Show Buzzards By Dy FAYE FAME McGOVERN McClure Syndicate Features HE late summer sun beat do doon down wn THE on old Yuan's narrow bent shoulders shout ders as he sat in his dooryard I It t turned the rice in his paddy fields field s into fat yellow kernels but Old Yuan found no pleasure in it His only y son impatient at working in the fields when there was fighting to bedone bo be done had shouted defiance at nt him and gone off with the others to join Chiang Kai Kai shek's shek's army leaving him Wm to harvest it alone alone an an impossible impossible sible task for one old man A burly figure appeared running along the raised path between the rice paddles paddies continually looking over its shoulder as if it in fear for tor its life Seeing Old Yuan it loped up the incline and threw itself atthe at atthe atthe the old mans man's feet Hide me good father I Implore you Old Yuan's grip on the hoe relaxed re re- relaxed as he recognized the overgrown overgrown overgrown over over- grown lad as the simple minded but cheerful worker who had been conscripted con con- conscripted scripted from a n neighboring farm From whom would you hide Lun-ko Lun he demanded severely The men who took me away They made us shoot fires ticks that kill I not like to kill I run away Hide me from them I pray you youl Old Yuan's wrinkled face tight tight- ened Was it possible the conscription tion officers had not seen that this one was different from the others Surely the gods had taken pity onan on onan an nn old mans man's plight and sent this lad that his rice crop might be saved The sound of an approaching approach approach- ing motorcar cut short his I 0 o U f rI I II Il l I HI look for a farm Lad called Lun Lun Lunko ko ture Quick into the straw crib he commanded Scarcely had be latched the rickety rickety rick rick- ety door when a touring car containing containing con con- two uniformed men drew upon up upon upon on the dusty road One of them alighted and came swiftly along the path I HI look for tor a farm lad called Lun-ko Lun he announced his keen black eyes sweeping the surround surround- ings Came he here Old Yuan trembled within him hIm- self Surely this soldier In shiny boots was not one to be easily out out- witted But summoning his courage courage courage cour cour- age and praying that the gods who had already been so charitable would continue to approve he gestured gestured gestured toward a large bird that soared lazily over his Ws fields As youcan youcan you youcan can see there are Ire only myself and the buzzard The officer Instead brought his Ws gaze to rest on the straw crib Dreamed you such an ugly creature creature creature crea crea- ture could have such grace Old Yuan cried hastily Then pointing excitedly See it lights The officer turned and looked at atthe atthe atthe the ungainly crimson bird settling Itself awkwardly on a stump He appears quite fierce but he heIs heis heis Is not Old Yuan pursued eagerly He helps me by catching mice and grasshoppers that destroy my grain Then timidly he ha asked Have you not known like men with strong bodies but no heart for fighting fighting fight fight- ing lug A sneeze from the straw crib caused Old Yuan's heart to contract and brought the officers officer's attention around sharply But Instead of striding to toward vard it and demanding officiously to look inside he merely stared ed at It Intently Then he again turned toward the rice fields that glinted pale gold In the sun stirred by a gentle breeze Just uJust you and the buzzard eh he said finally Old Yuan's head B sank to his Ws chest Now Nosy he would be manacled and taken taken taken tak tak- en to jail for harboring a fugitive His fields would wither and rot and many would go hungry In America where I once studIed stud- stud ted led the officer said I ul read of ot ofa ota a general who stated An army marches on its stomach He added added add add- ed nodding thoughtfully He was a great man man Old Yuan could only blink bUnk at him WIn uncomprehendingly The man took a deep breath of the warm fragrant air squinted up at atthe atthe atthe the cloudless sky then looked at Old Yuan and smiled broadly I congratulate you on your bountiful crop Im I'm sure you can harvest it It- It with the hElp of your buzzard Then with a brisk salute I lutc he marched off of toward the waiting car Tears of relief relic trickled slowly down Old Yuan's wrinkled cheeks and his fatigue fell feU away as if it had never been Aye with such understanding understanding un un- men In fn the world there would be an end to war some day |