South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-24

TT is Spring time the sun shines brightly and every
IS gay. Even the window panes Of the old
stone houses seem to wear cheerful smile.
Along the street of the little town streams crowd
in bright holiday attire. The whole population of
the town is there workers, soldiers tradespeople
priests officials, fishermen all intoxicated with
the spirit Of Spring time, talking laughing singing
n joyous confusion, If they were a single body
overlooking with the zest of life.
The impression seems to prevail that people have
outlived their misfortunes that yesterday the
last day of the hard shameful life that weared them
to death To-day they have all awakened In high
spirits, like schOolboyS with strong clear faith in
themselves in the nvincbiity of their will to
come all obstacles and now, all together they march
boldly into the future.
1t strange-strange and sad and suddenly de-
pressng-to notice a sorrOwful face IN this lively
crowd it that of tall strongly built man, not
yet over thirty but already gray, who passed arm
Ia with d young woman. He carried his hat In
his hand the hair on his shapey head glistened like
silver, his thin but healthy face calm and des-
tined to remain forever sad The eyes, large and
dark and shaded by long lashes, those of a
man who cannot fOrget-whO will never forget-the
acute suffering through which he has passed.
"Notice that couple, said my companion to me,
Especially the man; he has lived through of
those dramas which are enacted more ahd more fire.
quently amongst the workers OF Northern Italy"
And my companion went
That man is a socialist the editor of a local labor
paper, a workman himself, painter. He IS of
those characters for whom science becomes reli-
gion and reig that still ncites the thirst
for knowledge A keen and clever anti-clerical he
was-just note what fierce looks the black priests
send after him.
About five years ago he, propaganda, met IN
of his circles girl who at attracted his aten-
ton Here women have learnt to believe silently and
seadfastly the priests have cultivated this ability in
them for many centuries and have achieved what
they wished Somebody rightly said that the Cath
Ollie Church has been built upon the breast of
kind The Madonna is simpler than Christ, she Is
nearer to ones heart there contradictions in
her, she does not threaten with Gehenna-she only
loves pties forgives-it is easy for her to NIKE
captive of woman's heart for life.
But there he sees girl who speak, can inquire:
and in all her questions he perceives side by side
with her naive wonderment at his ideas, undis-
guised lack of belief in him. and sometimes even fear
and repulson The Italian propaganda had to speak
a great deal about religion, to say incisive things
about the Pope and the clergy; every time he spoke
that subject he contempt and hate for him IN
the eyes of the girl if she asked about anything her
words sounded unfriendly and her soft voice
breathed poison 1t evident that she was ac-
quainted with Catholic literature directed against
Socialism and that in this circle her word had as
much weight as his own.
The man s selflOve wounded, the clever propa-
gandis suffered In the collisions with the girl;
he cot angry; lost his temper; occasionally he rld1-
culed her successfully but she paid him back In his
own COIN evOking his involuntary admiration, fore