Evening star., 1917-10-28

TRANSLATED BY WILLIAM L. MCPHERSON.
severely simple in form. Its pathos is free from
sffectation. The tragedy il deals with is set
forth without any strainins for effect. An Incl
dent Of the war is presented in singularly
detached. objective way.
In that respect the writer is in touch with
tn" spirit Of the time. since i'll no other war,
perhaps. has there been marked disposition
TO repress emotions and 10 under-emphasize in
dividual losses. 1t is as il the personal point
Of view had been nearly submerged in the
consciousness Of universal tragedy.
with a mouthpiece of amber. 1t
represented a zouave's face, CHEEKY
and genial. terminating in a double
pointed beard. The tassel of the cap
hung down on the neck.
The day when Louis Journee received
this pipe-that was an eyentful day.
One hasn't many distractions in the
trenches and the hours drag along with
a desolating tediousness. so the ar
rival of packages is a powerful dis
peller of eunui.
For a long time nothing had come for
Journee. He had no relatives. to his
knowledge. and was practically alone
in the world. He had lived in the streets
of PariS-no one knew just how. tena-
CiouS of existence. as eats are: by no
means good looking, shabby and thin.
with a face which seemed to have been
carved ont of radsh. He had no trade
and was forced to make a living out of
whatever came along. fe was phi
loSopher in his way. He had learned at
least two things First that one is
never really happy. and, second, that
oner can always manage not to Starve to
death.
Louis Iournce had been at the from
five months when a package was sent
To him through the agency of relief
society. II contained some knitted
things. The person " no made them
ais" sent a gracious little lette". Her
name WAS Mile. DcSccSsoleS. s. 2 was
certainly one of those maiden ladies'
who. in corner of some remote prov
tncc, seek. without much success, to sat
isfy those desires for service which
aowcr in q heart which doesn't know
how to grow old
Journca had much natural politeness
He judged that the gift, even though
sent thus indirectly deserved a per
Sonai acknowledgement. He wrote. with
GoInc difficulty, few words of thanks
That bit of IA letter quite upset Mile
feSCossolcS. who trembled with emo
tiOn, in her moroSe solitude. at the idea
of having AN interest in some one at
the front. Wild with JOY. she at once
constituted herself the godmother of
chocolate and boxes OF conserves. y
Regular correspondence established it
self between the soldier and his god
mother.
She finally asked him what special
thing he wanted most. He refused at
first to say She insisted. At last he
told her that it was a pipe.
Then il came, all white and gold. eX-
travagant, comic. luxurious, like an
object in n showcase. His comrades
gathered about him. They regarded the
gift with something like veneration.
Some of them said. their eyes spar
King with covetousneSS:
For a pipe. that is really pipe
Journee decided finally to fill it and
light it. He smoked it with feeling
Of blessedness, his brain full of vague
and happy IDEAS penetrated with the
confused feeling that this day was the
most memorable in his life. and that a
man vi ho could smoke such pipe is
at least the equal of kings.