The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-02-11
BY MAURICE sARREs Of the French
Academy. - 49, -

-
Academy. 80 20.
The other evening, leaving the
trenches Of the first line, we went
about to press the hands of our SOL
diers through the shelters Ranking the
hill, where they came every three days
: to lie. And then, after had seen a
little teasing of the Prussians, I was
led into a little wood, 300 meters dis
tant from their line. One of them
was stationed in advance, standing be-
tween two apple trees. We looked
at him. He gazed back at US. And
no one on either side moved
Twilight was descending. Between
that man and us lay the bodies of dead
men which could not be gathered up.
l shall never forget the sinister spot,
and the harmony between living be-
ings and landscape. Is II possible that
our rich plains have come to such
desolation; that the best, morally and
physically, of France, are hidden in
these kennels of beasts, and that ideas
of hate and Of death alone occupy the
minds of the millions OF individuals
who face each other along this i'm
mense line of battle? OF what dreams
that Prussian before me, as he
watches me through the mist Of eve
ming? He thinks of annihilating me,
and l, in the same way, think Of de-
stroying him. These are circuIn-
stances in which the most particular
spirit loses its identity in all the
others, in which no soul Is kept apart.
/ That duty is evident, certain. But
how deep do its roots strike down into
| darkness!
Facts and Mysteries.
In vain did my companion-no one
better experienced In the affairs of
this war-continue to give me interest
ing details by the thousand. Behind
the facts there raises itself barrier
of mystery. And while we went back
through the stretch of country to
which this campaign has come, / new
er ceased to ponder upon it.
From time to time we came upon
people OF our side, cooking in the lit
tie hollows of the plain. They we're
laughing, chatting among themselves.
Then we went on again into the 81
lence and into the thickening night.
| That ending of our visit to the ad-
vance posts resembled a return OF
late hunters in autumn, but mingled
with it was an extraordinary disquiet
of heart Never have l known such
a vital feeling Of brotherhood as on
that journey; never a more profound
sense of the mystery in which our ex-
istence Is bathed.
All around us now there reigned un.
imaginable silence, and one distin-
guished objects so PAGES away with
difficulty.
BE CAREFUL" said my companion
to me. You have the river on your
left"
We arrived finally at point where
the plain is cut away abruptly into
deep valley, and leaning over, ], saw
far below me, at the foot of the cliff
on which we stood, little pools still
beneath tall popiars. Their waters
shone with sinister light through
the riffs of shroud of fog. Mournful
vapors rose and grouped themselves
in great moving masses.
There" l said, lis the kingdom of
desolation."
Wounded Man on the Marshes.
During five days we had seen and
had listened to a wounded German,
whom no one could relieve. He was
one of a patrol upon which we fired.
His comrades had saved themselves
without a thought Of carrying him
with them. The poor devil lay there
with a broken thigh. AS you can see,
it was not easy to go hunting for him
in those ravines and concealed
marshes. At last, on the fifth day, we
we're able to carry him to our ambu-
lance, where he died, thanking u.s.
You will be interested, believe, in
the emotions which animated that Ger
man, wounded and abandoned.
What emotions?
Very subtle and quite beautiful.
One hour afterward, when we had
arrived at our quarters, and, before
every Iuih6 SioCp OfCh OClOAS NNA 80
myself of my uniform and OF the
mud which stained me to the shout
ders, / asked my friendly guide to
mark our course for me on a chart,
and then to give me the last message
OF the Prussian of the marshes.
The Letter Of Farewell.
Here is the page upon which are
mingled, In startling manner, the
mists of Germany and of the French
valley, which he with his companions
came to desolate. have changed moth
ing. l have transcribed exactly the
final written pages of the little note
book which he carried in his pocket:
IF that be the will of the All,Power-
full. let this be my last farewell. A
French ball struck me while on patrol.
II wounded me in the right knee In
such way that can no longer walk.
1t is now Eve days that have been
in this obscure forest. can no longer
endure my hunger, which up to now l
have appeased with water Often II
have implored God to send me aid.
Mona hos no.s.a - thfa ha.tr Maau.