The Washington times., 1916-01-23
Nations Heart Shops
At "Peace Battle Cry''
Patriotism, Dormant in Nearly Everyone Comes to
the Surface in Audience as Stirring Film Is
Shown.
By FLoRENcE e. YopER.


seems to come from the vary doorN ny,
tired backs strengthen. cats arc roa1-
5usted, pocketbooks grasped anew.
quick rush. a plunge in tlte half ligdt,
and and the goal is -Saehed. Porhaps those hos
see the other half of the performances =
Il ti sftScts everyone about alike. OUT
side they are patient and stolid. but
beings entirely.
II have been Here hye times" said
ono gentlemen in the lonE line. who
looked quito as II he had never waited
for anything before In all Of his lte,
And II It weren't for one thing 6e;
lieVe ] would not have waited at ALL
lie was far enough back - be steton-
ed near the exit where tie crowds
poured out after the performance. That
one thing" he continued. Tcarily SHIFT
ing his weight from one foot to the
other. was the sight Of the people
who had been inside and seen tho
tllm."
'T never saw such purpose written on
faces in my life," corroborated thS
small shabby man just behind. In.
deed they Just make you feel as u Wv
ifllurn al. bvst. Yessiri" He asked the
well-drossed man to hold his place for
him. walked to tbs curb, spat renec-
lively. ana then stepped proudly into
his place again, with Witherlng glance
"Some folks couldn't be eoaxed %
| see anything they are that selnsn, .. ..
jnsinuated, but he craned his neck Jus! VS.
the same to sec whether or not the
! rasser-hy was going to take his placa
at the end Of the dino.
And when he lid. the shabby ISan
sighed contented'y and cbferved tnaI ts
everybody IN weshinRton would see ths
MIN sooner or later. most Of EN-
| later" this last with a grin at the un'
fortunates behind him.
One Woman Composed.
one woman was perfectly composed
! during the whole long wait in the line
| Her face was sweet. 1t was free from
any outward display Of interest. 1t wal
, easy TO see that the only cause of hcl
| being there at all were three small boy!
! from eight to fourteen, who WlgBiec
| three sets OF arms and legs At her sid'
in continual sort OF acrobatic con
cert.
! As she entered the theater proper, thu
little boys dashed ahead of her. and sh'
reached the doorway alone. The mas
/ of people seemed to push her back IKE {
wall. She made no attempt to look a
the film. She seemed to be paralyEed
With one hand half raised TO take OF
her hat. utterly regardless OF the boys
! who found a precious seat for her, anS
were calling, she stood transfiXed, gaz
ing at the hushed audience: which sa
ing straight ahead.
Her glance came back to a woman
seated on the aisle nearest her. as 4
in the hope that there, In her prototype
she could perhaps discover the meaning
I Of this mighty force which was slowl.
enveloping her. The one in the chai
was perhaps thirty-five, with fair hair
a good forehead, and fine eyes. Sh
might have been of more than uniddl
height, but with her hunched shoulder
and hand cupped in her chin. she looke'
quite small
As the newcomer watched she saw
the fingers of the woman on the aisl
press deep into her cheek and a re,
glow steadily penetrate to the smal
ears. The nostrilS uuivered, she caugh
her lower lip In her teeth.
Then suddenly something seemed t
snap, the woman in the chair straight
ened and clapped her hands furiousl
while several hundred other people fol
. lowed her eXample-and quickly, as
having suddenly been struck, the new
conner. hurried to her little bows. he
eyes wide. her breath coming fast, thrill
cd by the wild eontagion of somethin
! she knew than she had never before ca
perienced-patriotism.