New-York tribune., 1916-07-02

dearest he sure that the simple date line
at the top-'May. 19l6-made my heart
beat and heated up my brain until
thought was about TO go out of my head
"Springtime? Was it possible? Yes. II
she has written i'll 1t is only that where
we are war has killed all the seasons. All
Of Them pass without our noticing them.
One secs that the nights arc shorter, the
air less sharp, the shadows less sombre'
But TO realize that we are dcfenclng
country which the month of May is max
;ng green and young and beautiful
have suddenly n flush of fever in my
checks. burst with rage and jealousy
Here all is n desert, all is flat all IS
GRAY. Jeanne. do you feel the longing
which has just attacked me? And your let
fer is perfumed with adorable things. You
NAV not have noticed, my little one when
YOU were writing that YOU spoke of llacs
and of mirabelle, and Of the little fellow
rolling in the grass and among the daislec'
And vou-I see YOU working soberly under
tho shade of trees once more in blossom
"My dear, | can no longer contain my
self. | feel like biting my fists. So. child
of nv heart. YOU whom | love more than
ANYTHING else in the world, do not any
longer crave your pates you understand,
or YOUR honey. your cakes or your butter
II want flowers, | want leaves. Return
mo all the perfumes which brought to
YOU when we were engaged. Pluck me
some marguerites, some moss, some bud''
Take a little stroll for me. Come back
with YOUR arms full of flowers.
II long only for these things. l need
.package Of springtime.' Make me happy
Il is only the dead who do not need flow
ers Do not say. 1T is q poets idea
Every Frenchman is now and then poet
love YOU more than my life. ! embrace
YOU and wait"
handed the letter back to the station mas
Ter. did not know what TO say but withou
NV asking ANYTHING. he explained;
Jeanne. monsieur was a cousin OF nlln
We are all of the same neighborhood' IN
morning at s o'clock, she received this AT
o'clock she put on her hat. picked up her un
brella and went to take a little stroll for mn
os he had requested She had just passed n
bridge when those brutes, who have not hrf
for month. discharged suddenly four 81
shells. one after the other Were they tryiT
70 hit nv station? They destroyed three no'
houses and they killed her A piece OF sh'
strnck her full in the breast. If only had OF
Of them in my hands
"Tbev came TO tell me. ! ran to the spC
With the aid of my assistant, | carried nor
tho bodv. In her little bag found this lett(
went as if it had been my wife
"Jn the garden the little boy called. ]
Nurse hurst into tears. One must witness su
things 10 know what real misfortune IS.
II have thought of him, up there, that 70
man and Of his request, and. by my iaitn'
have made up his little basket Of flowers. !
And don't YOU think it is better that ne shoU
receive il first? He is already so depress'
They will write him tomorrow or the DAY
for tomorrow, and tell him what has hs
pened.'
Emotion choked me. ! stammered:
~It is atrocious. But you are man WITH
heart | assure you that | will take your d
lot Then those savages are still wreakl
their fury on this neighborhood?'
Come and see he answered
And saw (how many Of them have seer
street full of the debris of shattered hou
and Of women collected to condoie together
share a common excitement and distress.
Afar off the cannons Numbered heavily
steadily. They have measured the minutes u
almost without cessation for nearly two yea
"Those are ours, now," said the sta'
agent. eve are going to pay them BACK
their own coin"
Ho made a gesture with his hand.
"The little house there with the
roof. the one surrounded by the lilac 0uSi
That is where they lived where her BODY
now"