Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-30
CHAPTER XIII.
Tho Gate Of the Moon.

Tho Gate Of the Moon. =
A curious friendship had sprung up
between old Adelbert and Bobby
Thorpe. In of hours, after school, the
boy hung about the ticket takers
booth, swept now to wonderful clean
illness and adorned within with pic,
lures cut from the illustrated papers,,
:, Outwardly Adelbert was peaceful.
The daughter now received his pension
in full, and wrote comforting letters.
But his resentment and bitterness at
the loss Of his position at the opera
continued, even grew.
For while he had now even a greater
wage, and could eat three meals, be-
sides second breakfast and afternoon
coffee, down deep in his heart old
Adelbert felt that he had lost caste.
The opera-that was setting! He
had been, then, Of the elect. And now,
to what had he fallen! To selling
tickets for an American catchpenny
scheme, patronized by butchers, by;
housemaids, by the common people
q noisy, uproarious crowd, that never
theless counted their change with
suspicious eyes, and brought lunches
IN paper boxes, which they scattered
about. ~
. There was, however,. q consolation.
He had ordered new Uniform. Not!
for twenty years had he ventured the
extravaganza, and even now his eau,
<1o,,c coul nr,oiod ~ Tho pr;oo Eor,
the last half dozen years he ba@'
stumped through the streets, painfully
aware Of shabbiness, of shiny back,
of patches, when, on the anniversary
of the great battle to which he had
sacrificed q leg, the veterans marched
between lines Of cheering people.
Now, on this approaching anniver-
sary. he could 60 peacefully, nay. even
proudly. The uniform was of the best
cloth, and on its second fitting showed
already Its marvel Of tailoring.
On an evening q week before the
parade would occur, he got out his
boots. He bought always large boots
with straight soles, the right not much
different from the left in shape. Thus
NE managed thriftily to wear, on his
pne leg, first one of the pair, then the
other. But they were both worn now.
and because of the cost Of the new
uniform, he could not buy others.
Armed with the better Of the two
he visited the cobbler's shop, and there
met with bitter news.
! "A patch here, and new heel, COM
rade," he said. with that and a poll
fishing, it will do well enough for
marching"
The usual group was in the shop,
mostly young men, scattering Of gray
heads. The advocates Of strange doc
trines, most of them. Old Adelbert
disapproved Of them. regarded them
with a sort Of contempt.
Now he felt that they smiled behind
his back. 1t was his clothing, he felt.
He shrugged his shoulders disdain-
fully. He no longer felt ashamed be-
fore them. Already, although the
tailor still pressed Its seams and
marked upon 1t with chalk, he was
clad in the dignity Of the new uni
form.
He turned and nodded to them. "A
fine evening"" he said. IF this
weather holds, we will have a good
day for the marching" He squinted
a faded eye at the sky outside.
''What marching?"
! Old Adelbert turned on the speaker
sharply. Probably you have forgot
ten," he said scornfully, "but in a week
comes an anniversary there are many
who will remember. The day Of a
great battle. Perhaps" he added, "if
you do not know Of what speak, there
are some here who will tell YOU"
at is the way of the old to live in
the past" a student said. Then, imi-
tating old. Adelbert's majestic tone:
eve, we Hive in the future. Eth, COM
radesl" He turned to the old soldier:
"You have not seen the bulletins?"
"Bulletins?"
/ .There will be no marching, my
friend. The uniform now-that is a
pity. Perhaps the tailor" Els eyes
Knocked.
! "No marching7"
fan order Of the council. It seems
that the city is bored by these ancient
reminders. It is for peace, and would
forget wars. And professions are cost
~. We grow thrifty. Bands and fire.
works cost money. and money, my
hero, 10 scarce-yery scarce" ~
q -. Ir
4 Agxin the group laughed.
After = time ne grasped the truth.