The Washington times., 1931-11-24
THE ROAD BACK =
A Story Of the Aftermath
Or the World War

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will. "'Pass out is not good"
interrupts Willy.
+ We've pretty near passed out
too oftens already in the other
direction" The principal draws
in his horns. He sees that
we are not amenable to soft
soap. Even now reconciliation
is not possible with such un'
profitable, ungrateful material.
We go our ways. The next
draft takes their examination in
three months time. Ludwig has
to wait till then. though it was
he who wrote the answers for
at least four of our fellows.
But it is the primary law Of
this world, where the old rule
the young, that one must serve
ones time. It Is no question
Of ability Else what would be-
come Of the old dodderers who
cling to their power?
On Probation
A few days after the examina-
ton we are sent out on proba.
ton to teach in the neighbor-
ing villages. I am glad. I am
fed up with this aimleSS loafing
around. It has produced only
brooding, and melancholy, and
senseless noisy riot. Now will
work.
I pack my trunk and set off
with Willy. We have the good
luck to be r1eighbors, our viii
lagos being barely an hour
apart.
1 get lodgings in an old farm
house. There are oak trees Just
outside the window and the
mild bleating of sheep comes IN
from the stalls.
The farmers wife at once
settles me into a big armchair
and begins to lay the table.
She has O. fixed idea that all
townsmen are half starved,
and, indeed, she is not so far
wrong. With suppressed emo
ton I watch things almost for.
gotten make their appearance
on the table-an enormous
ham, sausages as long as your
arm, snowwhite wheaton bread
and those buckwheat cakes
with big Jumps of ham in the
middle, so beloved by Tjaden.
There is a supply enough to
feed a whole company.
I begin to hoe in. :, The
farmers wife stands by. smiling
broadly, hands on hips, OBJ
viously delighted. At the end
of an hour, I have to stop
with a sigh, though Mother
Schomaker still urges me on.
. At that moment Willy comes
In to visit me. Nov you can
have your WISH" I say to my
hostess. Nov you will see
something. I'm not a patch
on him."
Willy does as soldier should
+ do. He wastes no time in cere-
mony, but gets on with the
job. At the invitation of
Mother Schomaker, he kegins
with the buckwheat cakes. BY
the time he has reached tn e
cheese. the farmers wife is
leaning back against the cup
board and looking at Willy
with admiration and astoniSh-
ment, as If he were the eighth
: wonder Of the world. Highly
flattered, she produces yet an.
other great dish of pudding
and Willy puts that away, too.
WELL" says he, taking a
breather. but retaining his
spoon when she clears away the
dish, that has given me a real
appetite. What about a good
square meal now?"
With this remark he wins
Mother Schomaker's heart for
ever.
Ill At Ease "
Embarrassed and unsure of
myself, I perch at the teach
er's desk. Before me 40 chill
dren are seated. These are the
youngest. There they sit, all in
perfect alignment, their fat,
little fists folded over their
boxes Of slate pencils and pens,
their states and notebooks be-
fore them. The school has only
three classes, so that III each
there are children of varying
ages. The smallest are 7, the
oldest 10 years of age.
The wooden shoes are scrap
ing on the floor. There is a
peat fire cracking in the stove.
Some Of the children with their
WOOL scarves and hairy, cow
hide satchels have had to walk
two hours to school. Their
things have become wet and
are now beginning to steam in
the dry air of the room.
The smallest Of them with
round apple cheeks stare up at
me. 4 couple Of girls are
g1ggllng secretly. One fair
heade,. child is absorbed in
picking his nose. Another,
under cover of the back Of the
boy in front Of him, is stuffing
down a thick slice of bread
and butter. But every one of
them watches my least move
ment with closest attentiveness.
shift uncomfortably on my
stool. 1T is only week since I,
too, wa, sitting on a form even
as they, watching Hollermann's
florid, hackneyed gestures while
he talked about the poets of
the Wars of Liberation. Now
am a Hollermann myself. At
1eoSt tn the VoIlnpSterS down