New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

had taken the Oldest of his grandsons and the
youngest of his sons. In accordance with
touching custom, the plates Of these two
were set on the table at the places which they
had formerly occupied. On the faience, bright
ened with naively painted flowers, other
flowers, freshly plucked, were laid IN pious
commemoraton.
Joachim, the Flamand, seldom spoke. He
was a prudent and taciturn old man, who,
while pursuing his trade as q weaver, had
lived in intimacy with the philosophers, He
was of those who prefer the conversation of
books to the conversation of passers-by, and
who live within themselves, in those spacious
and magnificent mansions into which nothing
comes to disturb their dreams.
The guests about the table joyous, in
spite OF the vacant seats which broke the
family circle. The two absentees would have
wished it so. One must be gay, live his life,
laugh, believe hope and defy the scythe-bear-
er who shows his deaths face to mortals in
order to halt the patient and obstinate labors
of life
The smallest of the children--he was named
Samuel and was scarcely ten years old--was
encouraged to talk, and everybody listened to
him. This boy, with eyes as blue pastel
ard features as delicate girls, was abso-
Iutely free from timidity. He spoke better
than most grown-ups The gift Of elocution,
which the most instructed often lack, had
come to him in his cradle, bestowed by some
unnamed fairy Even before he went to
school he astonished people by the unexpect-
edness and variety Of his remarks
"Where can he get all the things he says?"
exclaimed his hattered mother
And she added, glancing at the aged
Joachim:
"He isn't like his grandfather, who never
says word unless he's forced to-
So the little Samuel discoursed and every
body else kept silent and hearkened to him.
From the earliest times it has been COM
mon belief that little of the primordal
truth has been left on the lips of the innocent,
and all ancient peoples considered children
the surest Of oracles. The priest Of Isis con-
suited them before opening the formidable
mouths of the statues ranged in the temples
of the Pharaohs. And in even the declining
era Of modern religions respect is still paid
to thern-a last form of ancient faith
In the clearly lighted Flemish house, where
everything was FURNISHED we'll defined and
rigorous in tone Samuel to-day assumed the
figure Of q prophet They listened to him
because more than ever doubt and unrest had
crept, like cold reptiles, into their hearts. In
spite of the surface Joy and gayety they suf
fered from The eternal uncertainty. They
longed to lift the veil which hides the un-
known future.
"When I grow up" Samuel proclaimed,
many things will be changed In the world.
In the first place, people will no longer have
disputes. No one will seek a quarrel with
his neighbor Those who don't love each other
will have stopped hating each other, and
those who love each other win cease to r1ake
each other suffer For often (isnt 1t true?)
when people love each other most they make
each other suffer most"
How do you know that, Sanuel?"
He didn't answer at once, and lifted his
Feyes to his sister Judith, who sat opposite
him.
isn't 1t true?" he repeated, gazing at her.
Judith grew red. The secret which she be-
lieved buried in her heart had been discovered,
and it was the youngest of the family, the most
self-occupied and, to all appearances the most
needless, who had discovered it. 1t was true.
She suffered from love and through love. She
had entered blind alley, at the end of which,
whatever she might do, she couldn't escape
suffering She had neither enough courage to
renounce her love nor enough strength to
accept its consequences submissively She
knew that her cousin Peter, to whom she
engaged, overbearing and violent, and
would surely outrage all her finer sensibilities
if she married him.
At that minute Peter entered, as if an
nounced by fate He had red face and thick
lips, with powerful teeth showing under
them. He wore his blond hair like a name.
But in place of softening his features it en-
phasized their aggressiveness and harshness.
He was a picture Of virility, ruddy with health
and rich in animal spirits. He greeted the
company and came to take seat beside Judith,
in one Of the places left vacant.
"You are taking dead brothers seat"
cried Samuel
''What does that NATTER" answered Peter
indifferently "The dead are gone and it is for
us to replace them"
Nevertheless he smiled and turtvely
squeezed Judth's hand under the table.
why are you so late?' she asked him. II
thought you had gons to dinner somewhere
else"