Evening journal., 1918-03-11

adventure in being slaughtered as one
OF uncounted thousands.
Rene had time to reflect. as his day
approached. time to understand vaguely
what young man misses il he dies; his
chance at everything. the right OF youth
to anticipate, the glory Of an unknown
future; adventure, accomplishment,
success. fame, love.
4 man Of 10 has lived his life; he has
tasted OF everything, and anything
which he can have after 10 is only more
Of what he has had before; more ad-
venture. more ambition, more failure,
more accomplishment more success,
more love.
But a boy Of 20 has had nothing
not any one thing Of the heritage which
the future holds amidst her exquisite
mysteries.
And every day the news came back
that this or that or the other young
man whom Rene had known, had ex-
changed the glittering future Of this
life for the far more mysterious future
Of another lifel
The day came when Rene closed the
famous shop Of Tabourdeau, Pere ct
Fills. and delivered his last order, and
went home 10 his uniform.
Then Madame Tsbourdeau, who had
bravely endured, for France. one be-
reavement after another rebelled
"Ch, Rene. Rene II you had only
been born in January in place Of De-
cemberl Then ! should have had one
son for one more year,
Rene, tall and straight and handsome
in his uniform. turned his grave eyes
on his mother. the ewes Of a man in
the face Of boy, and he put his hands
on her shoulders and he smiled down
at her.
But it is now. Maman, that France
needs me-" he said; and the heart Of the
last Of the Tsbourdeaus understood; /;
and smiled
Madame -Tabourdeau is all alone IN
the Tabourdeau house now and she
lives by the small income from her in
vestments IN the French war loan, and
from what she grows in her ga-den.
and 10 does not take much 10 keep her
for she has little appetite these days;
but she has great courage. and great
pride, and, yes, even great happiness
for the spirit OF Rene Tabourdeau Is
The spirit Of all the young men Of
France who are now COINS 10 the
cOlors They are going with a higher
motive than romance, they are going
with a higher impulse than fervid en-
thusiasm, they are goins like men be-
Cause France needs them now: and from
every spot In this beautiful land comes
the sturdy tramp, tramp. tramp Of the
footsteps Of handsome. well-set-up
young men, their heads held erect and
their eyes clear, and their bodies alive
with the strenuous training they have
siven themselves, for this climax Of
their lives and their faces are set
steadfastly toward the battlefront and
their hearts beat with the most sublime
OF courage, and In them is that great
est Of all emotions. the devotion TO
sacred duty which is sanctioned by the
mind, the heart, and the SOUL
Small wonder that France takes fresh
hope from the contrast Of these serene
youns patriots with the whimpering.
young Germans. who had 10
be taken out Of the trenches in a hurry
and sent to the rear lines because Ger
many could not trust them: small won
der that France rests confident in the
outcome, secure in the knowledge that
the new classes Of the French army arc
as staunch, and as steadfast, and as re-
liable as the heroes who held Nerdun
In these classes survives all the spirit
Of the Franco Of DID,