The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-04
Into the Valley Of Shadow and
Back With French Private
Bressac Didn't Care Whether He Lived or Died but in
Company of Friends the Desire to Sur
vive Gained Mastery

also the honor to present Monsieur,
Ruvel. who il the president OF this
room BY unanimous election. Monsieur
Ruvel. I have the great honor to pre-
sent Monsieur Bressac..
Bressac rolled his eyes again, 70 see
Monsieur Ruvel. q gentleman OF many
whiskers, in the bed near the door.
peeling an orange with keen interest.
He would never be Of any more value
In this world. but he was well loved.
4 am happy to welcome Monsieur
Bressac." said President Ruvel. "Can
you sing. Monsieur.
Monsieur Bressac closed his eyes.
but opened them again.
"Good!" exclaimed the president.
and they all laughed. "villiere sings,
when we permit it, and one SUCH Is
enough"
Villiere. displaying the gap IN his
grin. set up his mandolin. from which
the r. string was missing. and sys-
temattcally picked out, note by note.
an air with which all the world IN IA.
miliar, under various names: the fun
damental ragtime tune.
Il know another song" whereuron
he played 1t, but no one could guess
the name, much less Bressac, who was
now asleep.
Music in the corridor, and Il was
morning! Bressac had heard that
music before. but had paid no atten.
ton: the quartet from the big con-.
valescent ward across the hail.
Etienne brought them in. and they
sat in a row on an empty bed. The
quartet sang very low and Bressac
went to sleep.
When he awoke again he was In the
cold gray fog, with Janet and Maui
peta, and-no, he wasn't! He heard
laughter He looked around quickly.
Joisseau was back, and WA playing.
: game OF jaquet with Hamotaque;
and Villiere. from across the room,
was the unlimited referee. A droll
fellow, that Villiere, and Bressac
smiled; smiled!
The sister came in. to bring the
flowers for that room.
"Oh. Monsieur Bressac!" she said,
glowing with pleasure. You are bet
teri"
"Yes, thank you." returned Bressac.
spirit of gentleness seemed to
have fallen on the room.
1t seemed full OF peace.
Oh, this was good place TO b,
. this hospital Of France, run on the
basis Of gsntlsnsss and cheerful
ness, run on the basis that puttina
.snsn together raised their spirits,
, reused them from their letharay,
, made then, want to live, gave them
: renewed interest in life and IN the
, things life meant.
, You could only pursue that system,
| with men Of brave spirit. II they
, | were morbid minded fellows, like the
Germans, they would help to make
each other more morbid. Suddenly
: Bressac remembered what someone
had told him about the German hos
, pitfalls. how wounded soldier was
i taken up and put through the curative
. process like clock work.
Efficiency! The memory of the very
word made Bressac's temper come up,
D his first temper since ne had been
, wounded.
II the Boche were to have his way.
II he were to establish his dominion
y over France, for instance, and Ger
o man kaltur and efficiency were to
supplant all this gentleness and cheer
fulnesa and human fellowship, and
. men here. as In Germany. were to be
reduced to mere automatons without
y hearts and emotions. and valuable
only for the strength Of their limbs
Bressac, in the energy of his emo
a tions. tried to rise, but sank back, ex-
+. hausted!
4 When he next awoke he was not at
all In the cold gray fog. Far from II.
He was burning with question which
!. it was curious had not come to him
!. before.
. "Tell mel" They were 20 startled at
v the vigor OF the tone OF this man who
had not cared whether he lived or
died. that Ruvel. who was eating his
luncheon, swallowed a fishbone.s
rs there anyone here OF my COM
Is pany?" went on Bressac. and named
a his regiment and division.
n "Why, yes" Eitenne from the door
way. lighting his after luncheon
a cigaret. He knew everybody in the
d hospital. He was going out day after
y tomorrow. "Over In the big ward and
: almost well: Janet"
h JANET" Bressac's mouth dropped
open. and his eyes rounded.
a Janet! Jameti" He repeated It In
credulously, then suddenly his excite
" ment came back.
Tell his Bressac IL here. and ask
n. him. ask him. II you please, IF WE
ID TOOK THAT SHELL HOLE!"
Etienne was away like shot In
:: spite Of his limp, and everybody Ia
IF that room suspended luncheon and
X waited breathlessly. They heard
e. Etienne's limping footsteps come hur-
,e rying along the hall. then they heard
j. his voice before he reached the door
YES!" shouted Eitenne. YES
YES. YES. YES!"
5, The room was full OF emulation
ID No one there but Bressac knew the
s, circumstances surrounding that shell
hole. but they all had vital Interest
ID In whether 1t had been captured OF
i'd not.
For every man there had his owr
d. shell crater. and that shell crater waa
h. his individual war!