The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-16
A Throbbnq Vital Romance of American Life

spine. He turned toward the pair
and their dull faces were trans
figured.
"oh, monsieur. this is a grand
day!" they cried In unison. each
gripping a hand. the little valet CIV
ing his bad shoulder q violent
wrench. A spasm OF pain passed
across his face. but they thought II
was emotion at their news. He
was dazed for a moment and muir
INJURED he knew not what. He
loosed his right hand TO which the
maid was clinging. brought forth a
handful OF money and gave them
each a five-franc note. With q
babble OF thanks they ducked and
nodded and fed from the room.
A moment later the concierge. In
his blue gallooned frock. cap In
hand, burst In with a perfunctory
knock and again apprfsed him that
"they had signed"-and snatched at
his hand.
"Enfin, It is ended" mumbled the
emotional concierge. and tears fell
from his oyerfiowing eyes upon An
thongs hand. The concierge also
departed shifting. enriched by i've
francs.
This won't do" muttered An
thony to himself. Must get into
my uniform"-his Uniform, long dis
used In neutral Switzerland. And
as he locked the door his own heart
seemed so full and distended that
he felt a pang Of fright lest It
should overflow like the concierge's.
Once In his uniform he slung his
left arm In the black scarf he had
so long worn to prevent accidents
in the crowd, and Jared forth into
the street.
The Paris sun was shining, the
noise was deafening and the crowds
were swirling wildly. He found
himself caught as in q powerful
wave OF sheer, nameless Joy. II
was like the abstract essence OF Joy
descended from some secret noun
tain cave, whence only niggard
trickles had ever been allowed to
escape before. 1t settled like new
Incredible atmosphere over the
sparkling city. Men. women. chill
dren, old and young. soldier and
civilians, American Red Cross
girls, Triangle girls, nurses-all
were in a mad frenzy Of happiness.
They moved. came swaying and
dancing on the pavements. In the
street, in every nook OF space. In
every doorway. in every blind alley.
They danced and they Rugged and
they kissed one another. they en-
braced the officers and the soldiers
men embraced men and women
women, as simply and as joyously
as they embraced the opposite sex.
And the tears Of Joy were flowing
like water.
Just then some American army
motor trucks came dashing down
from the Champs Elysees to the
Place Concorde filled with soldiers
and girls, dancing. singing and
shouting as the uncurbed trucks
swung dangerously from side to
side, until 1t seemed that all those
joy.maddened people would any In
slant be dashed in a mangled mass
10 the asphalt. A troop OF lifting
and dancing girls suddenly sur
rounded him and kissed him VIC
lently on the cheeks and lips until
he was all but blinded by their surg
ing faces. They danced on and left
him: and suddenly he noted that
what he had feared had happened.
One Of the lorries had lurched and
spilled all OF It's occupants -
some twenty soldiers and girls, who
were now writhing. squirming
mass on the pavement. BY an inch.
it seemed. the truck in the rear had
swerved and passed the scrambling
mass with yells Of laughter.
To Anthony's establishment the
fallen ones all picked themselves
up. Joined hands and danced after
their lorry-clambered aboard and
continued to dance. Pain passed
them by, they were impervious to
IL. Through the tumult could be
heard strains Of the Marseillaise.
and suddenly in the midst OF his
laughter and painting under the vio-
lent kissing Of circles OF girls who
surrounded him, and released him
only after each had had her EN-.
brace, he beheld sight that star.
tied and touched him like nothing
else in this orgy Of happiness.
Four old men, septuagenarians all
Of them. at the very least, were
stiffly zigzagging over the square,