Evening star., 1928-05-30
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES 4. TRACEW ELL.

row path through such jungles, short
cut" from the alley TO the street, along
which adults walked from time TO time,
since the desire is inherent In the
human species to take the short cut.
1t was possible for an agile boy to do
scout or spy duty without revealing
anything more than a slight waving
at the tops OF the Weedy plants, Whlcn
usually bore purple flowers in their
season
Suddenly a yell would 60 up. The
enemyshad spotted us! A hail OF rocks
would fash above the weeds and de-
scend upon the waiting troops. Usually
they missed mile"
There would come the scurry Of small
feet, the yelling of many voices, the
slash Of missiles as they cut through
the vegetation.
One side would retreat, forced back
into the alley. The pursuers would in
cautiously leave the shelter OF the
weeds, only TO be met by fianking
movement. 1t would now be their turn
TO retreat.
Growing overbold, the other side
would pursue them too far. The reward
of this valor was shower of rocks at
very close range. The air seemed full
of them. Weeds fell stricken In all
directions.
Big guns now came into action. Sew
eral bricks careened into the air,
crashed through the weeds
One made hit!
Zowie! 1t caught the enemy right
on the side of his head, knocking his
hat off. and infiicting a nice wound
between the ear and the eye.
His instant believing, followed by
Il 4. }lrx.ss RI
that victory was theirs.
The retreat was under way shortly,
with the casualty believing to attract
the attention OF his mother.
How big those affairs seemed TO the
participants, how trivial they must
have looked to those who might have
seen them from a second or third story
window!
One is tempted to wonder il all that
men do and are seems equally petty
from another sphere. We can but hope
not Surely Life Is at all stages
interesting. immense. The thing to do
is to try not 10 forget how terribly i'm
portant one felt at certain previous
periods, and to accept similar feelings
at this time with a certain sense OF
humor.
Those little fellows OF past years (who
were you and me and all OF usj TOOK
their thoughts and deeds seriously.
Children do. Let no one. in the foolish
ness Of maturity overlook that fact.
Perhaps there is no deeper sadness in
the journey Of life than one Of those to
be encountered between the ages OF 4
and 10 years. The tragedies Of child
hood are unrelieved either by expert
ence or that tempering cynicism OF the
good sort which enables man to smile
at much that otherwise might worry
him
The little child, who has just learned
so much and who must learn more, has
yet 10 come To the complete philosophy
ot the old man who wrote with a
smile:
Il am an old man. and have had
many troubles most Of which never
happened"
1t should prove the most interesting
intellectual game In the world, to make
the most OF a child Perplexing. at
times disturbing. calling for every bit
OF mental energy and fiber any one
possesses, this great game Is played by
all parents and some others.
He---or she-W1o allows the stress Of
the game TO oyerpower the fun of it
simply has forgotten the days OF old.
when tall weeds grew on vacant lots.
and small boys went forth TO do battle
before the sun went down.