The Washington times., 1931-10-31
CHAPTER 18

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st, Kosole is telling us that he
proposes to repair his pigeon
loft this afternoon. He used
to breed carrier pigeons and
black-and-white tumblers before
the war, and is thinking OF
starting again now. That had
been his one idea out at the
Front.
"And what then. Ferdinand"
I ask.
bIuntly. I'm a married man.
you know. Always got to keep
the Dot boiling now"
Suddenly, from the neighbor'
hood Of st. Mary's Church
comes a sound of shots. We
listen. RIFLES and service
revolvers," says Willy profession
ally; "two revolvers, by the
sound Of it,"
anyway" laughs T q den
gaily, swinging his new boots
by the lace, cts a sight more
peaceful than Flanders"
Willy stops short in front OF
a gentlemen's outfitters. In the
window is exhibited a garment
made out of paper and sting
ing nettle instead Of cloth.
But that interests him little.
On the other hand, a row Of
faded fashion plates set out
behind the suit Of clothes holds
him spellhound. He points eX-
citedly to one picture Of an
elegant gentleman with goatee
beard lost in eternal converse
with a huntsman of sorts.
''Know what this iS?"
"a shotgun" says Kosole,
looking at the sportsman.
The Latest Thing
"Rot!" interrupts Willy i'm
patiently. That's a cutaway,
that is. A swallowtail. you
know. Absolutely the latest
thing. And do you know what's
just occurred to me? I'll have
one. Of them made for myself
from this overcoat here. Take
1t to pieces, you see, and dye
1t black, remodel it, cut away
the bottom part here-bong, I
tell you!"
He is obviously in love with
his idea. But Karl dampS his
ardor. Have you the striped
trousers to go with it?" says
he loftily.
willy is nonplussed a mo-
ment. II know, I'll pinch the
old mans" he decides at last.
"And his white waistcoat for
weddings as well-what will you
think Of Willy then, eh?"
Beaming with pleasure, he sur.
veyS the whole row of us. We'll
see life yet, lads, eh?"
I return home and give half
Of my demobilization pay to my
mother. Ludwig Breyer's in
there" says she. Hes waiting
In your ROOM"
"He's a lieutenant, too" adds
my father.
eyes" I reply: didn't you
know?"
Ludwig seems rather better.
His dysentery has improved. IT
just wanted to borrow some
books from you, Ernest" he
says and smiles at me.
"Take whatever you like, Lud-
wig" I say.
won't be wanting them your.
self, then?" he asks.
I shake my head. mot at
the moment, anyway. I tried
to read q bit only yesterday.
But it's queer. you know
don't seem to be able to con-
centrate properly any more. BY
the time I've read two or three
pages find I'm thinking Of
something else altogether. AS
Il one were looking at a blank
wa1l, you know. But what is
It you want? Novels?"
Heavy Reading
'4No," says he, selecting a few
books for himself. glance at
the titles. Heavy stuff, eh,
Ludwig?" say. What are you
going to do with that?"
He smiles, somewhat embar-
rasSed: then, hesitatingly, he
says: ''Well, Ernst, you know,
out there a lot of things would
keep coming into my head, and
I could never get the rights Of
them somehow. But now it's
all over, there's a heap I'd like
to understandable like to know,
for instance, what mankind is
I'D to that such a thing could
happen, and how it all came
about. That raises a lot of
questions. Questions for US,
too. We had a very different
notion Of what manner Of thing
/ life was. before, If you remem-
Der. There's q lot I'd like to
know, Ernst"
I point to the books. Think
you'll find it in there?"
II mean to try, anyway. I
read from morning till night
now"
He soon takes his leave and
] still sit on, lost in thought.
What have I been doing all this
timer With a feeling of shame,
I reach for a book. But soon
] have let it fall again and am
gazing out the window. can
do that for hours together, just