OCR Text |
Show A r 11IJ T" no )IA t mOumKVI, liAIVtj wn-iFOOnr- .UUJ r ir - n. -- yrlU -- Romance. yet more than a child; ths tall young soldier to tlie glory of his strength, and clinging eagerly to him. the old. broken brother with whom one must be patient, wh- - had gone out De Brevll remembered the day as splondld as thla young captain and bad been Carried back like that. To be fifty yeare a cripple, to depend forever on the patience of out hie people, to dv his days half a man. tht t from ths Joys and the responsibilities of normal childhood. II - had done this for Franca heart foil bound of hot gratitude toward the American boy who had eeen the old man not aa a tiresome Invalid to be endured but a hero of France forever deified by sacrifice. Of course the Frenchman smiled, aroused to ths dark of course It was easier to be gentle with the last leif upon the tree when A rose of summer, A piquant rosebud of a JacqueUne " sat by Yet- - more always." youngsters would have managed to see the girl and to avoid the old man. But the captain "If ever one has a chance to repay," De Brevll thought, with A throb. I wet timplo enough. . Ons tnorwng gel through tht fsentf Wire ft tar tt weed end "And. the captain found I 10a dote to e machine gun , , wreto Uncle Julee and the Uttle cabbage had messaged Just possiand a younger person, a captain, aid to M. le his mother country back to prosperity. I the deep voice suggeeted out of velvet bly," General., have been on the job. as we Americans say, on ths terrace. "And one knows darkness of slow not a De type, Brevll's mind, going almost 4very minute then five years. Hardly bis news, certainly today," pounced on the case of the younger person, a have I had time to take a week off for a bit But yci but no." The words had a sound captain. "Ah, most agreeable! Yet they of fishing to Canada in Septsmbcr or a run of distress. " He wrote Indeed for several were very occupied, doubtless, so that Uncle to Florida In February one has been occudid not see them little months, many letters, end then then no and Jules ths cabbage clear it I have but made yes. enough pied " word came any more." often? In my letters, Uttle one, that It was so that I " No word? He was no killed, that dear to a child. come see to Uttle to France The thoughtful could not my cabbage acquired v captain? But I should I should," ho reproached hUn. air. - Perhaps as to M. is General and M I Uncle knows "One to the capGagpard. But as nothing, self. 1'AdJutant," she agreed. Americans but find to out from other tried and and hesitated my a "O, chair she tain exploded: child pushed'him Ths (nto deep I left the chateau and went first to uncle there was never anybody In the world alighted on the side of it with her arm around to Paris and then about that time Uncle Jules." to to do for so good and so angelic bis neck. "We both had work poor died. And all the world changed. Uncle Jules with He answered did wore not smile. De face Brevll her and she France," spoke, yoting I went to my work In the hospital. Then the all sympathy. "He was good to our Uncle A look which waa not rare, after 1916, in ths war ended, grace A Dleu, sit'd with that the faces of French women the look of a devoJules, the captain? Dear lad! And Uncle Americana were rushing home, and I gave up Jules liked him! " tion transcending self. Also you, my uncle, the At hope of knowing. And I did not Uke to "But yes certainly. To' lolly. had two countries to look after France and too obstinately, my uncle; he waa atsearch withnever was contented not he no, end America." thla enchanting to all the world. Others would make tractive out M. le Capitaine. It waa lor that goodness De Brevll took his cigar from his lips and him. He may have forgotten us, of much " The M unde." le loved one Cspltaine, my glanced up at the girl. tid you know that simply. as a as child's quite Innocent brown lifted, that? lik It word a said eyes American A great ' " You have too little faith In , your friends, eyes, and De BrevU had difficulty to not kissWas Benjamin Franklin. lie said "CerDe answered Brevll gravely. child," , them again. ing The girl's hand waa across his mouth. the not Tomorrow," has he forgotten. " I see. One loved the captain for his goodtainly Don't spoil a story, my uncle," she said. " hi me If will man considered, give you Walt till I tell' you what happened to Hope' ness. He was, then, unattractive personally." will have him I of the service name and unit " A no. could such How have But no, you half French Stuart, my best friend, my little looked up. I wish to see myself the lad w ho thought? " The Indignant denial came so temwoman all American. It was she who sat gave pleasure to my brother Jules." De in the half Brevll light pestuously that In her Red Cross uniform in a eitt of Paris, But tomorrow, to the adjustments of A turned aside to knock ashes from hla cigar, crowded with French officers, the night of the new Ilfs and to the difficulty of getcheerful smiling. armistice. One knows all Franc was but six office from Jacquelines tenacious the to ting ah! ' a was With charm He delightful. years old that night and quite mad with Joy. The Silences, De Brevll forgot to at presence He went about the chateau gardens, down by And to Hope Stuart came a grizzled French name of that younger person, a capthe ask colonel, an entire stranger, most dlstlngu6. . ths old moat, with poor Uncle Jules clinging Yet tain." through the morning, as he dicto him, and It waa as if be were a young Who made her a deep bow for the love of that tated letters and Interviewed men and made god, so beautiful he was In hts brown uniform "American uniform and of her sw'eet face somewhere to the back momentous decisions, boots. hla and Very big high, shining brown likely, also, my uncle. And he offered her, the of his consciousness financier, hjad of a that colonel, his felicitations to be of her and strong he was, gay always, and full of mighty business, was aware of a persistent laughter. Since mamma died and my father country, and he said bow her land had come atmosphere of sunshine and peace of an old It had been hard for me to keep Uncle Jules In Just In time to save France. And Hope world garden, of Uttle Jacqueline, a slim child very happy. But now Me was happy. But Stuart, my friend, waa suddenly Inspired, for of three years hack, of the pathetic old how ho was happy with his friend the capshe looked up at her colonel and said to him who had always twisted his heartbrother "that speech of the great Franklin how every ' tain When orders came and they aU folof a gay and soldierly young presstrings, lowed the general to the front It was very American has two countries, hla own and ence radiating happiness about these two. sad for for Uncle Jules." France. And with that for every one fiad At S o'clock his secretary cam Into his - "One sees.- Uncle Jules felt-tt.- " listened all aboutevery officer in that faf6 Office. " Theres a young man outside, " But yes. For the captain would listen A inner cams up and kissed my little American on Mr. de BrevU," said the secretary, " with a long time to Uncle Jules' stories of his wap both her checks. Was it not pretty, my letter from the Augustus Morgan people f days. And one knows, my uncle, that, ador-- ' uncle?" Mr. Morgan himself, I believe. one ' De Brevll, fired with the Uttle tale, clapped able as was Uncle Jules, It was note very De BrevU looked up from a heap of plans who listened to him patiently. Me, I sat by bis hands and cried, " Bravo! Bravo! Then, for a great development of the water power , always and wondered At the captain." " One loved the Americans, there In France, of the upper Rhine. Mr. Spencer, the secredid you, my cherlfe?" sat O, you always, by asked. he , my petite? tary, had known with what he was busy; he " Always. And ths captain was never imOne adored them, my uncle. There were, was surprised to be Interrupted. Yet Mr, after a while roughnesses, bits of clashing, as patient, not even when Uncle Jules repeated Spencer was a wise person and a letter front many times. Not even when Uncle Jules must be when two million strangers are sudthe Morgans he had better, possibly, see the grew Irritated and beat with his crutch and young man.' denly transplanted into a nation. But those was angry that we could not remember for The young man was shown to, a tall lad to bad things are quite forgotten today, three old battles." names some of those him with aU remembers France and clothe, who looked 111. At the first shabby later, years figthe De at white, Brevll. slight BrevU quite understood Mr. SpenD so staring love the big, young, tireless boys, gentle, glance see to a seemed to ure the picture. dimness, lower who the In one cer; way, to part of the right sleeve hung every so ready help every He saw the old world garden where he had . flooded over us like a sea of brown, and empty and a large nickel hook wa where tb hand should be. Mr. Spencer had reason to played as a boy, sleeping to aromatic sunsaved France." JacqueUne had drifted Into a shine at the edge of glittering water of the know .that wounded soldiers were always re- chair facing De Brevll; he watched the lights moat. Back of It the rulna of a tenth century celved at the De BrevU works. De BrevU, and shadows of her face as she talked. The covered. vine rose and castle gray Amerithe magnate, rose to his feet before the pal were there "And you, my cherle "new chauteau. built only two hundred lad in his worn clothes. can officers billeted at the chateau. You "Im sorry to disturb you, sir," ths boy years back, overlapped the ruins and held . found . said, and he glanced at the piles of drawings part of the ancle rtt building, the vaulted dinIn the girls facs. In her vole when she with, it seemed to the older man, the look of ing ball, for instance, to Its compass, as a answered, was a new quality held in restraint, arm tbs woman hold cona person who knew what drawings meant. by might was lovely young Frenchman which the of Instantly "You were busy. I'll try not to keep you her old grandmother. Ws found them. Uncle Julee and L sclous. De Brevll saw, charmThese . that things and long." He drew out Iwiftly the letter from unforgotten there Is considerate git SI organ. and materia! aa with as eyea. flow cf almost But the Augustus plainly answered she warmly. ing." and sunshine read it and looked up. "You De Brevll and the vision the through Words had atopped. , want .work with ua, Mr. Duke? What can roses moved three figures, eet there by the De Brevll's eyes were on her changing face. , you do?" There were a number of these officers? " magic of the girls words the glri herself a of M. Im a mechanical engineer. I'm used to womanhood, le M. wild, slip I Adjutant, gentle, fascinating General, Three, just. De Brevll's A J -- god-mam- " - them" J '''A A Cogent Sermon on Lath cf Patriotic Gratitude. Woven Into Read Ponder. J drawing plans,' A second look cf Interest shot at the papers scattered over the big Mot So the little cabbage never knew he w ent on. the tragio tale of old Uncle Gas pard, who cried for the moon and couldn't get It. and so left all his ties and France and the moon and dashed to the ends of the and filled past Into traffic. - " Who?" earth and Instantly made a fortune D Brevll cf the Mf turbine engine works Bet no, my uncle," Jaoquelln answered out east of here. - He was driving." I And It most thrilling to know It soberly, " 1 saw. Big chap. Looks forelf n." now. You will tett me much more, some day T Tea French, you know. My brolhsrdn-law'- s All the details? And my Uncle Jules did he cousin Is hts secretary, so 1 hear a lot know about ItT about him. He's popular at the works. Lord, "Ah, the poor Uncle Jules!" and De Brevll but that man must have oodles of money! shook his handaomf bead. It was he who Made it. every cent Run to seed French wm out'of patience wlth""the nmawtyi "HI nobility. Came across a penniless youngster; the fat checks began to cine. Then he then he invented something and got going. thought better of me. For the most part he But no ordinary Inventor great business was angry, Uncls Jules. But ons knows thst heed senses whet to do and when to do It. he suffered eh, yeeV since the day of Sedan. Lordy, I wish he'd tell me." And the two One should not forget what soldiers have passed down State street and Into the crowd. done, who gave youth and strength for the When the brown car, two or three blocks flag, .as did Jules. Henri and I were little lads away by now, twisted Its way through a river when he marched away, but I remember how of other cars toward the New Tork Central he was tall and gay and you havs known Station, Do BrevHas he slid In and out, how It was with him latar. Ths poor Uncle touching gears, pressing accelerator or brake" Jules! " " Me, I found him always adorable," threw by an instinct w htch had come to be as much beyond thought as walking In a crowd Is back Uttle Jacqueline aggressively, and beyond thought, was smiling. This was no Brevll stared. I loved him well, my Uncle ordinary occasion tor which he was to meet Jules. He told me stories of the old war the 11.30 train from New Tork. The 11.30 and bow the Prussians the good God twist train this morning was going to revolutionise tholr necks marched Into Paris and up the life out at the Silences, his beautiful place Champs Ely'e4s, under the Aro de Trlomphe, five miles from the city, and He Brevll was Uncle Gas pard our Paris, our Arch of Triglad. Now it would be home. What would umph, and the vile Germans marching there!" It not mean to have Jacqueline In hla louse! , . ' "Look!" Interrupted De Brevll. "Viola, With his hand on the lever and his eyes Uttle on the semaphore which read "Stop" and my cabbage! The entrance of The Silences Lea Silences your horns! Is It some of his quick brain taking In the place not that It la beautiful, the long walla with and direction of every car and truck and foot their vines and flowers and the tall pillars passenger at the bury street corner, De with the stone balls oa top n'est cs pas? Brevll fell to dreaming. Jacqueline! The Is It not thst It Is like the chateau Itself, illve, vivid, surprising presence of her, ' and does it not look nearly at old! " bringing youth and cheerfulness to fill the De moment after and that wide the To Brevll rooma with young people, every big lawns with laughter, and the wood walks epoch making moment when his car turned Into the stone gates of The Silences was A with slim figures and bright dresses. How be would love giving her the gayety that a Joyful event. Each room of the house must he shown to Its new chatelaine, each servant girl likes! How he would love having her all presented to her, and finally she must be Into himself sometimes! How proud he would stalled In her new quarters, gay with fresh be of her when the two went, traveling, or chintzes, friendly with flowers, presided over motored about the country roads or about these same city streets! People would say," by a beaming little French maid in faultless gray and white. The day aped on and It was That la De Brevll and hie beautiful niece " dinner time and the dinner was to be out oa what it was going to mean to him to have ths terrace, and the girl came through the somebody belonging to him! wide French windows- from the hall and , And then ah, yee! One must face it then atopped short at the picture before her. would come another chapter. Jacqueline The table gleamed with countless delicate would have lover O, a lot of them. And and ahadowa of white cloth and shining lights one day ehe would fall in love with eome stiver and eparkling glass. A bowl of June abominable youngster and marry .him. . De roses splashed .colors of pink and crimson , Brevll sighed a bit. then he smiled. But yes against the gray atone balustrade and great that must be. lie would make a Joy of it, stone vase back of It. and beyond the sun not a tragedy, 8he was French, little Jacquewas setting In the clear, warm evening line, and moat'eensible and discerning. No through trees across the park. De Brevll fool, little Jacqueline; ahe would choose a . was waiting for her, sitting In a deep chair, good sort; but yes. And De Brevll would smoking and staring off dreamily Into sun like It lovers, a great wedding, presents filtered woods. He sprang to hla feet and hts all the cloee new manage a by lac in, was alight. And with that Jacqueline coming fled across ths pavement and tumbled Into excitement, for his girl Jacqueline. And by And by there would be adorable golden heads hla arms and choked, sobbing, against hts about the big place and stammering voices shoulder, would call him sweet names. , He. had got " But what la It, little one, my most adored? .about as far ae the first Christmas tree wbes Is anything wrong? Were the candles ths he found the station in front of him and waa ' wrong sort? Is ons homesick? " He smoothed forced out of day dreams by the necessity of ths brown, crisply curling head and kissed a wav of It. "Tell the old uncle, then, my using his whole Intellect to find a spot to " treasure. park. g Half laughing, choking still, she lifted her Off the train stepped a young person chlo face. "Ive quite ruined your shirt front In Paris clothes, smiling, a hit excited as ths atten-'tlodevoted with tiena," ahe stammered. And then: " If sudselected her bag porter denly shocked one with happiness. It was so The wide, dark eyes danced eagerly waa perfect so gentll so all that thero Is about the crowd, and with that she - of held a for and bear exquisite and my horns. Also It has an of as arms a caught Into air of ths dear chateau. One has been lonely second so that her gasp of " Mon onclt " was these last years, my uncle. Sines Uncle Jules not audible. died. And I have worked yes, hut very hard sitAnd the next event was that she waa among my crippled soldiers in Bordeaux. and Brevll De beside ting In the brown car loved them I had to work for them but I I he was telling her again, as the engine purred . have not had a boms there are three years, down the street, that never, never eras any and now this my home! You' The starry one so welcome anywhere as she, hie little eyes wandered off to the sparkling table and Jacqueline, to thla big country of America, to the trees' and aunset beyond It, and then this city of Bristol, to his home, her home, laughed up through wet lashes to De Brevlls The Silences." And one big hand found . face. leisure from Its affalrj of driving to 'over kissed the eyes. My and his head bent He hers with an affectionate pressure. child,' you are overwrought. I ahould not Le bon Dleu did not give me the dream of have allowed you to work so. You were too my youth, spoke De Brevll, but he Is makyou havs dons harm to yourself. But young ing good; but yes, he Is doing very well by now. It is understood, you aro my property-herea- fter me, le bon Dleu. at present" you are to be taken car of It is I Jacqueline turned a mocking face of laughwho say 111 Come, then, my most dear VollA ter and love. It would be well that some jaoqVWr Tbrsays that dinner la served. taint, such as I par example, should tell the Afterward have a little talk, you and good God that you think well of hla arrangeIn the her among ths roses and I. And ments, Uncle Gasperd," ehe said. honeysuckles, and ws will tell each other all what was the dream of your youth, may one pur secrets, la It not? But dinner," ask? because It eounde as If It were someIt was nearly an hour later and ths light thing Ilk me." . ths tress was ths flat' gold of ths , through cab" Something very like you, my little afterglow and ths branches were dark and bage," and the chauffeur had time to flash cut against It. dean a glance sidewise. " It was your mother." like A window most beautiful In Exactly Was widened. ' Usman!" The wide eyes cathedral a transept," Jacquellns said, gazing maman then the dream of your youth, my Into ths shadows and the clear ' entranced unclef" . radiance. , never The chauffeur nodded. "Did ehe It Is, my most dear." Ds Brevll held her tell you that enlsode?" " But at the moment that la. It la not hand. "Never, my uncle." question of cathedral windows, hut of con"It was for that I fledto America. I dis- ' avernation, and me. There Is iSiuch with you covered one day that It was my older brother ' I want to hear," be urged ,in a boyish and she loved and not me that he loved her. eager way which sat wlnalngly on ths man No fault of hers, petite. Sh did not know . cf 60. " One recollects that I havs not been of my boy's madness and there was no reaIn Franco since ths war ended." He mads A son whfr she should not levs your father, gesture of disgust, all French. " But no-Henri. They, were blameless, the two but she has kept ms at ths grindstone, la bells J was broken. I ran to America, ths safe France, grinding out engines for her. Francs harbor of the sad dear America, which has most behindhand, you know It, petite? was given ms so much." of water power. So that when In development as if the Ds Brevll lifted his hat, speaking, our work were no longer cams and peace flag had passed. He was full of the charm It waa the Uncle Ga s-- t munition needed for unashamed cf the Frenchman, where emotion was who instantly useful for sending pard plays in and out of keen humor and hard the best turbine engine to t w world to help kens. I Raymond Shipman Andrews These, So Will America Stand O in the Respect of the World.' HAT'S De Brevll himself." The two men stepped back as the brown sedan swept to the croee-In- f I. tt As America .Behaves Toward I OVA desk. "Wbers hav you been emplojed?" Tha boy fluahed and turned a look of tragid appeal which went under the guard of the man of business. " I I haven't been able to get a Job yet, he brought out painfully. "How Is thut? " "I you see." lie lifted the big glltlerlnt hook and dropped tt again. "I was In the service. I lost my hand to the Argonno." The muacles of De Brevll's fne worked A bit, but he regarded the lad aquarely and waited. "Of course that was awkward for my sort of work, being the right band-f- or "But I'd my drafting," Duke explained. been trained as a child to use both hands almost equally ambidextrous, or nearly. 80 1 hoped to carry on with my left." He stopped and considered the older man "I am taking too much of your time, sir? De Brevll made a quick gesture. "But pa, Co on, my son." The boy flashed surprised smfie. It was easy to see that hope had in some way gotten out of call of this lad. Then: " I eras gassed one or twice," b went on. It turned out rather bad. Lungs. I had to put in two years at Saranac. My people died. ,Th money there wasnt much got used up at the sanitarium. And in getting training for my future. I did get that. I can draw as he lifted strong finger well with this hand "as ever I did with the on the both spoiled. But people wont believe It." He spoke sadly but not resentfully. They don't like mutilated workmen. They like whole me a. It's uncomfortable to see me about and to business no one wanta to make allowances. They're afraid of that. But they needn't be," be threw at the man who sat watching him, and hts tone had a sharp energy. The boy's spirit was bruised, perhaps, but not broken. " No one need make allowances for me, Mr, De Brevll," be said, and his mouth was grim. " I can do a full man's work all I want la a chance to prove It." Do you mean to say," asked De BrevU slowly, " that an American who lost hla right band fighting for America la unable to find work to support taimaclf to America? Ths boy laughed a Uttle; and there was little mirth, but a touch of bitterness, to the laugh. " That's it, sir," he said. "We're an old story now, w wounded men. At first . things were great. They met us at the shir with flowers and bands, and everything was dons lor us. Then the day of the parade, when they sent us up the 'Avenue of the ' . Allies ' to the sunshine, between aU those thousands of people it waa wonderful. There were hundreds of ua with our crutches and bandaged heads and such car after car, driven by pretty women who teemed glad to drive us. And the men cheered and the women threw kisses and flowers It was Incredible. Why, you know, sir. It seemed as If It were worth losing a hand to look Into that unending river of faces, miles of them, and feel they were all loving you that your country honored you that somehow youd really done something for yourown. We didnt expect all that, sir; we Just did our duty, and wore glad to show up well for America the anx-ioual- flag. -- , We wanted the chaps across there to respect Americans, and to know we were men. And they did. Mr. De Brevll; they said we fought aa well as the best. And then, when w came home, at first America wasn't b:g enough to give us, It seemed. But after a while there were A good many thousands of the wounded, and we shed our uniforms, and then nobody notlcedj we were Just crippled chaps here and there through the country, not as easy 1o employ sometime aa whole men. And a new lot of husky kids are growing up already, and I guess we're rather In the way. I suppose Its only natural," the lad ended calmly, and lifted hla pale face, with a bar of deep red, and gazed, with A steady fire to his tired eyes, at De Brevll. There were uncommon qualities to thi lad's simplicity; there was the poise of a man who, even In bad fortune, Is confident of ability; there was lack of there was, fusing all Other characteristics, the intangible gift not to be acquired and known as charm. De Brevll, with French sensitiveness, was quick to analyze, to feel such things. "I beg your pardon for getting started like that, Duke said. " Its blamed careless of me. I brood over it, not being able to get A Job and having nothing much to do. And you were so kind, it loosened my tongue unduly." He rose. " If there is a vacancy if I might have A chance to show you that I'm adcapable and eager to work 111 leave my an added Hs afterthought: he said. dress," "I don't look overhealthy, perhaps, and, of course, I have been III. But I'm all right row, and If I can once afford eggs and beefsteak, I'll be a giant In no time. I'm naturally very strong, you know, sir. You neettn fear but that I'm good and fit for work. I'll leave my address," he said again. De Brevll watched, his expression thoughtful. Duke bent over his desk, wrjt.ng on a card. Suddenly, impulsively, the lad looks 1 up, and his face was bright. "There's one other thing," he said. Toil may Hugh at me, but I've Inverse 1 a trick r that's good. I know UH good. IVr wa'-at al band my otVr l0er And I'd giveshow." to see It have a "What Is H? asked Do Bret I!. u- sfCictiauel oa Taje Ulte) . |