
"And the way they cook tripe!
couldn't stomach it. could you? And
if there's anything I am partial to it's
good dish of tripe! And their light
beer-like drinking froth! And their