The Washington times., 1931-11-16
A Story Of the Aftermath
or the World War
CHAPTER 81

We walk side by side. The
mist flows between us. Wolf
jumps up about us and barks.
the trans are ringing, and the
world is warm and soft. The
oil feeling is there once again,
full, tremulous, wavering; the
years are blotted out, an arch
has flung over into the past, a
rainbow, a bright bridge through
the mist.
I have no idea what we are
talking about-what does 1t mat
ter? The point is that we are
walking side by side; that this
sweet, inaudible music Of other
days is here again, a cascade
- dreams, beyond which SHIN
mers silken the green OF
meadows; beyond which sings
the silver chatter Of the poplar
trees and the smooth horizon
Of youth shows clear like the
dawn.
Have. we been walking long?
II do not know. I run back
alone. Adele has said good-by.
But still like a big, many-col-
ored banner there waves within
me 10y and hope and fulness;
the little room where was
once a boy; summer; the green
spires and the open wide world.
As I run back I bump into
Willy and we go on together IN
search Of Valentin. We over
take him. With every appear
ance Of joy he darts off after
some fellow whom he gives a
reSounding slap on the back,
''TIullo, Kuckhoff, old son!
Where have you sprung from?"
He holds out his hand. This
is a bit Of luck, eh? Fancy
meeting again like this"
On the SOmme
The other looks at him a
while deprecatingly.
"Ah, Laher, I think?"
"Sure man! Why, we were to-
gether on the Somme, don't you
remember? And how, right IN
the middle Of the bloody stunt,
we polished off those fritters
Lilly sent me? It was Georg
brought them up, with the mail.
A risky thing to do, you know
what?"
eyes, indeed" says the other.
Valentin is quite excited by
his memories. "He got it prop
erly later on, though" he con.
tinues. YOU'D gone then, Of
course. Lost his right arm, he
did. Stiff luck on a coachman
like him. suppose he's had to
start something else now.-And
where have you been hiding all
this time, eh?"
The other makes an evasive
answer, then says patronizingly,
''Nice to have met you.-And
how are you getting along now.
my MANI"
"Eh?" retorts Valentin in
ashonishment.
"How are you getting along?
What are you doing now?"
Valentin has still not recov-
cred. my man." For a mo-
ment he continues to stare at
the other as he stands there
before him in his elegant rain
coat. Then he glances down
at his own things, goes fiery
red and pushes off. Skunk"
Sorry For Him
I feel sorry for Valentin. It
is the first time apparently
that the idea of a difference
has struck him. Until now in
his mind we had all been just
plain soldiers. And with one
single MY man" this conceited
puppy has shattered his simple
faith.
"Don't let that worry you.
Valentin," I say. cts the likes
Of him that pride themselves
on how much their fathers
earn. That's their business"
And Willy supplements with
q few forceful expressions.
"Fine sort of pal he is, any"
way" says Valentin at last sui
lenly. But that does not take
the taste away. It works on
chokingly within him.
Fortunately at that moment
we run into Tjaden. He is as
gray as a floorcloth. "Say!"
says Willy. THE wars over
now, you know! Couldn't you
give yourself a good wash once
In a while?"
mot just now," explains Tia
den solemnly. But next Sat-
urday I will. I'm even going
to have a bath then"
We start in surprise. Tjaden
ANVERTIsEMENT