14
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION"
The Fatherland
By May C. Kingwalt.
f fl AM not a Ger-man, Mees Bla-
I ke. I am an A-mer-i-can
the whole, everything, all the
Way through to the heart."
A cubit added to his stature from
pride in his carefully enunciated
English, Karl Wagner, stamped with
an unmistable light-haired-blue-eyed-Gretchen
birthmark, solemnly re
garded the young woman seated op
posite him at the table, Alma Blake,
a new arrival at Miss Minerva King's
select second-class boarding house.
"Ger-many, Mees Bla-ke, it is a
great country," he went on with an
impressive roll of. his "r's," as he
held a teaspoon poised in mid-air
over his saucer of bread pudding,
" a magnificent country in the
learn-ing, the sci-en-ces, the inven
tions, but not in the govern-ment.
That is how do you say it? a be
hind number."
There was a rhetorical pause while
the spoon gloatingly swooped up
with the one raisin in the saucer.
"And the army, Mees Bla-ake, it
Is a curse."
The roll of the final "r" rumbled
like threatening thunder.
"Who supports its emp-ty glit-ter?
The Kaiser? The govern-ment? No,
the people that pay the tax-es. Gott
in Hinimel, Mees Bla-ake, there haf
been times when I haf had the feel
to throw the bomb ! "
Almost convulsed with hidden
laughter Alma Blake listened as one
hypnotized.
This made-in-Germany American
interested, fascinated her pas quite
the most charming of all the de
lightful people she had met during
the twenty-four hours she had been
at Miss Minerva King's.
For after twenty years of looking
at the world through a dusky glass
larkly, shut away in a forlorn, color
less little town, she suddenly stood
face to face with all the wonder and
beauty and excitement of city life,
everything, everybody, about her un
der a spell of enchantment
The fact that she was a hard
working, underpaid .stenographer,
that her room was a cold storage
two by four, hall chamber up on
the third floor, under a mansard
roof, did not brush off a single gol
den speck from the glamour's bloom.
She was free. Free from the do
mestic drugery she hated. From
the daily irritation of living with an
irritable, tyrannical father with
whom she had not an idea in com
mon. Free in making her way and
all the adorable new clothes that
strict economy and bargain counter
.buys were going to arrange between
them.
And because she was filled brim
ming over with freedom, she did not
hesitate an instant in regard to the
new friendship that so quickly grew
up between her and Karl Wagner.
She liked being in his company. That
was enough. As eagerly, as straight
forwardly as a child stretching out
its arms '.oward a desired object she
followed wherever he led.
Sometimes the lead was to an ice
cream parlor, sometimes a motion
picture show on rare, dazzling oc
casions, an evening at the Orpheum.
But no matter where the goal, al
ways on the way'her companion rode
his pet hobby a t a trot; on a gal
lop, with a wild leap at all obstruct
ing fences.
"Ger-many, Mees Bla-ake," he
would say, "is a land of the brave,
but not a land of the free. It is a
law-ridden country. The whole
everything tied up with how do
you say it? the scar-let tape. Not
only the actions, but the thoughts,
the e-motions. The Kaiser, he Is not
the Uncle Sam, Mees Bla-ake. He
Is how do you say it? the man
with the large club."
"How long have you been natur
alized?" Alma once asked.
"Oh, Mees Bla-ake," he answered
mournfully, "there you handle a sore
spot. I am an Ame-er-i-can, but I
an not yet the citizen. Five years
haf passed since I entered the States,
but I haf been what is the word I
hunt for? You say it of a popula
tion that fid-gets about I catch him
at last I haf been a float-er. Here
a lee-tle while, there a lee-tle while,
but I haf not adhered. Now I stick,
I settle. Soon I shall establish the
residence."
His joy in his present freedom, his
intolerance toward injustice and ty
ranny, were appeals that went
straight to Alma's heart. He could
understand, sympathize, with her
spirit of bitterness, of revolt. He
too, had been in captivity he too
had broken his chain forever.
"My obligations of birth, Mees
Bla-ake," he exclaimed vehemently,
"they no- long-er exist. I haf wiped
them out by my service in the army.
That debt of honor is al-ready paid.
I am not a Ger-man, Mees Bla-ake,
I am a A-mer-i-can, the whole every
thing, all the way through to the
heart."
Alma felt her last doubts of con
science slin from her. Had she not,
wiped out her debt of obligations of
birth in service? Paid her debt of
honor to the last cent? She was as
free as he to live the life of peace
and happiness that lay before them.
Then with the suddennes of a
borsting bomb war broke upon the
nations of the earth.
Karl Wagner was out of town on
a business trip and Alma's impa
tience could scarcely await his re
turn. If he had been rabid against Ger
man appressiveness and tyranny be
fore, what tirades of invectives he
would hurl against the Kaiser, the
government, the army now.
An expectant little smile lighted
up Alma's face as she hurried home
from the office the evening of the
day he was to return.
His hat upon the hatrack was the
first thing she saw as she entered
the hall his excited voice in the
living room the first sound that fell
on her ear.
"Ah, Mees Bla-ake,'' he cried, hur
rying out to meet her, "it is with
great sad-ness that I take your hand
in mine for the last time. I leave
on the night's overland. My coun
try it is in per-il. I go to Germany
on the first ves-sel I can overtake.
"I don't understand," faltered Al
ma, bewildered, aghast. "You" have
always said that you were an Amer
ican, that "
"But there is a difference now,"
he interrupted.- "Ger-many is
in
I
j danger. My Kaiser needs me,
go!"
A wave of dizziness swept over her
and she turned to the little table
under the hatrack, a hand out
stretched to steady herself.
The yellow envelope of a telegram
addressed in her name caught her
surprised eye.
With shaking fingers she tore it
open and read.
"I hope nothing is the trouble,
Mees Bla-ake," said Karl Wagner so
licitously. "It's my father," answered Alma,
tears springing to her eyes. "He Is
very sick. I must go to him at
once."
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