The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-03-25
ny GRO. RANDOLPH CHESTER
AND LILLIAN CHESTER
FAM rl.tf IpIal

NopN fikHt, ipioI
PARIS. March s5.-Thrrc
crccps shadow over the land.
The fields lie broad and clean
aud thick with turf. but even la
their richness there II sort OF
d-solation. WHY Come with
us for y day In the country, and
soe what war can do. even when
war IN many miles away,
The first impression of the country I
IL that OF clcanneHH. for the Htumpn |
and stones were all removed cen /
turtles ago. and walls and hedges /
marked farm from farm and field .
from field with profoundly orderly I
accuracy Hut there Is more than |
mere ncatness In all this. there In n
vague, indcflnRblc something which I
strikes the eye uncasily. and pres
entity the answer comea-monotony |
From horizon to horizon ~ Is all
one color one texture. from the
hills over there. laclnK their bare
trees against the morning sky like
a sort or glorified Nalencienncs. to
the brook way yonder. It's banks
lined with tender Hprouted willows. Il
Is all the same unvarying green.
II ia aa II the foot OF man had
not trod here.
What Il Wrong'
what Is wrong1 Again the vague.
uneasy purzling
used 20 graz. tho grass to brown
rooted rhortnesn: In that. where the
brooks runs thru. 10 trampls tho
ground into yellow rnornaa. over
there. AZ this season. tho vivid color
Of tho coming grain had already
made IS contrasting checker. and,
stir beyond. tn. plough had turned
the mat OF nature under froAh black
loan,
A N,or. OF huca tho labor and
the enterprise OF man had made
on the crust OF earth by now. but
today there In only one-the emerald
% moist outdoors, The fields are
slipping back 10 tho monotony OF
desolation. and the shadow which
crecpa over tho land Ia desolauon H.
self. /, II tho war.
Like Entering Village
To enter N. barnyard % n weii.,o.
do French farm Ia like entering a
village: for all the buildings, the rcai'
denon. the sheds for grain and hay.
the workshops tho barns and the
implement shelters. are built around
big courtyard the entrance 40
which 10 by way OF heavily barred
rnte thru a thick wall. relic OF
medieval DAYS. when wars were
local, and every mans house was his
fort.
Industry and fruEality made
this place prosperous, and erect
ri this picturesque skyline Of
third roofs. but the t-~minE iife
Of the spacious court Il gone.
and the great barns have less In
ti~m with each passing year Of
the war. In this big stone barn.
long rows 81 beautiful. thick
neeied Perrheron draught horses
once filled the now empty stalls.
The war took them.
There are only three where scores
had been before. A fourth one
stands in the courtyard. n great.
white. sleek. heavy rumpci fellow.
hia pom ferrous foot between the legs
OF a boche blacksmith. and his bride
held by another lazy. contented look.
| Ing boche
Tho most fortunate men In Flu.
rope, these fellows. and they know
| a.. men In the prime OF sturdinesH.
who have no cares. who are certain
OF good food and lodging. and who
do not need 10 riak their lives. Safe
from tho war are these German pris-
oners.
| Prisoners Escaping
There are IL OF them employed
on this farm. and they are locked up
each night as a matter OF Formally.
Prisoners Of the allies are con
| staniiy escaping out Of Germany.
spending months In the unceas-
ing attempt, and rislsing their
| lives every minute Of the time
| to get hack home. because death
would be better than their eondi-
ton: but these plump German
prisoners stay where they are
put. and thank God
Across the court the long. low
barn where the mich cows once
munchsd their hay In envlabie seren.
| lty But those velvet coated nristo.
Gratis Of the dairy arc fast disappear.
ing. and In their places stand a
scrawnler breed. beef cows. which
eat a coarHcr food. and Craze In con
SANITY decreasing numbers on n con
stantly decreasing acreage OF pas.
ture, for these beeyes arc being eaten
faster than they can be raised.
Wagons Stand Empty
Down In the implement shed. great
two wheeled wagons built like enor.
nous boats. stand empty. and cnor.
mously wide rakes and harrows and
seeders and reapers stand rustlnR
Across the wall stretch those
broad reaches OF monotonous green
which the ploughs will not turn this
year. nor the harrows rake. nor the
seedcrs seed. nor the reapcrs reap.
|
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IL S1 no. n M nD