The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-02-19
CHAPTER I.


In the beginning of things, he was
merely a number; but even that was
1Teditable, because his number was
low enough TO signify that he had re-
sponded pretty promptly to the rally
ing call. After that, and with the
cataclysmic suddenness which marked
all changes of military status on the
western front, he became, one frosty
morning, Case, and got himself
roughly classified (and tenderly han
dled) as Stretcher Case, Grand
Blesse, and, in consequence, a proper
temporary inmate OF a field hospital
on the Belgian plains.
There, he was unofficially known as
Joyeaux, or Joyous One; not because
he displayed very buoyant DISPOSE
tion-far from II !-but because he be-
longed to the Foreign legion; and in
the course of another day or two he
was routine-ticketed as an Evacue,
and provided with a lukewarm not
water bottle and couple or evil
smelling cigarettes to console him on
the road to the base hospital at Neu-
lily.
At Neuilly he became, for the first
time since his enlistment, an lndiviu-
ual, and at the very outset he was as
tinguished by certain qualities which
had passed unnot;ced In the frying pan
and fire OF the trenches. For one
thing. he was obviously immune TO
Kindness; and for another, he was APP
parently immune to hope. he was
man of inveterate silence; not the
grim silence of fortitude In suirering
(Which Is altogether too common q VII
tue In base hospitals to earn any es
pecial merlt). but rather the doggeu
reticence of black moods ana CHROME
bitterness. To be sure, speech was
physically difficult to him, but other
men with similar misfortunes SPOKE
blessings with their eyes, ana gave
back gratitude In voiceless murihurs'
Not so the Joyous One. From the day
of his arrival he demanded nothins'
desired nothing, but to brood suiieniy
aloof. and SO. when he became an In
.diyidual, he also became mystery 10
the nursing staff. 1t was rumored tna'
be was an implacable woman Mater
and there seemed to be something Ia
IL.
Regardless of the care Of the Amer
acon nurses GALL hoveringly attentive
70 one of their own nation VINO hau
tonight for France). his spirit remalneu
ahvsmal and clouded In gloom. only
twice. in the initial month OF his con-
finement, did he betray the weakhesS
of an ordinary emotion; on each occa'
sion gold-laced general had come "
salnte. in the name of the republic QUE
Of the individuals neighDors' anu ~
deliver n bit of bronze which dnngieo
from a ribbon striped red and green
II was said (and doubted by those wno
hadn't seen ~ that at these cereino-
mics the Individual had grown 80. -.
ish. and let tears come to ms eyes ~
subsequently he had relapseu ihto
SIN greater depths Of stoiclsm 'iian
before his own bed-jacket was lhno-
cont ~ cross or medal. and his depres-
sion was apparent. ana acu.e' Ia
nurses. arguing that perhaps n,s p
was wounded as seriously as MS nesh
offered ouick coincidence ana got the.
selves rebuffed with shrugs OF the IN
d,vidual's shoulders, and inartiIu"ss
sounds which had all the earinarAs So -
suppressed profanity. He didn't even 's'.
soften when pierre Dutout, hardin,
,srritorIaI in the next bed. squandereo
q davis supply Of energy to lean across eros
and a ID, whisper i SS' sympathetically to him;
"old man T.. vIenx espece pe "V
eroute / know how IL Is .,,
and I haven't got any friends either