The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-23
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS


 and Poland will finger in ears of men and women long after the Huns who caused their weeping have been driven back within the borders of Germany.
 
 Nothing has so outraged the feelings of those who battle against the Kaiser and his brutal armies as the useless slaugh- ter of the infants. Childhood has paid a l fearful toll in the wake of the great German war machine which crushes out the lives of the little ones.
 Charles Edward Russells story of the German private whose fathers heart was touched at the sight of a frightened child who met him coming around the corner bayonet in hand, but whose loyalty to tEe fatherland overcame his feelings as i a parent, and he stuck his cruel weapon | through her frail body in honor of the Emperor, evidences a state of mind that thank God, cannot be found outside of Germany.
 l l sat the other afternoon at the Jeffer- son and watched play taken from the comic supplements called Bringing Up ! Father Abroad" It, of course, was l roaring farce, but I wasn't in the mood to thoroughly enjoy it. I forgot the actors and the actresses and sat in the dark |.ened house with my thoughts elsewhere while quietly resting after a strenuous 1 mornings work
 
 l And then little white robbed tot about knee-high, with the merriest face, came and stood hesitatingly for moment at my side and gave me such a heavenly childish smile that I felt as if an angel little tour in the dark down towards the orchestra Reaching her destination she turned and went back to her seat In few moments the orchestra struck up rhythmic tune and I saw her float down the aisle like winged messenger, keeping perfect time to the music with her feet as her dainty body waved from side to side like a roseleaf wooed by a summers gentle wind. She had the un- conscious grace of bird moving through the air. She looked like a dream child.
 
 Growing bolder, she went to the end of the aisle and, looking up at the actors, made them the daintiest bow and blew a kiss at Father who walked across the stage and knelt low ard said "Oh, you little darling" and went on with his lines. It was as pretty a by-play as I ever witnessed in 8 theatre. She seemed obivious to her surroundings and was as natural as If playing with her dollies in her nursery.
 She played around the front seats dur ing a whole act. when she was not pi- so artless and piquant that it did not interfere with the movement of the acts, but rather gave friendy'glamor to the performance. It was pretty to watch her stop to applaud. She would throw her hands high above her head and then bring them down and clap them together with childish glee.
 Judge Hundley who, with his little le, leaned over and said as she went danc- ing past: Did you ever see lovelier lit- the sprite? Just watch her; she keeps the most perfect time and her body, limbs and arms seem the very poetry of motion. She is truly a radiant hearted soul.'
 She was not on the bill, but know those who were on the end seats on the towards the front will bear testimony that she was the hit of the show. She was the bright particular star and changed the tenor of my mood and sent me away feeling that had not wasted the afternoon.
 Here is where I spoil the artistic ef- feet of my story. couldn't lose myself l in enjoyment of the bubbling pranks of a little thrce-year-old miss. but had to let my vagrant fancy call up picture 1 of bayoneted Belgian girl of tender | years with blood streaming from her side because fiendish idea of patriotism had warped the heart of ruthless sol dier and made him do violence to his natural instincts as man.
 Try as I can. I cannont shut out the awful pictures which flash before my mind when I recall the awful things I have read about the sacrifice of child hood wherever German .kultur'' has passed. I cannot forget the things which men, coming back from the desolated re. gions, have told me they had seen with their own eyes.
 Every day l seem to see in my minds eye the long procession of old men, tired mothers and crying children, as they tramp with weary feet the roads ever seeking to get beyond the ferocity of the savages out of the north who make it a ! business to strike terror into the hearts of the defenseless.
 "In Rama was there a voice heard, 1 lamentation and weeping, and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her chill dren, and would not be comforted. be- cause they are not" This verse out of the Bible telling of the sorrow in Bethle- hem after the slaughter of the inno- cents by Herod. describes that which rests above the lands through which the German armies have marched.
 Every night when I come out on the