New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-14
An Unusual War
Story

"The park was closed when we arriv.ds. =.
swered the adjutant. down in the yilr,,.
only ono old woman was left, who was eitb..
deaf or feigned deafness. All the rest had A.
We should probably find some information |,
the little ady's writing desk downstairs. 5v
who Of us could persuade himself to burst on,
that charming little piece of furniture and D.,
around in Madame's private papers?"
at is a queer situation" said the caush
ave have no rights here. Every one feels hin.
self an intruder, and none Of US wants 70 i
that. It is all too fine and too beautiful. Tier.
fore, one cannot make ones self at home. Thin.
of Il! When l go TO bed / deny myself =,
nightly half-cigar, TO which have been scr.,
toned for twenty years. Can you imagin,
man daring to smoke cigar in this room,'
He looked at me so reproachfully with III
last question that made no reply, feeling g
the shame and embarrassment Of a man VIA
finds himself surprised harboring some lrnpur.
thought
We came down again into tho garden, and
after saying goodby, saw my hosts return %
the chatelet with a sort Of fairy tale feeling, as
if they we're knights who had remained behind
in an enchanted castle.
| turned to look once more as the autonobr,
Numbered away under the golden arches Of III.
chestnut trees. Between the green Of the IN
trees and the gay colors of the autumn Leave,
the high mansard roof Of the chatelet Gu. Into
the cleaning blue Of the heavens.
That was my first visit to de Chatsls d
Madame"
War goes it's way in accordance with It's own
laws and Nature goes her way after her age
old fashion; and so the time comes with hs
vanishing year when the work Of war dis
sociates itself from the last traces Of romant.
or poetic contact with Nature, when everything
dissolves itself in grayish rain and mud and
the biting air wraps itself around soldiers
legs like loose Priessnitz poultice.
In this period of the first November weeks,
in which France resolutely sank back into Ii.
sinless days before the creation Of the world
and heaven and earth because the solid els-
ments created by God were lacking, were con.
stituted alike of sticky fluid mixture, ny
orders sent me again on a mission to the artl-
lery staff which was quartered in "Le Chatele
de Madame" I looked forward with delightn
the lovely rooms, which the respect Of The
officers tenanting them for the taste and cult
ure of the owner had preserved in all thei
peace-tme beauty.
For two weeks had occupied a room hs
devastated vilage-in hut which, besides n,
room, boosted only Of a kitchen, a COW sal
and a cellar The furniture Of my quarters
had been reduced in the course of the war &c
the frame of a bedstead, which was fastened
against the wall. Yet, this simplicity Of LIE
was not enough for a mass Of rubbish was
piled close against my windows and gave M
room an almost mystical gloominess. Under
such circumstances it is no wonder If mar
begins to crave for some little taste Of beauty
So | drove to de Chateet de Madame" with
the cheerful anticipation Of spending feS
hours again amid all that ripe, Tranquil sumpE
uousness of life as far removed from the
spirit of the war as the kingdom Of COckayne
is from the spirit of Christmas. Never had
been more keen to undertake mission.
The broad rubber tires showered water and
mud in every direction, and soon We nae
reached the point in the main road where tne
avenue of chestnut trees led of to the castle.
fog lay thick on the ground and in II tne
trees stood leafless, morose, detected. WIZ
their thick branches and bunted tw1gs ns
resembled plants which grow on the bottom
the sea and with their animal-like fingers rssn
up into the light. In the ghostly, graYso
white of the atmosphere they whirled past u.
auto. Already the high gabled roof 'hoWe'
itself like an uncertain, dark mass out OF inc
fog when, more from the instinct OF an au'o
mobile driver than from any clear knowleoss
of why | did it, shut off both engines
thick, shapeless object lay in the slime OF I'll.
road. Carefully drew nearer. The crown o.
an old chestnut tree stretched across the ave
nue.; the severed stump to the left showed 'n'
marks Of shell fire. Thoughtfully, drove %,
Many branches, big and little were scatter"
in my path.
We reached the gate. The sentinel stooo
there in his long black cloak with rife on az
arm. He was wet through, lonesome and %
pressed, as though he had been created soeg
as an accessory to the gray, melancholy ian0'
Scape.
He saluted and pushed the gate wide cpen
and drove into the little park, sstonished us'
such a privilege was allowed me. Deep holss
in the soft, black earth OF the garden testineo
to n considerable bombardment. When | ar
rived at the end of the pebbly road solder
stepped forward and showed me the path to r'
house. / left the motor standing near the pIaes
in the garden where some two weeks befo''
10 n