The Washington times., 1931-10-29
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Schroder's name on one that
was still blank and hung a steel
helmet on top of it.
Ludwig came once more. we
removed our helmets and re-
peated a second Paternoster.
Albert stood pale beside him
Schroeder used to sit beside him
at school-but KoSole looked
terrible. He was quite gray, and
said never word.
We stood about yet a while
and the rain fell steadily. Then
the coffee fatigue came and
we sat down to eat.
AS soon as it was light, the
Sergeant-maJor came out of a
dugout near by. We supposed
he had gone long ago. He
Stank of rum for miles and
now only wanted to get back
to the rear. Kosole let out
below when he saw him.
Luckily, Willy was by. He
sprang at Kpsole and held him
fast. But it took the strength
of all four of us to keep him
from breaking loose and MUIR
dering Seelig. 1t was a full
hour before he had sufficiently
recovered his senses to see that
he would only make trouble for
himself if he went after him.
But by Schroder's grave he
swore to get even with Seelig.
Now there stands Seelig at
the bar and not five yards
from him sits Kosole. But
neither is a soldier any longer.
For the third time the or
chestrion thunders out the
m arch from "The Merry
Widow"
Fill Up Glasses
Another round of schnapps.
Mate" cries Tjaden, his little
pigs eyes sparkling. Coming
up!" answers Seelig, bringing
the glasses. Health. Comrades!"
Kosole looks at him, scowling.
You're no comrade of ours"
he grunts. Seelig takes the bot
tie under his arm. "No?-Very
we'll then-that's that" he re-
torts and goes back behind the
bar.
Valentin tosses down the.
schnapps. Soak 1t up. Ferdi-
nand," says he; that's the main
thing"
Willy orders the next round.
Tjadne is already half tight.
"Well, Seelig, you old blighter,"
he bawls, mo more field pun
ishment now, eh? Have one
with me-" He slaps his former
superior officer so heartily on
the back that it nearly chokes
him. A year ago that would
have been enough to land him
for court-martial, or in a mad
house.
Kosole looks from the bar to
his glass and from his glass
back again to the bar, and at
the fat, obsequious fellow be-
hind the beer pumps. He shakes
his head. "It's not the same
man, you know, Ernst" he says.
So it seems to me also, I
hardly recognize Seelig now. In
my mind, he was so much of
one piece with his notebook and
his uniform, that I could hardly
even have imagined what he
would look like in his shirt, to
say nothing of a bartender. And
now here he is, fetching a glass
for himself and letting Tjaden
slap him on the back and cali
him: "Old fellow, my lad" The
world is clean upside down!
The Old Beast
Willy gives Kosole dig in
the ribs to stir him up. "Well?"
II don't know, Willy" says
Ferdinand, bewildered. Think
1 ought to give him a smack
over the mug, or not?-I didn't
expect it would be like this.
Just get an eyeful of the way
he is running about serving, the
old beast! I just haven't the
heart to do it,"
Tjaden orders and orders. To
him it is a great joke to see his
superior officer go hopping
about at his bidding.
Seelig also has got outside Of
a good many by this time, and
his bulldog Uranium glows again,
partly from alcohol and partly
from the joys of good business.
Lets bury the hatchet," he
suggests, land I'll stand round
of good prewar rum"
"Of what?" says Kosole, stff-
fening.
Rum. I've still spot or two
left in the cupboard there" says
Seelig innocently, going to fetch
it. Kosole looks as if he had
been struck in the face and
glares after him.
He's forgotten all about it,
Ferdinand. says Willy. He
wouldn't have risl:ed that else"
Seelig comes back and pours
out the drinks. KoSole glowerS
at him.
II suppose you don't remem-
ber getting tight on rum from
sheer funk once, eh? You
ought to be a night watchman
in a morgue, you ought!"
Seelig makes a pacifying ges-
ture That was a long time
ago." says he: that doesn't
count any more"
Ferdinand lapses into silence
again. If Seelig would but
once speak out of his turn, the
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