The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-03-04
THE COWARD

nent OF Sold1GKSs grooming mouIuAuA
folk-song, as it Il the custom when
marching at ease
Peasants they ara for the greater
part. suatched from their bread-earn-
ing labor and made to change their
red bIouses and luepeaked caps for
the dirty fawn overcoat with the
baschHk head-covering and the blue
trimmed pancake cap. Their faces
seemed all cast In the same mold
the mold Of despair and they
marched along, with loose-swinging
arms and their monotonously chanted
song, Hike cattle obedient to the stick
of the herdsman-
AT the window of one of the little
houses skirttng the street little
girl stood. watching the soldiers
march by.
aSee, Igor,S she cried, turning to
man who stood at her side, isn't that
fnel Aren't they men? Sons Of the
Cxarfather! And think, you viii be
one of them one dayl How proud Of
you shall bel"
The man at her side withdrew from
the window.
She did not notice his shudder OF
disgust
..Ekaterina Ivanovna, talk not Like
that / beseech you"
There was something in his voice
that caused Ekaterina to turn sud
denly upon him. His face was white,
even to the lips, and his fingers were
intertwined nervously.
@Why-why, Igor-what is the mat
ter with you?"
He shook himself. as though he
were trying to shake of some hor-
rible idea Fear, perhaps.
You're not afraid, Igor, Of soldiers
ing, are your
aEkaterina, mIlusha, no. How
should / be afraid or weak. with the
strength Of your love to help me?
Only only, when you talk like that
about the soldiers, | meant
makes me think of parting from you
That is all"
He placed his arm around her waist
and drew her toward hiTH, and kissed
her. as the last sound of the soldiers
mournfui song died away in the eye
ming echoes
That night Igor lay awake In bed
thinking Of the fear in his heart.
Ekaterina had been right How he
hated to think that sooner or later
he would have to join those shabby
looking ranks; would have to march
with four others on a line with his
breast, henmed in with heavily
breathing men in the front and n the
rear! A uniformed creature without
a win, downtrodden with the
petty discipline of the barracks,
and the filthy black bread and
! ec1ftscfi cabbage soup!
And the1-oh, horror Of horrors -
there might be war-red, dreadful
war. with the howl Of bullets and the
thrust Of gwordsi He closed his eyes
to shut out an imaginary battlefield,
Why had he not been born an only
son, the sole wageearner in the
house? Then these devils Of the czar
could not touch him. His life would
be uninterrupted. Now, in another
year. he would be In the ballot, :.
and then, good-bY to freedom! How
he euyied Peter Btmkow his friend
because he was iaIned In one leg.
Crooked Peter WIS safeS he was no
good for soldieringl
A bugle shri1led out in the night
from the barracks. and the sound
struck with startling significance
upon his ears.
BE ramamed bis fingers in his ears
and cursed Russiay the band which
had given him birth.
III
And the time came slowly Afgh
when igor knew that he was bound
TO serve in the czar's army. He was
sitting IN the yard. near the great
stack Of wood which was kept for
fuel. Some laborers had been chop
ping Il MP, and an ak had been left
behind.
Was it yesterday, er years ago, that
Ekaterina with the prDHd Slavonic
blood IN her veins and the glory Of
the great Russia ever before herr
had said TO him:
''Soon, Igor, | shall have reason to
be proud Of thee. Thou wilt indeed
be soldier In thy brave uniform and
q rifle In thy hand!g
Was it his fault. he argued talg$
he had been given sensitive nature.
unused to hardship, nature which
reyolted at the idea OF war? If he
told any ono OF his fesr they would
laugh at him; and yet how could he
escapeg
He heard the steady tramp Of the
soldiers marching on the road cut
side. Horrible sound The rhythmi-
cal beat Of the footsteps dinned into
bis ears:
@Comel Come, Igor comel Comet
Comel Igor. come"
He passed his hand over his fore
head, and it was wet-wet with fearl
mo! MOI" he almost shrieked. z
CAN'T can'ti'
The sunlight flashed on to the blade