The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-16

and In cracked voices were singing
that ''the day OF glory was arrived"
The haunting treble OF children's
voices is not SO moving as the sing
ing OF old men. There was some
thing pitiful and great and Homeric
about Il. Anthony's heart gave a
violent leap. His throat was choked
to bursting and he found himself
dashins the tears away from his
own eyes.
He was startled by young
French officer with the insignia OF
an airman suddenly planting a
smacking kiss on his cheek, and as
he stood there laughing, almost
hystericai. a group OF wor.sn--
shopkeepers they seemed who had
abandoned their shops-surrounded
and kissed him seriatim. He must
90 back to his room. he told him
self. The Joy and the excitement
were too intense for nerves that
needed rest.
A city-a world OF lovers! That
world OF lovers which wise men
from Plato to Emerson had prophe-
sled and yearned for-that had ac-
tually now come to pass. Anthony
knew 1t was transitory-a ripple
a smile Of the gods. But all his
past life seemed prelude and a
preparation for this one instant Of
intense. unclouded Joy. Why
couldn't II be always so? I
He edged his way back through
the growing masses, aware for the
first time, II seemed to him, OF
population" In the concrete. They
seethed and surged and boiled as
though the vast and tremulous
earth were sending waves of Joy
through their feet to their bodies.
to their eyes, to their souls. The
earth was stirring. heaving. alive
with II. He hid himself In his room
from the sight Of this too great
happiness as one hides ones eyes
from a too great sorrow. II seemed
like q glimpse OF the face Of the
Lord, that no man could look upon
and live. And he wanted to live
now as once. geological epochs Of
time ago, he had fastened to enlist
because he had wanted to die. Yes.
he wanted to live now. He had
seen what the earth was capable Of.
He could not eat; he had no
thought Of food that day. Like
liberated spirit he felt himself re.
leased and free from earthly needs
Again and again he would come
forth, shoulder his way past the
watchful concierge who guarded
the street door on the inside lest
the crowd should sweep irresistibly
In. Once on the pavement he
would be caught In the swirling
current again. He felt as some re-
ligious fanatic. to whom the rite Of
immersion brings holiness. bliss.
He came repeatedly forth to breast
the struggle in the vast tidal wave
OF happiness-to face II and wrestle
with It. to store up strength and
undying energy In the clean, re-
freshing shock Of the waters Of Joy.
He hardly slept at all that night,
so full of electric force we're the
pillows Of happiness that kept
reaching up and breaking Xover him.
And this. he reflected. is> what is
taking place all over the world-in
London, New York, San Francisco
this was humanity at its best.
"Adela, Adela!" he murmured
from time to time as he lay there
tossing until dawn. The fulfillment
OF this rare and cosmic Joy seemed
incomplete and a sacrilege without
the radiant-eyed girl that In a hun.
dred poses and aspects kept floating
before him. In an infinitesimal
way, in the face OF risk and danger,
he had had a share in accomplish
ing it-and suddenly he felt that
despite all his bungling and blum
dering existence. he was somehow
justified. He was a part OF all this,
and the sense OF justification
soothed him like the draught of
some soft liquid brewed OF potent
herb, that men have forgotten the