Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-04-03
CHAPTER |.


Il In the beginning Of things, he was
merely number; but even that was
II creditabe, 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
Cataclysmlc suddenness which marked
all changes of military status on the
western front, he became, one frosty
i morning a Case, and got himself
roughly classified (and tenderly han
& Besse, and, In consequence, a proper
temporary inmate of q field hospital
Oh the Belgian plains.
There. he was unofficlally known as
Joyeaux, or Joyous One; not because
be displayed a very buoyant DISPOSE
tion-far from It!--but because he be-
longed to the Foreign legion; and in
the course of another day or two he
was routine-ticketed as an Eyacue,
and provided with a lukewarm hot
water bottle and a couple of evil
smelling cigarettes to console him on
The road to the base hospital at Neu-
fly
At Neuilly he became, for the first
time since his enlistment, an Individ-
| ual. and at the very outset he was dis
tinguished by certain qualities which
had passed unnoticed in the frying pan
and fire OF the trenches. For one
tEug, he was obviously immune to
kindness; and for another, he was APP
parenuy immune to hope. He was
man of inveterate silence; not the
grim silence of fortitude in suffering
(Which is altogether too common a vir-
Cue In base hospitals to earn any es-
peclaI meriD, but rather the logged
Fetcence Of black moods and chronic
bitterness. To he sure, speech was
physically difficult TO him, but other
men with similar misfortunes spoke
dressings with their eyes, and gave
back gratitude in voiqeless murmurs.
Not so the Joyous One. From the day
~ his arrival he demanded nothing.
desired nothing. but to brood SullenIy
8'oof; and so. when he became an In
flVidual. he also became a mystery TO
me nursing staff. 1t was rumored that
lie was an implacable woman Halter.
ana there seemed TO be something In
#.
Regardless Of the care of the Amer
'c8n nurses IAN hoverlngly attentive
10 one of their own nation who had
-ouEht Tor France), his spirit remained
"'ysm2l and clouded In gloom. Only
vice N the initial month Of his con
"NNmeut did he betray the weakness
"1 an ordinary emotion; on each occa-
son a god-laced general had come to
'1'e' ID the name of the republic. one
Tie Individuals neighbors, anu 10
-t'ef q bit Of bronze ~ ilicn dargled
rom a ribbon striped red and green.
d was said land doubted by those who
-a seen lt) that at these ceremo-
.s..''> TIE Individual had grown fever
ana let tears come to his eyes, but
9lently he had relapsed into
greater depths OF stoicism than
his own bed-jacket was limo
" cross or medal, and his depres-
was apparent, and acute. The
arguing that perhaps his pride
Eoauded as seriously as his flesh.
quick confidence and got them
frouffed with shrugs of the In
4ai shoulders, and inarticulate
-'s shich had ali the earmarks of
3essed profanity He didn't even
when Pierre Dutout, a hard-hit
'F'aI IN the next bed, squandered
supply Of energy TO beam across
.. -'SheE Sympathetically TO him:
''~A Fieux espece de cboux-
g.. ! know how 1t is
haven't got any Friends either.