The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-21

pSIOTS THEY pdSSNo u SUtbtPoAiS
conius from the trenches VINO pre-
scented a pitiful sight. They were
gray with mud and dirt and scanned 10
be awakening after some horrible
nightmare. They. too. carried spades.
and the other parts OF thei equipment
were caked with mud. They came
from Il field where a long row Oc
crosses could Iva seen. each ono SIR
mounted by a red kept. The appear
aftce Of the men Wa so tragic that ors
J could almost have believed thar they
were the lead me who had just been
relieved and had risen from their
graves.
Gaspard VA deeply moved and could
not refUin from utterfug an exclasna-
ton Of surprise mingled with terror.
Mousse VAS too much out Of breath
TO ny q word.
Tie soft. muddy ground suddenly
opened up into a large pool filed with
~yellow-ish water.
'"tTli your water bottles" ordered the
sergeant.
WHAT" queried Gaspard.
The other soldiers were greatly
amused at Gaspard's surprise. A tail
bearded chap standing close 20 him
said:
Perhaps the Baron Is used To drink
ing filtered water"
60 to thunder. y said Gaspard furl-
ousiy.
He dipped his water bottle into tho
POOL aud Mousse lid the same.
Mousse was a: II loss To- know Just
wllat wae happening 10 himself. Vc
no longer fcl' sleepy, ns was his Gus
tom while living In tho barracks. hut
his muscles seemed to 10 yi,in, way
and he felt certain that he was marcel
ing oil tn dealt. As u matter Of fsrt
there was euou-il there 20 give every
man the same Impression, with the
whirN weather. inr Fog and the deep
stick! mUd Nui"d covered over, thing.
Mud overNWltcfc. ON their clothes. their
hands, their faces and, Se.mlsaly. al
iwSt ~ tncir suils.
Wen the, entered another com.
n,uui"atinz trench. which was To bring
tiicnl right up to the front line ~ in
'rcnclun"nts. Mousse felt that he was
no" s".u. into II depth from whici, 10
would uH,or emerge. Water was
'r"t,ins Through his boots and his
feet we're freeing. ~ his side all he
ever card from Ga-pard Va an ncca-
,s"ual oath.
The trench ~ w.j.rh they stopped
ana over the ;"p 80 vI.ra bullets were
fyih- Vd| "a" letter tnau to one
t'i"lsI Nh.,I j''y irul li.t passed.
l. Was Just ~ cAlp-"d. vast ;.s vet
aud inst as muddN. The nara pet. how
eyer. was "f s"1c aud tccrn va. "A
80" ~ primitive benches Gu IN Tho
earth. The men set dawn. ,h.ir fe..
soaking ~ water. and remained si;cni
for - whi,e.
Ca.pard was seated between MOUSSE
and tho l'ir tnothlcss soldier. Who Vovor
lost a chance IL making fun OF his
nelehbor.
" men had hcnn designated az
'orkouts. I'll" others snlukcd AMI
yaWned on their seats. their hacl;
turned toward tho enemy: some were
chewing bread crusts which they had
'Ntri"ated from their bags with their
muddy bands.
\ shell fell near by. but no expio-
sioN WAS heard ana 1: was swallow,d
up by the earth. Caspard was restin
his elbows on his knees. holding his
head with both hands.
Mousse. after manicurirg his mai ,
with a penhnife, took from his coat
pocket a sAcc, Of paper and a nrncl
and began to write feveriehly.
Gaspd"d looked AZ him and said:
What ar" yoi do.r4H Wg.;ang""
Yes. Its Tor YOU"
For me-"
Yes, Listen ] have an idea
that I'm not going to sct ou: e.. this,
"Ah."
I'm going 10 ask You. if YOU 70.
away Ia put ii in your pocket and do
,iN"r II AZ tn" address indicated N
!ars'
"la : for your sweetheart"
NJ It's Tor a friend"
"Ah.."
rs a i'ttlc literary rro''cm wh.c',
1nI "nN."us 10 settle in rr-ard T..
g.. clifton -: ~Suphocos.'
"tr what
Wei, 1t wou'in't he Of any inter, q,
To >"I.
WA not" I'm To; a foo"
= ".dG' 50! >ou We're.
'Ncl all right. Good night"
%i'ci"rN turning hl- usyk to rs friend
'"'h thc rapct ami slipped Il n the
il. e. q: ms cap. where he already
CaI!!.d thr ~rhutu-i,ph "f his li,;'e
boy, Ga TAT other ,.dc the tnuihirss
:" d.cy Mas sahinc with UH. mouth
full uf nr, al.
"Wha Worries me : NV
house. :.
Anuthos shrl ,Nplo4cd. Gn,ratl
ra.scd h.s head ami asked his neigh.
Dor, "What's the trouble with ,n,r
..uu~g' Isn't YOU wife there"
We shes there. all r.-ht. hu, shes
only y woman She doesn't know -
"ncesn't know what
she doesn't know anSthinc"
What do YOU mean"
well. She just wrote 10 mo that
old Father Flacidc charged her forty
sous when she brought him nur
COW
VIVA did she bring your COW %
him for"
What do YOU think
wei, | suppose you were think
.ns OF giving me that money sad
Gaspard,
TO YOU" Yes, YOU bet. That's
lust h ! am thinking off
And my poor horses-l wonder how
they are"
Your horses
Yes. all kinds OF things m.sht
have happened to them in my ab-
sence.'
'NANA1l 1h-A