The Washington times., 1931-11-12

a terrible mess. The bookcases
are all empty and piles of books
are strewn over the tables and
floor.
I turn the pages of the first
volume of one Of the editions Of
Eichendorff that Is bound in a
beautiful, soft blue leather.
Sunset, Woods and Dreams
Summer Nights, Desire Exile
What a time that was
Willy has the second volume.
He looks at it appraisingly.
You ought to offer them to a
shoemaker" he suggests.
How SOP" asks Ludwig, smil-
ing.
1.-THE leather!" answers Willy.
"The shoemakers haven't a
square inch of decent leather
these days. Here"-he takes up
the Works of Goethe-"Twenty
volumes! They would make at
least six pairs Of topping
leather shoes. A shoemaker
would give a sight more for
them than a book seller, believe
me. They're absolutely crazy
for real leather!"
At Reduced Rates
Would any of you like some
yourselves?" says Karl. I'm let
you have them at reduced
prices" But nobody wants them.
Think it over though, Karl"
says Ludwig. 1T won't be so
easy to buy them back again
later"
whats it matter?" laughs
Karl Live first; that's more
important than reading. AS
for the exam well, to the devil
with it, It's all bunk anyway.
Tomorrow I start in with the
SchnappS samples. Ten marks
on a bottle of smuggled brandy
not much wrong with that,
eh, my lads? Moneys what you
want; then you can get every
thing else"
He ropes up the books in
great bundles. There was a
time I remember when he would
have gone without food rather
than sell one of them. What
are you pulling such a face
about?" he, says scornfully.
"One must be PRACTICAL! Scrap
the old stuff and start in
afresh."
Eyes, that's right" agrees
Willy, It'd sell mine too-if I
had any, that is, of course"
Karl pats him on the shoulder
Half an inch of business is
better than a mile of culture,
Willy. sat in the muck out
there long enough I mean to
see a bit of life now"
He's right, you know" I say.
What are we going to do
about it, lads? A little bit of
schooling-what does it amount
to. anyway? Nothing!"
eyes, you pull out, too, boys,
advises Karl. What do you
want with pen-pushing?"
Heaven knows it is a lot of
rot" replies Willy. But at least
we are all together still. And
then, it's only couple of
months now to the examination:
it would de a pity not to go
through with it. One can al
ways have a look around after
ward"
Karl shears off some brown
paper from roll.
Get away with you!-You'll
always have some couple Of
months or other about which it
would be a pity-and in the end
you will wake up and find your
self an old man"
Willy grins. Eyes, and won't
you have a cup of tea while
you're waiting. Mr.. Homeyer,
eh?"-Ludwig stands up.
What does your father say
about it?"
Parents In Error
Karl laughs. What all the
frightened old people say. But
one can't take that seriously.
Parents always overlook the fact
that one has been soldier"
What would you have been
if you hadn't been a Soldler?"
I ask.
bookseller probably, poor
fool!" answers Karl.
Karl's decision has made a
profound impression on Willy.
He is in favor of our giving up
all this useless grind and TAX
ing Joy where it is to be had.
But man easiest tastes the
Joys of life while eating. So
we settle on a foraging expedi-
ton. The ration cards allow
only half a pound Of meat,
three-quarters of an ounce OF
butter, an ounce and a half OF
margarine, three ounces of pearl
barley and some bread each
week per person-No man can
get a square feed off that.
The foragers begin to assem-
BILE at the station in the eve
ming and during the night, in
readiness to go out into the
villages first thing in the morn
ing, so we must get off by the
first train If they are not to
be there before us.
(TO Be Continued
Copyright, Erich Maria Remarque,
1891; distributed by United
Feature Syndicate. Inc.