adventures and letters-第67节

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ll　be　allowed　to　see　much。　　I　saw　the　Germans　enter　Brussels；　the　burning　of　Louvain　and　the　Battle　of　Soissons　and　had　a　very　serious　run　in　with　the　Germans　and　nearly　got　shot。　　But　now　if　you　go　out；　every　man　is　after　you；　and　even　the　gendarmes　try　to　arrest　you。　　It　is　sickening。　　For　never；　of　course；　was　there　such　a　chance　to　describe　things　that　everyone　wants　to　read　about。　　Again　my　love　to　Dai　and　you。　　I　will　see　you　soon。

RICHARD。


In　October　Richard　returned　to　the　United　States　and　settled　down　to　complete　his　first　book　on　the　war。　　During　this　period　and　indeed　until　the　hour　of　his　death　my　brother　devoted　the　greater　part　of　his　time　to　the　cause　of　the　Allies。　　He　had　always　believed　that　the　United　States　should　have　entered　the　war　when　the　Germans　first　outraged　Belgium；　and　to　this　effect　he　wrote　many　letters　to　the　newspapers。　　In　addition　to　this　he　was　most　active　in　various　of　the　charities　devoted　to　the　causes　of　the　Allies；　wrote　a　number　of　appeals；　and　contributed　money　out　of　all　proportion　to　his　means。　　The　following　appeal　he　wrote　for　the　Secours　National：

〃You　are　invited　to　help　women；　children　and　old　people　in　Paris　and　in　France；　wherever　the　war　has　brought　desolation　and　distress。　　To　France　you　owe　a　debt。　　It　is　not　alone　the　debt　you　incurred　when　your　great　grandfathers　fought　for　liberty；　and　to　help　them；　France　sent　soldiers；　ships　and　two　great　generals；　Rochambeau　and　La　Fayette。　　You　owe　France　for　that；　but　since　then　you　have　incurred　other　debts。

〃Though　you　may　never　have　visited　France；　her　art；　literature；　her　discoveries　in　Science；　her　sense　of　what　is　beautiful；　whether　in　a　bonnet；　a　boulevard　or　a　triumphal　arch；　have　visited　you。　　For　them　you　are　the　happier；　and　for　them　also；　to　France　you　are　in　debt。

〃If　you　have　visited　Paris；　then　your　debt　is　increased　a　hundred　fold。　　For　to　whatever　part　of　France　you　journeyed；　there　you　found　courtesy；　kindness；　your　visit　became　a　holiday；　you　departed　with　a　sense　of　renunciation；　you　were　determined　to　return。　　And　when　after　the　war；　you　do　revisit　France；　if　your　debt　is　unpaid；　can　you　without　embarrassment　sink　into　debt　still　deeper？　　What　you　sought　Paris　gave　you　freely。　　Was　it　to　study　art　or　to　learn　history；　for　the　history　of　France　is　the　history　of　the　world；　was　it　to　dine　under　the　trees　or　to　rob　the　Rue　de　la　Paix　of　a　new　model；　was　it　for　weeks　to　motor　on　the　white　roads　or　at　a　cafe　table　watch　the　world　pass？　　Whatever　you　sought；　you　found。　　Now；　as　in　1776　we　fought；　to…day　France　fights　for　freedom；　and　in　behalf　of　all　the　world；　against　militarism　that　is　‘made　in　Germany。'

〃Her　men　are　in　the　trenches；　her　women　are　working　in　the　fields；　sweeping　the　Paris　boulevards；　lighting　the　street　lamps。　　They　are　undaunted；　independent；　magnificently　capable。　　They　ask　no　charity。　　But　from　those　districts　the　war　has　wrecked；　there　are　hundreds　of　thousands　of　women　and　little　children　without　work；　shelter　or　food。　　To　them　throughout　the　war　zone　the　Secours　National　gives　instant　relief。　　In　one　day　in　Paris　alone　it　provides　80；000　free　meals。　　Six　cents　pays　for　one　of　these　meals。　　One　dollar　from　you　will　for　a　week　keep　a　woman　or　child　alive。

〃The　story　is　that　one　man　said；　‘In　this　war　the　women　and　children　suffer　most。　　I'm　awfully　sorry　for　them！'　and　the　other　man　said；　‘Yes　I'm　five　dollars　sorry。　　How　sorry　are　you？'

〃If　ever　you　intend　paying　that　debt　you　owe　to　France　do　not　wait　until　the　war　is　ended。　　Now；　while　you　still　owe　it；　do　not　again　impose　yourself　upon　her　hospitality；　her　courtesy；　her　friendship。

〃But；　pay　the　debt　now。

〃And　then；　when　next　in　Paris　you　sit　at　your　favorite　table　and　your　favorite　waiter　hands　you　the　menu；　will　you　not　the　more　enjoy　your　dinner　if　you　know　that　while　he　was　fighting　on　the　Aisne；　it　was　your　privilege　to　help　a　little　in　keeping　his　wife　and　child　alive。〃

The　winter　of　1914…15　Richard　and　his　wife　spent　in　New　York；　and　on　January　4；　1915；　their　baby；　Hope；　was　born。　　No　event　in　my　brother's　life　had　ever　brought　him　such　infinite　happiness；　and　during　the　short　fifteen　months　that　remained　to　him　she　was　seldom；　if　ever；　from　his　thoughts；　and　no　father　ever　planned　more　carefully　for　a　child's　future　than　Richard　did　for　his　little　daughter。

On　April　11　my　brother　and　his　wife　took　Hope　to　Crossroads　for　the　first　time。　　In　his　diary　of　this　time　he　writes；　〃Only　home　in　the　world　is　the　one　I　own。　　Everything　belongs。　　It　is　so　comfortable　and　the　lake　and　the　streams　in　the　woods　where　you　can　get　your　feet　wet。　　The　thrill　of　thinking　a　stump　is　a　trespasser！　　You　can't　do　that　on　ten　acres。〃

A　cause　in　　which　　Richard　was　　enormously　　interested　at　this　time　was　that　of　the　preparedness　of　his　own　country；　and　for　it　he　worked　unremittingly。　　In　August；　1915；　he　went　to　Plattsburg；　where　he　took　a　month　of　military　training。


PLATTSBTTRG；　N。　　Y。

August；　1915。　DEAR　OLD　MAN：

This　is　a　very　real　thing；　and　STRENUOUS。　　I　know　now　why　God　invented　Sunday。　　The　first　two　days　were　mighty　hard；　and　I　had　to　work　extra　to　catch　up。　　I　don't　know　a　darned　thing；　and　after　watching　soldiers　for　years；　find　that　I　have　picked　up　nothing　that　they　have　to　learn。　　The　only　things　I　have　learned　don't　count　here；　as　they　might　under　marching　conditions。　　My　riding　I　find　is　quite　good；　and　so　is　my　rifle　shooting。　　As　you　could　always　beat　me　at　that　you　can　see　the　conditions　are　not　high。　　But　being　used　to　the　army　saddle　helps　me　a　lot。　　I　have　a　steeple　chaser　on　one　side　and　a　M。　F。　H。　on　the　other；　and　they　can't　keep　in　the　saddle；　and　hate　it　with　bitter　oaths。　　The　camp　commander　told　me　that　was　a　curious　development；　that　the　best　gentlemen　jockeys　and　polo　players　on　account　of　the　saddle；　were　sore；　in　every　sense。　　Yesterday　I　rose　at　5…30；　assembled　for　breakfast　at　six；　took　down　tent　to　ventilate　it；　when　a　cloud　meanly　appeared；　and　I　had　to　put　it　up　again。　　Then　in　heavy　marching　order　we　drilled　two　hours　as　skirmishers；　running　and　hurling　ourselves　at　the　earth；　like　falling　on　the　ball；　and　I　always　seemed　to　fall　where　the　cinder　path　crossed　the　parade　ground。　　We　got　back　in　time　to　clean　ourselves　for　dinner　at　noon。　　And　then　practised　firing　at　targets。　　At　two　we　were　drilled　as　cavalry　in　extended　order。　　We　galloped　to　a　point；　advanced　on　foot；　were　driven　back　by　an　imaginary　enemy；　and　remounted。　　We　galloped　as　a　squadron；　and　the　sight　was　really　remarkable　when　you　think　the　men　had　been　together　only　four　days。　　But　the　horses　had　been　doing　it　for　years。　　All　I　had　to　do　to　mine　was　to　keep　on。　　He　knew　what　was　wanted　as　well　as　did　the　Captain。　　After　that　we　put　on　our　packs　and　paraded　at　retreat　to　the　band。　　Then　had　supper　and　listened　to　a　lecture。　　I　ache　in　every　bone；　muscle；　and　joint。　　But　the　riding　has　not　bothered　me。　　It　is　only　hurling　the　damned　rifle　at　myself。　　At　nine　I　am　sound　asleep。　　It　certainly　is　a　great　experience；　and；　all　the　men　are　helping　each　other　and　the　spirit　is　splendid。　　The　most　curious　meetings　come　off　and　all　kinds　of　men　are　at　it　from　college　kids　to　several　who　are　great　grand　fathers。　　Russell　Colt　turned　up　and　was　very　funny　over　his　experiences。　　He　said　he　saluted　everybody　and　one　man　he　thought　was　a　general　and　stood　at　attention　to　salute　was　a　Pullman　car　conductor。　　The　food　is　all　you　want；　and　very　good。　　I've　had　nothing　to　drink；　but　sarsaparilla；　but　with　the　thirst　we　get　it　is　the　best　drink　I　know。　　I　have　asked　to　have　no　letters　forwarded　and　if　I　don't　write　I　hope　you　will　understand　as　during　the　day　there　is　not　a　minute　you　are　your　own　boss　and　at　night　I　am　too　stiff　and　sleepy　to　write。

All　love　to　you。

DICK。



DEAREST：

It　is　now　seven…thirty；　and　I　have　had　twelve　busy　hours。　　They　made　me　pass　an　examination　as　though　for　Sing　Sing；　then　a　man　gave　me　a　gun　that　at　first　weighed　eight　pounds　and　then　twenty。　　He　made　me　do　all　sorts　of　things　with　it；　such　as　sentries　used　to　do　to　me。　　Then　I　was　given　the　gun　to　keep；　and　packs；　beds；　blankets；　and　I　made　myself　at　home　in　a　tent；　then　I　was　moved　to　another　tent　with　five　other　men。　　Then　I　got　a　horse　and　they　galloped　us　up　and　down　a　field　for　two　hours。　　I　lost　ten　pounds。　　Then　we　were　marched　around　to　a　band。　　I　had　a　sergeant　on　either　side　of　me；　so　I　did　not　go　wrong；　OFTEN。　　Then；　aching　in　every　bone　and　with　my　head　filled　with　orders　and　commands；　I　got　into　the　lake　and　escaped。　　You　can　believe　I　enjoyed　that　bath。　　It　certainly　is　a　fine　thing；　and　I　am　glad　I　enrolled　（for　every　one　has　been　as　nice　as　could　be）；　but　I　miss　you　and　Hope　terribly。　　It　seems　years　since　I　saw　you。　　I　am　going　to　my　cot　quick。　　It　is　now　eight　o'clock；　and　I　feel　like　I　had　been　beaten　in　a　stone　crusher。　　Kiss　Hope's　foot　for　me。

Your　loving　husband；

DICK。


Monday。　DEAREST　ONE：

I　got　such　a　beautiful　letter　from　　you！　　With　　pictures　of　Hope　playing　with　the　Bunny。　　It　is　the　best　picture　yet。　　I　carry　it　next　to　my　heart　because　you　made　it；　because　it　is　of　her。　　And　she　sits　up　now？　　Well；　I　will　miss　the　big　clothes…basket。　　I　loved　to　see　her　in　it。　　Years　ago；　when　I　left　home；　she