Evening star., 1938-12-13

next war they keep talking about
now, really comes?"
Il should certainly not be SOL
dier. Among other things, doubt
If am physically fit. I should either
get into a Red Cross Unit or 60 as
padre. Under fire of course-into
the front line. But without q
weapon in my hand-ever."
Everyone isn't like that"
There would be no more war If
they were. What a death it would
be, to stand out boldly between the
lines and cry aloud, Peace holding
out bare hands to both Sides"
You'd get peppered to rights"
said Rud, regarding the young mans
exalted face with extreme disap-
proval.
The assistant master was lost in
a vision. He stood still with shiny
eyes and face uplifted and his thin,
white, knuckly hands were tightly
clefched. He made his companion
feel uncomfortable and absolutely
resolved never to come for a walk
with him agin.
There's shorter way back over
this next stile and across the fields"
said Rud after lengthy pause.
And that is as much as need be
told Of the spiritual circumstances
OF Rudolf Whitlow in his youth.
There is no record that his soul
ever awakened. There is no rec
ord that it stirred even in its sleep.
There is no evidence indeed that he
ever had a soul.
Dispute With Family.
The country was already in very
disturbed state when Rudolf Whit
lows schooldays drew to an end.
He had believed that his facility in
passing examinations would lead up
through a ladder of scholarships to
university distinction, security and
authority. In the stabler past he
might have made such an ascent and
rounded of his career as a formid-
ably malicious, secretly vicious, con-
servative don, the sort of don who
is feared and propitiated during his
lifetime and forgotten gladly almost
before he is dead.
Father Whitlow wasn't doing at all
well in business just then, and he
had heard that son at the uni
versity was an expensive responsible
ity. Neither of Rud's brothers was
doing we'll Sam didn't like his job.
He complained that it gave him no
hope whatever of promotion, but he
was afraid to quit it because jobs
were now so difficult to find, and Alt,
after one or two futile starts, became
conscientious to a painful pitch and
deeply religious. He hung about at
home being inconveniently helpful,
and on one occasion his mother, 60
ing quietly upstairs, was Mortified to
find him praying on his knees. After
time he got tentative employment
in DR.. Carstall's dispensary and
frightened up a little Carstall
found him slow but very careful and
exact, and spoke well of him in a
fairly contemptuous way. And also
he increased his pay and said en-
couraging things to him.
But Rud's white face during his
last two terms at school became
more and more resentful and lower
ing.
He resolved to have things out
with his once dreaded father.
I'm going in for these scholar
ships whether you like it or not. And
you'll have to pay the fees"
Angered at Father.
II tell you it's no good" said
Father Whitlow.
What else can I do?"
"Edjicated proletariat-and what
goods that?"
IF I get top"
"You won't get top"
Rud, regarding his father, looked
still capable of throwing.
Couldn't you do something to
help?" intervened his mother.
Write for the papers? Do tutor
ing?"
And eat up all my blasted time
and energy?"
Better than nothing" said Father
Whitlow.
Look at my brothers.! Look at
old Sam stuck in the mud from the
very start-for good and all. Look
at Alt! Undereducated. Under
qualified. Making pills in slow time.
Meek and holy. While young Car
stall scars away to be & great physi-