New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-03

both busilv occupied. Only now and then
word interrupted the broodng silence. The
graceful, blond head of the young wife was
bent low over a piece of needlework. Her eye
lids dropped down toward her delicate cheeks
Her small mouth was tightly closed, as if It
retained a secret which it would never venture
20 confde to any one.
The twelve-year-old boy had propped his
arms on the table and was studying half aloud.
Now he lifted his eyes, pushed the book toward
his mother, and said:
Listen. please, mama"
She nodded, but without glancing up. The
clear. boyish voice began to recite the Bible
lesson:
"Then came she and worshipped him,
saying: Lord, help me!'
.Rut he answered and said: 1T is not
meet 10 take the children's bread and cast
it TO the dogs
"And she said Truth, Lord: yet the
dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from
their masters table"
He halted and looked inquiringly at his
mother. Was it all right so far?
She nodded again and moved her lips as
though she would say something. No word
came. however; only an indistinct sound al
most like groan. The boy went on reclting
in his clear, childish voice The verses meant
nothing to him-mere words learned by rote.
When he ended and said grace he Joyfuly
claimed the Bible together, pushed his chair
hack. ran to his mother, clasped her with both
arms and raised up her head. The light fell
IL on her deathly pale face; her eyes re-
nan,ed half closed and big tears fell, one after
another, like shining pearls, over her colorless
checks.
The boy had no idea why his mother wept
She wept so often nowadays. Shyly he laid
his dark, curly head against her blond haIr
and whispered softly, again and again
"Motherl Mother! Don't be so sad, mother!
At the same moment the boys father, lar
far from this quiet home scene, stood leaning
against the doorpost of miserable hut IN
Polish village.
The High Command had intrusted Reserve
First Lieutenant Won Manzdorff with the TASK
of holding the ruins of this village with his
comnanv. whatever the cost. The Russians lay
over there behind the wooded heights. Any
moment an attack might come; for nights like
those ths Russians usually chose for their des-
uItorv raids. So it was necessary to keep
ullOIy loiNS' ~
sharp lookout
Manzdorf could rely on the watchfulness OF
bic outnosts. But an inner disquietude made
him restless He felt feverish and knew that
something was wrong with him. Could II re
tvphus? That would cap the climax. TO be-
come sick in this wretched hole, so close to the
enemy. too sick to be transported before the
attack came. and then to be sabred by the Cos
sacks like a mad dog. A curse escaped his
lips With increasing nervousness he wrapped
himself, shuddering, in his rain-soaked cloak.
II was hard for him to get his thoughts IN
order while these gloomy forebodings racKed
his brain. Had he not written letter nome
two weeks ago demanding divorce from his
wife? Had that not been an objectionable
brutalitv-in all the strain and suffering OF
the time 10 heap that last indignity on her
Would she consent? How did she really feel
about it?
He hated the shy, reserved, undemonstrative
manner she always assumed toward MN. let
he had found that very reticence in her nature
so fascinating when he first courted her YES
il was so then. But that was long, long ago
A mans tastes change Now she bored HIM;
his Evelv. volatile disposition demanded intel
lectual excitement, interest in his professional
activities (he was connected with the publish
ing department of one of the big Berlin news
papers) +: he wanted also TO have little re-
laxation, TO make a little splurge now and then
in the gay world, not TO be always so fright
fully respectable and conventional. For all
that. man is still lord Of creation, feels him
self keenly in touch with the life around him
and Graves 10 enjoy It.
50 it had happened that he found com
panion who understood him. who could laugh
and frivol with him, but who also was capable
Of talking seriously and cleverly with INN
about his work: in whose cool, slender hands
he had finally laid his heart, and who accepted
IL in a calm, Inatter-of-fact fashion, just as II
IL was hers by right; just as If there was
nowhere in the world shrinking, taciturn,
blond wife, who bore his name-nowhere in the
world boy toward whom his heart turned In
pride and love.
There wec moments between them when
the cool self-dependence Of his companion APP
pealed % him with Irresistible charm. Again,
-. DuA~