The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-02-14
ABROTHER NFRANCE
a brother in France

Long after Jimmy left. we ssr-ir
silence. Dusk settled on the room,
and the wood fire filled 1t with strange
shadows. And soon for me the shad-
ows were peopled with men and boys.
oominico who used to try my tidy
soul by scattering ashes over my blue
stone walk when he gathered garbage
and ashes: Hs always came a bit
late on Christmas morning. so he
might receive in person and express
his thanks for the little gift OF money
which he knew would be waiting for
HIM And Dennis. the irresponsible
grocer's boy. who Utmost invariably
forgot the one most important item
Of my order. and who went on whist
ling despite the reprimand. He was
always saying tender nothings to my
Finnish waitress who understood his
eyes better than his words. And sal-
low. sharpfeatured Jacob. son of Ker-
toia. the newsdealer who always made
mistakes in my bill He had told me
with a lighting of his dull eyes. of
winning the photograph at the Royal
Arcanum fair.
Dominico. Dennis. Jacob! Their
names are printed every week now IN
our village paper. under the caption
"our Roll Of Honor
And suddenly looked into the fu-
ture. Can that be Dominico's black
eyes staring up unseeingly from No
Mans Land to m'ut-hung sky? Are
those Dennis merry lips twisted in
pain as his pals carry him back to the
trenches? Is that Jacobs narrow
forehead. ivory-hued and dripping with
cold moisture of mortal agony. against
the background of hospital pillow?
Such little time since all three of
them were serving me and mine for
wages on which they could dream of
sweethearts and homes of their own
and now all three OF them-fighting
for me, giving themselves. their hopes
thor all that their country and
mine may be safe from invasion.
Domon.co Dennis - Jacob = my
brothers in France.
My hostess rose abruptly and
switched on the light.
81 think I'll put up the car IL
can't burn another gallon of gas when
think how it is needed for the am
bulances--her voice broke-"for my
brothers in France
At dinner that night we ate no but
ter On our bread. We drank coffee
without sugar. -.=s..-,+
An emotional impulse. reused by
boys vivid Imagination.
No--a message 20 stern that 1t Is
not TO be denied.
All my life candy has been my one
indulgence. It has taken me weeks
to subdue the yesrping and send choc-
olate to my brothers in France.
I Last years coat, furbished with
BIT of fur, seems luxurious when J.
think OF my brothers in France. plod-
ding through mud.
It Is easy to forego the rug bad
promised myself all summer. and to-
darn and turn upside down the cur
tsins which thou4s. would meyer do
another season, when think of Dom
inico.. Dennis and Jacob huddled in
dugouts for me.
Last week. Canadian man. the
only one of his family not In France
(and this only because of his years.,
walked with me through our suburban
town. Dozens OF our handsome homes
have been closed for the winter. This
man stopped before particularly
spacious house and stared at its
boarded doors and windowb
They'll all be open six months from
now--as homes for convelescent SOL
diers"
Yesterday rode the length of New
York's famous Riverside Drive. Like
stately panorama. the luxurious
homes and apartments unrolled before
my eyes. Filmy lace hung at windows
from which peered now a servant In
uniform. now a woman marveiously
coiffed and gowned. now a pedigreed
dog decked with ribbon. Yes. hund-
reds OF these! But in five blocks !
counted on my fingers the food con-
servation cards and the flags that
hung in those wiDdows.
And l began to wonder II dod-and
my brothers in France-wou'd stand
between such homes--and Invasion