The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-26
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| In0eed, ne 01d nave a lace ike
child, and such frail bones that after
four weeks pack-carrying he already
had fiat feet. But how can a man
look after any one in the field!
Now you will soon be going home,
says Kropp. You would have had
to wait at least three or four months
for your leave"
Kemmerich mods. 1 can not bear
to look at his hands, they are like
wax. Under the nails is the dirt OF
the trenches, it shows through blue
black like poison. 1t strikes me that
these nails will continue to grow
like long fantastic cellar plants long
after Kemmerich breathes no more
I see the picture before me. They
twist themselves into corkScrews and
grow and grow, and with them the
hair on the decayed skull, just like
grass in a good soil, how can it be
possible
Muller leans over. I'VE have
brought your things, Franz.
Kemmerich signs with his hand
Put them under the bed"
Muller does so. Kemmerich starts
on again about the watch. How
can one calm him without making
him suspicious?
Muller reappearS with a pair OF
airman's boots. They are fine Eng
lish boots of soft, yellow leather
which reach to the knee and lace
all the way-they are things to be
coveted
Muller is delighted at the sight
of them. He matches their soles
against his own clumsy boots and
says: will you be taking them
with you, Franz?"
We all three have the same
thought; even if he should get bet
ter, he would be able to use only
one-they are no use to him. But
as things are now 1t is a pity that
they should stay here; the orderlies
will of course grab them as soon as
he is dead
won't you leave them with us?"
Muller repeats
Kemmerich doesn't want to. They
are his most priced possessions
"Well, we could exchange" Sug-
gests Muller again. "Out here one
can make some use of them" Still
Kemmerich is not to be moved
I tread on Muller's foot; reluct-
antly he puts the fine boots back
again under the bed
We talk a little more and then
take our leave
"Cheerio, Franz
I promise him to come back In
the morning. Muller talks Of do
ing so too. He is thinking of the
lace-up boots and means to be on
the spot.
Kemmerich groans. He is fever
ish. We get hold of an orderly
outside and ask him to give KEN
merich dose of morphia.
He refuses. IF we were to give
morphia to everyone We would have
to have tubs full"
You only attend to officers prop
erly," says Kropp viciously.
I hastily intervene and give him
a cigarette. He takes it.
Are you usually allowed to give
it. then?' ask him.
He is annoyed. IF you don't
think so, then why do you ask?"
1 press couple more cigarettes
into his hand. do us the favor
We'll, all right" he says.
Kropp goes in with him. He
doesn't trust him and wants to- see.
We wait outside.
Muller returns to the subject of
the boots. They would fit me per-
fectly. In these boots L get blister
after blister. Do you think he will
last till tomorrow after drill? If he
passes out in the night, we know
where the boots"
Kropp returns. do you think"
he asks.
Done for" says Muller emphati-
cally.
We go back to the huts. think
of the letter that I must write to-
morrow to Kemmerich's mother. I
am freezing. I could do with a tot
of rum. Muller pulls up some grass
and chews it,
Suddenly little Kropp throws his
cigaret away, stamps on it savagely,
and looking around him with bro
ken and distracted face, stammers:
Damned swine. the damned swine!"
We walk on for long time. Kropp
has Gained himself; we understand;
he sees red. out here every man gets
like that sometime.
What has Kantorek written to
ycu?" Muller asks him.
He laughs. 1--WE are the Iron
Youth"
We all three smile bitterly. Kropp
rails; he is glad that he can speak.
Yes, that's the way they think,
those hundred thousand Kantoreks!
Iron Youth. Youth! We are none
of us more than 20 years old. But
young? Youth? That is long ago.
We are old folk.
ITO BE Continued
Cartwright 1929 nv Little Brown & Coz