THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
bitterness is deepened. Whatever
might be gained by putting off peace
negotiations is lost a thousand times
through the prolongation of war.
It is as though no other settling
By Lucy Rice
of human bickerings and human ri-
valries were possible than one by
mines and explosives.
Again that quick, characteristic that you didn't get,' and she laughed
Surrounded by every material
What will be the verdict of po's- comfort
and modern luxury sat an gesture of protest. "Not at all • heartily when I intimated that 1
terity. That in our day Europe
old, old man, with silken hair and strange," the father said emphati- was still looking for the fulfillment
owned not one statesman. With
beard of snow!' whiteness. The calls'. "It is merely that Isaac has of that desire. * * * Yes, El,
one great statesman on both sides
never met hi s mate. These women you get what . you want if you
the world war would never have keen, interested expression of his
acquaintance, the ones of want it hard enough and long
broken out. With one great states- eyes betokened an alert mind, which of s our
set,
are women o f weal t h enough, and want it with an un-
saac'
man on but one side the war would belied the feebleness of his body. I
want."
not have lasted a year. But as it At brief intervals he smiled. and so-called refinement, but they wavering
"But dc• you not think that your
There came an expected knock .are simply not his kind. I have
was, the generals got the best of the
always known this ; known, too, son stands a mighty slim chance of
at the door. In answer to the sum -
statesmen,
t it would b reak my h eart to see getting what he wants in a wife of
Posterity will say : That age was mons to enter a man of quiet, al- tha
one that looked upon wars of re- most humble, demeanor came into him married to one of them. but as sonte other man's choosing?" came
question.
ligion as barbarous and yet failed the room. A man well past middle there has apparently been no clan- the sudden
"Man's choosing! Why, El, I
age
lie
was,
but
more
than
a
score
•
ger
of
such
an
alliance
I
have
de-
to understand that wars of nation-
ality are worse. That age was one of years younger than the one in ferred the matter, until now it is . surely didn't mean to leave the int-
that looked upon wars caused by whose presence he stood with a cer- imperative that it he settled shortly. pression that you were to choose
So long as his mother lived 1 felt her. You are merely to be the in-
cabinets as antiquated but did not tain air of respect.
strument in God's hands ; you are
"You wanted to see me ?" he that Isaac was contented : but now
comprehend that wars of commer-
he misses her, and is probably, for merely to do the mechanical part of
cial interest are still more brutal. asked inquiringly.
"Yes
;
I
want
to
talk
to
you:
but
the
first time in his life, exile- this, and 1 have chosen you because
The history of the wars of religion
1 1`"°"y of no one I had rather have
was a sinster farce. The history of first, put your hand in mine and riencing a sense of something lack- represent me away yonder in my
PC-
the World War was a stupid solemnly promise to undertake for ing. Many of our friends and
tne the thing I am about to ask of quaintances have expressed surprisehome land among my own people--
tragedy.
God ever made!"
The war should end without too you." . that Isaac never had a love affair ; the best people
"So you want me to go back to
This ceremony over, he indi- but I understand perfectly that
great humiliation to any of the war-
cated
a seat nearby, while lie him- since he reached the estate of man- the place where we were born—"
ring states. Otherwise the one hu-
"Yes, oh, yes; the details have
miliated would but plan for another self settled back comfortably in his hood he has loved a 'woman devot-
so firmly fixed in my own
I war. And it ought to be kept in massive chair. After a slight edly—a woman whom he has never been
mind that I fear I have not been
seen,
whose
name
he
has
never
mind that by humiliating the enemy pause, he•began speaking.
"Elizer," Ile said. "it is certainly heard. She is a girl like his mother, explicit enough in my own explana-
no lost human life is restored. Each
Nvas as fair and pure as the lions• I want you to start imme-
true
in your case that the reward Nvho
human life is a value. But all hu-
man beings are not alike. The com- of service has been larger service, flowers that have scarcely vet with- diately, and it is my wish that you
elegantly even.
fort is scant that our .loss was one and 1 can't say that you have ever erect On her grave." travel comfortably,
Of course, it will be necessary to
disappointed
me
in
anythipg,
or
He
pilused
slightly,
and
his
eyes
thousand, the enemy's loss ten
that I have discovered a serious softened, then . he said : "I have secure a middle aged lady of re-
thousand.
„„ d this
; woman. but I know finement to act as companion for
, r seen
Nobody knows if among that flaw inyour judgment from the never
and since the girl on her return trip, but her
thousand there wasn't one who time when, as a little shaver, you where she is to be found,
people can, no doubt, suggest such
my boots, until now, when I am too feeble now to make this
would have become his land's glory blacked
I havegradually given into your a one. Everything should be done
journey, and could not possibly let
and the everlasting benefactor of
care
all
that
I
have,
and
I
have
Isaac
leave me for so long a time, decently and in order ; but I shall
mankind.
l entrust } ,on, who know illy trust you to arrange these matters.
I
shal
There may have been a Shakes- much—much."
"But, should I by sonic miracu-
The quiet, almost humble, de- mind better than any other human loos chance find the girl, suppose
peare or a Newton, a Kant or a
Gothe, a Moliere or a Pasteur, a meanor of the other did not alter. being, with this sacred mission."
she refuses to listen to such an un-
"Yes," he said mildly, "you have
Copernicus, a Rubens, a Tolstoi,
The face of the man who had sat usual proposition, and demands that
. r,
,
T . come tor
among those hundreds of thousands much ; you have been lucky—"
quietly listening was expressive
of isaac
d confusion.
her .
an
lderment
bewi
all
of young Englishmen, Germans.
1 - 1e was interrupted by a quick
Once again that vehement gesture
Poles, Belgians, Russians, who fell. gesture of protest. "Lucky ! No. Twice he opened his mouth to of protest greeted his speech. "It
but because there was s"
What signifies the changing of a I consider that all of my steps have speak,
_ is impossible that Isaac leave me at
boundry line, the gain of a province, been ordered by the Lord. I am a much to be sa id , no word s came. A my great age ! As to the girl re-
as compared with the loss of such a man who has been blessed in all part of what he wanted to say was fusing to come, if she does so, you
personality ! The gain is temporary, things. The Lord has withheld no that if any other old, old man had are released from all obligations :
the loss irreparable. The gain is g good thing from me. Why ? Be- made this . extraordinary request
of but try to remember that my good
him. he would have attributed it ,_
made by but one state alone, the loss cause I have expected it of Him.
t " _ angel is working in conjunction
I have opened my mouth wide and the natural infirmities of age ; but with von and supervising all this:
is suffered by all mankind.
Everybody sees how during the he has filled it. Things have come the
man century
whom he
served
a half
and had
more
was for
one so its view of this fact, I shall ex-
way
in
this
world,
and.
very
- who had never been even slightly peen you to bring back one of the
war the fortune of mankind shrinks, my
so that at Jr. gth nobody will be able soon now, according to the laws of
finest products of the land of my
t:,pay the costs of war. The loss nature, I shall pass on to what the embarrassed by the impossible.
nativity—a home-bred girl."
of human values, that most grevious next world holds for me. But be-•
his
distraction,
the
older
Seeing
"Does Isaac know of and ap-
pauperization, is not even counted. fore I go there is one more thing I man doffed his earnest manner for prove your than
What w e now witness is the want."
the first time and smiled.
"Isaac is inclined to think that 1
No question filled the slight pause
white race itself destroying the no-
"You think I am inviting the have at last entered my dotage. He
lion of its superiority entertained that followed, so he continued.
black, brown and yellow people, "There is one more great service i mountain to be removed and cast looks upon this plan as merely an
by
into the sea, eh ? Very well, ac- old man's fancy, but he says it
It has summoned their assistance. shall ask of you."
cording to my faith be it unto me. sounds very charming, and he is
"And that ?"
has commended them for their
"That is that you get a wife for , My mountains have never yet re- quickened with pleasure at the
slaughtering of white men. How
fused to move. Isaac himself was thought of it. He says also that he
might this fail to breed its own pun- my son Isaac."
slightly,
a
child of faith, born after many claims the privilege of sending a
The other started
ishtnent!
splendid diamond for the finger of
The press of the belligerents has glanced up quickly, and on seeing years of married life, when his
conceived its task as that of kin& the serious expression of the elder's mother had despaired of ever hay- the fair maiden, and thinks it quite
ing both the rage and the enthu- face, said calmly : ing a child. The year before he fitting that he also send gifts for
"It is a great wonder that Isaac was born she said to me : `Abra- the parents."
siasm. It ought to consider that
For a few minutes the aged man
destructive
hatred
thus
bred
has
not
gotten
a
wife
for
himself
ham,
I
believe
a
son
is
the
only
the
(Continued on last page)
thing you ever wanted in your life
before this."
will long outlive the war.
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,
^1)