The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-03

what use is al the lying, and
pretending, and humbugging, and
letting on, when the day comes to
you that your eomrado q killed in
the trench beside you, and you
don't as much as look around at
him until you trip over his poor
body, and then al you say Is to
ask why the devil the stretcher
bearers don't take it out Of the
way? Why should ] read the
papers 10 be humbugged and lied
to by them that had the cunning
to stay 1T homs and send me 70
fight for them7 Don't talk to me-
or to any soldier of the war being
right No war Is right"
All this, of course, Is too much
for the general.
Really, O'Flaherty," he says
the war seems to have upset you
q little"
'Tt's set me thinking, sir"
oFlaherty tells him, ~and I'm not
used to it"
''Teresa" Shows Too Practical
IN Interest n Hsro'S Pension.
Mrs oyF1aherty ARISES. So does
Teresa, . parior maid IN the gem
erals house, formerly . love Of
oFlahsrtys, but now too grasp
ing to suit his new ideals. Teresa
shows . strong practical interest
In his pay, and rather longs to
have him 60 back and get wound
cd, that she may draw his
wounded pension"
These revelations pain O'FlAh-
erty. He tries to divert her mind
by describing to her his meeting
with the Queen Of England That
scene proceeds IN this way:
TERESA. GAnd what had the
Queen on her, Denny, when shs
spoke to you'll"
o'FLAHERTY. ~Shs had .
bonnet on without any string 70
t. And she had = plaksen Of ena-
broidery down her bosom And
she had her waist where IL used
to be, and not where the other
ladies had it. And she had little
brooches in her ears, though she
hadn't half the jewelry Of Ms.
Sullivan that keeps the popshop in
Drumpogne. And she dresses her
hair down over her forehead in .
fringe like. And she has an Irish
look about her eyebrows. And she
didn't know what to say to me,
poor womanl and ] didn't know
what to say to her, God help mel"
O'Flaherty and Teresa quarrel
He also quarrels with his mother,
and a general mix-up occurs IN
which Sir Pearce takes part. At
the end the women are banished
from the presence Of the men
Then 0'Flaherty and the gen.
eral exchange q truly Shawesqu0
philosophy, with which few vo-
men readers land, hope, few
men) will agree.
O'FlAherty Longs for the Peace
of the Trenches.
But it is amusing, and one
chuckles forgivingly over this
finish:
O'FLAHERTY (idyllically)i
what q discontented sort Of an
animal q man is, sirl Only .
month ago I was in the quiet Of
the country out at the front, with
not q sound except the birds and
the below of q cow in the dis
lance, as it might be, and the
shrapnel making little clouds in
the heavens, and the shells whist
ling, and maybe q yell or two
when one Of US was nit; and
would YOU believe it, sir? l COM
planned Of the noise and wanted
to have a peaceful hour at home
well, them two women has
taught me q lesson. This morn
ing, sir, when was telling the
boys here how / was longing to be
back taking my part for king and
country with the others, ] was
lying, as you well knew, sir. Now
can go and say It with q clear
conscience Some likes wars
alarums; and some likes home
life. I've tried both, sir, and I'm
all for wars alarums now. al
ways was q quiet lad by natural
disposition"
SIR PEARCE. Strictly be-
tween ourselves, O'Flaherty, and
as one soldier to another (O'Flahs
erty salutes, but without stiffen-
ing), do you think we should have
got an army without CONSUMPTION
If domestic life had been as happy
as people say it isl"
O'FLAHERTY. "Well, be-
tween you and me and the wall,
Sir Pearee, l think the less we
say about that until the wars
over the better"
He winks at the general. The
general strikes . match A jay