American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-31

pacious dishes; next came a rich and
satisfying fritto misto, and then large
platters, burdened with pasta redo
lent with an herb savored sauce.
There was plenty Of honest wine to
bread served out generously to all
of us.
No Bitterness In War Talk.
After the pleasant business Of eating
was over the men started talking about
the war. 1t was n simple, rather OBJ
%jective discussion, without bitterness
or hatred, of something unpleasant
which had to be done, but all must
wish that IL should be ended and laid
aside rs soon as possible. Then the
conversation waxed warm In the more
direct and personal realities Of the
years corps. and the promise for the
coming seasons. One by one the
little children snuggled closer to their
mothers sides and childish heads
bent sleepily over the table or fell,
relaxed and safe, on arms soft and
solicitpus with maternal care. The
drowsiness of n hard days labor crept
irresistibly upon the men. urging
them to well-earned and refreshing
sleep.
We said good night and start
ed ~homeward; the little oil lamp by
The door had flckered out, but a faint
moonlight was bathing the landscape
in a soft. mystical indistinctness; far
away the domes and towers of Flor.
ence rose skyward like dream sym
bols of hopes and darings, of love and
faith.
/ sat In contemplation, watching the
IN ,onlight wax stronger and brighter,
making more real and definite the pic
ture of peace on earth spread so won
drously before me TIL my thoughts
wandered way to another harvest
} scene, far removed among sterner but
no less peace loving mountains, a har-
vest scene of battle wherein men like
) those with whom / had gathered
grapes today were the ~protagonists!&
: We have been told Of the thrill Of O
. gallant assault and the stirring emo
+ lions OF a brave defense, but what Of
+ the harvest after the decisive hghtinl
! L. over and one walks over the fields
plowed by the merciless artillery and
narrowed by the struggles and the suf
r ferings of men. What Of the fruitag'
Of battle, not alone OF the dead ant
the wounded we have been told 81
often, but Of all the other and indie
scribably sad things which the ey'
e and the heart Of the harvest gathers
= Amidst Scenes Of DesoIatIon.
!. Lookl A once i%ourishing It'll
! town, with not a single n of II
houses u~nscathed, and most of Their
= horribly rent asunder, showing tn
debris of what had once been III
: privacy and the sanctity of peaceful
hearths. In the partial shelter 0
:. these shells of homes along the mai
: streets Of the town. countless men ar
= sitting or crouching. In full hghtin
: equipment. waiting for orders to pro
! coed to the front trenches, where
I, battle has Just been fought and wor
I, Let us walk to the battlefield; II
reached through a pine wood sti
smoking ~resinously from the frs
= which the bursting shells have starte'
I. The road Is wholly exposed TO Ii
y range of the enemy's artillery, bl
thousands of men have gallant
crossed 1t In order to reach their cor
rades In the trenches beyond. 70
% can see what the harvest has bee
p herci There are fragments Of shra
o. mel and unexploded shells along evei
Ie- DOT of the line; by the wbir OF II
oy Jrojectiles stlH passing owe %
a heads we can reconstruct the scene
Sc fire Of some hours ago; the shells viii
IN by us with that horrible suggesti'
rotatorv eound which seems to sa,
Coming. Coming. Bang-and you di
of DOG Had Something to Say.