The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-09-08


rising out of the sea. Four terrible
horsemen preceded the appearance Of
| the monster, and these scourges of the
earth, Conquest, War. Famine anc
Death, were beginning their mad, des-
| olating course over the heads of terri
fled humanity.
Julio. being an Argentinian, was ex-
empt from military service and had
hoped to continue his life as though
nothing were happening. His inamo-
| rata, however, from a woman infatu-
ated with dress, was gradually trans
| formed by her desire to serve. The
war had made her ponder much on the
values OF life, and her sense of duty
| 10 the husband whom she so greatly
wronged sent her back to his side when
she heard that he had been severely
wounded. To Julio she said, "You
must leave me Life is not what
we have thought it. Had 1t not been
for the war we might, perhaps, have
realized our dream, but now!
| For the remainder of my life | shall
carry the heaviest burden, and yet ut
the same time, it will be sweet, since
| the more It Weighs me down the great
er will my atonement be-"
The vanquished lover said good-by
TO Love and Happiness, but this re-
| pulse gave him a new impetus TO fill
the vacuum of his empty existence.
When Paris was threatened and
refugees told OF the wholesale sacIings
of their homes, Don Marcelo began to
| fear for his castle, and went to VILE
| blanche, arriving in time to witness
| the discouraged exhaustion Of the
French army's retreat. Closely follow
ing were the invading Germans shout
| ing joyously, mach Paris ~
Villeblanche became the camping
ground for a regiment and its bewil-
dered proprietor was subjected to in
Vulnerable indignities, saw his most
choice possessions looted and was the
| pOwerless witness to the murder of
| prominent civilians af the village. A
| young officer arrived who introduced
himself as Captain Otto Won Hartrott
He explained with true German cal
lousness the ruin and plumber of his
uncle's castle by saying to him, ut is
war We have to be very ruth
less that it may not last long. True
kindness consists in being cruel, be-
couse then sthe terror-stricken enemy
gives in sooner, and so the world suf-
fers less"
For four days Don Marcelo lived
through a period of stupefaction
slashed by the most horrible visions.
The village was reduced to a mass of
ruins before his eyes, and his house
hold suffered unspeakably from the
bestiality of the carousing officers. A
war hospital was established on the
estate, but moved on under the stress
Of battle, though the banner of the
Red Cross remained to deceive the
French about the artillery which was
installed in the park. When French
airplane discovered this piece OF
treachery Don Marcelo found himself
In the heart of furious battle. The
cannonading of the Germans and the
bursting of French shells terrified him
until at last he saw at the foot Of the
highway near his castle several of the
attacking columns which had crossed
the Marine. They rushed forward I'M
moved by the deadly fire Of the Ger
mans, and he realized his beloved
French were driving back the Teuton
horde.
Only ruins Of his once beautiful es-
tate were now left to him and he said
farewell to Villeblanche. After his
return to Paris q young soldier of the
infantry called to see him. 1t was his
son Julio, never so distinguished look
ing as in this rough, ready-made uni
form. Their reconciliation was COM
plete.
With his son on the battlefield Don
Marcelo lived through months of anx-
ious suspense. Through the influence
Of a friend he was able to see the
young hero. 1t was tortuous journey
through the zigzags and curves Of the
trenches, while bullets buzzed like
horseflies through the air, and on
through dark galleries and subterra-
mean Notifications until he reached the
outer intrenchment line.
Desnoyers hardly recognized his son
on account of his changed appearance,
but In spite Of his hard life Julio had
found content In comradeships such as
he had never known. For the first time
In his life he was tasting the delight
Of knowing that he was useful being.
AS his father left him, hope sang In
his ears. mo one will kill him. My
heart which never deceives me tells
me So"
Julio became sergeant, then sub
lieutenant and for his exceptional
bravery received the Crolx de Guerre,
the military medal, and finally was
among those proposed for the Legion
d. Honneur. One afternoon during the
Champagne offensive, Desnoyers, still
cherishlng the fond illusions of hope,
returned to his home in gay spirits to