The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-03-16

,out of her mantle.)
The Mother-Is the child good? /
good. (She gives him a wooden horse
lond wheels.) How much he looks like
Iyou! Your very image!
The Child-Horsei Horse:
The Soldier Changing the whistle
about the child's neck)-Now l will
pun the horse and if he doesn't get up,
lyou blow!
The Mother-Your uniform is so be-
coming. ] love to look at you. our
father always looked so fine when he
become a sergeant, a S he was! If you
don't | shall be ashamed.
The Soldier-Don't be afraid, moth
Ter! I'll be one soon.
The Comrade.
The wife comes with a big soup bowl.
The statue of the man has also come
down from the pedestal. 1t is the
Comrade. He lays aside his snowy
cloak and appears in a spick and span
uniform.
Tho Comrade-Greetings, all!
h Soidier-Leopold! How nice
that you are herei
The Comrade-I'm off duty until to-
lmorrow evening.
The Wife-There's a plate waiting
for You. Just as if we had known you
were coming!
The Comrade-Didn't you know that
was coming? (Suddenly in an al
tered tone, very solennly)-Is that ba-
con there? tThe lamp grows dim.
Silence.l
the Soldier (standing up)-Yes.
Bacon. l brought it with me. (Shud-
ders). From far, far away. Yor you,
comrade. Gle brings the bacon from
the bench, which now looks like a
couch, and puts it on the table.)
The Wife-The lamp burns badly
this evening. (She turns it up; the
room is again bright and COMFORTABLY
What! Gottlieb! He has a horse and
whistle.
The Comrade Qifting the child up)-
Guess what / am going to give him.
The Child-Okoladil
The Comrade-You little sly one,
you'll be a minister some day. Gle
gives the child a piece of ~chocolate.)
The Wife-Wait until after the
soup!
/ The Child-Ikoladi! okoladi!
The Mother-If he eats no soup he
gets nc chocolate.
The Child-Soup. Soup!
Wait. I'll blow on it. Mother, serve it
out. please. Otherwise the little scamp
will give us no rest. (The mother
serves the soup.)
The Soldier-Much work today?
The Contradictory easy. If it could
only once get serious. Always to play
at being soldier-that never satisfies
anybody.
The Mother-Thank God. you only
play at being soldier, You all don't
know how terrible war is. We older
people can tell you too much about
that.
The Comrade-Oh, we'll, I'd like to
get into h thick of it for once. Not
always stand around and wait.
The Ch1ld-Okoladi.
The Wife-Now you get your choco-
late from Uncle Leopold. But thank
him first.
The comrade-Don't spoil his pleas
ure by making him say thanks. He
shall see whether he likes it.
The Child-Bacon,
The Conlrade ~(suddenly standing up)
lis there more bacon here? ct be-
comes ~gloomier.)
The Soldier-Don't talk so!
The Wife-Dop't let us mir of un-
pleasant things. Let us be glad that
we all sit here together and are we'll
n sound. lit becomes brighter
again.)
The Comrade-Friends, I must go.
Out into the wood. God keep you all,
| Gle disappears into the background,
then ~returns.) L leave you my cloak
there. So that you won't feel cold,
brother. (He lays the cloak on the
couch.)
The Soldier think you, brother:
but here it is warm enough. (The Com
rade disappears again.)
The Mother (getting up softly -
Farewell, my son, Sleep well, and may
| God protect you this night as he has
protected o until now. And may It
always go well with little Gottlieb! If
| he some a. has a son then may he
also be protected when far from home!
(She kisses the child, the wife and the
soldier, k her wrap and vanishes
into the background. Silence.)
The wife holds the child to her
breast and sings softly:
Lullaby. lullaby.
/ rock my little child,
Out there's the snow.
Lullaby, lullaby.
Many must weary be
Out in the snow.
Lullaby. lullaby.
You're safe with mother here:
Out there's the snow.
The song dies away and the child
The Soldier (taking the hand of his
Wife and bending over herl-Marie, l
thank 0 that we have so dear a child.
(The wife nod silently.
The Soldier feel in such high spir-
its. AS If this evening were an extra
ordinary evening, milk any other that
! have ever known.
The Wife-Listen, is there not sing
ing in the air?
The Soldier-It seems to me I hear
something.
The Wife-It is the singing Of love
in our hearts,.
The Soldier-Yes. Our wedding day
was wonderful. but today I have an
even deeper n more wonderful feel
ing.
The wife rises and puts the child
carefully in the big bread basket. 1t
lies there as IL In a cradle. family
lighted by the lamp. One no longer
knows whether it Is lamp light or the
eternal light.
The Soldier have never loved you
so much as I do today. That I know
now for all time.
The Wife-Dearest Tony. (She lays
her head IN his breast. A long ST.
lence. II becomes darker and darker.
Finally h straightens up, softly takes
i the Child In ma a rrrn nuts tha o4bor