Evening Star Newspaper, November 6, 1921, Page 69

PeRIRIAT FICTION Part 4—6 Pages SUNDAY MORNIN 'MAGAZINE SECTION The Sundwy St WASHINGTON, D. C, NOVEMBE R 6, 1921. Thrilling Story of America’s Greatest Hero in. World War ERGT. SAMUEL ana, Designated WOODFILL of In by Gen. Pershing as the Leader Among Heroes of the American Expeditionary Forces, Has Led Life of ‘Adventure—His Early Training in Hitting .‘the Bull's-eye—Taught to Shoot When He Was Seven Years of Age—His Enlistment in the Army. EN. PERSHING has just pulled out of oblivion Sergt. Samuel Woodfill and placed him on a pedestal as a model of supreme heroic service and absolute devotion to duty for all fu- ture Americans. Gen. Pershing has pronounced Sergt. Woodfill the great- est individual hero among the four million American men participating in the world war, not only because he single-handed killed nineteen Ger- mans, including one officer, captured three others and silenced three ma- chine gun nests under heavy fire | the main line of the enemy forces, but even more 50 because, in persist- ing in silencing these machine gun nests one after another, he gave 2 notable example of the most abject devotion 2o duty as he saw it. o While the American people have been paying honor to other notable heroes of the war, Sergt. Woodfill's praises have been unsung except in his home community. It came as a great surprise to the American people during the past week that Sergt.; “Woodfill had been designated the pre- mier hero of the American participa- tion rather than Sergt. Alvin C. York. It is by direct command of Gen. Pershing that Sergt. Woodfill is now ~“in Washington, receiving the con- gratulations of President Harding and the highest officers in command at the War Department, and that the story of his heroic achievement on October 12, 1918, is now being tcld to the American public. * k k% 11‘ was by mere accident that.Sergt. Woodfill was discovered as the great unsung hero of the American foroes. When a search of the world war records was made for the pur- pose of selecting a soldier from the infantry branch.of the service to act as a bodyguard for thq unknown dead Sergt. Woodfill was selected by a committee of Army officers as a soldier who, by sheer heroism. was most entitled to that exceptional honor, although he was practically unknown to the people of the United States. 3 ‘When the recommendation was laid ‘before Gen. Pershing he exclaimed, “Why, 1 have picked that man as the greatest single hero in the American forces” Then he let it be known that in reporting after a searc h of the war records of - officers and soldiers in"the American expeditionary forces, he had decided that the outstanding heroism of Sergt. Woodfill entitled him to first mention in the “report of the commanding general, 1st Army, American Expe- ditionary Forces, on_the organization of the ist Army, A. E. F. This report has not yet been made public, but Gen. Pershing announced that of three soidiers out of all those in the 1st Army mentioned by name in his report, that of Lieut. Samuel Vroodfill appeared first and after him came Sergt. Alvin C. York, who cap- tured 132 of the dnemy, and third on the list was mentioned Maj. Charles S. Whittlesey and his famous “Lost Gen. Pershing allows the following extract to be printed from his, as yet unpublished, report: “Deeds of valor were too numerous to mention here. Outstanding was the heroism of Lieut. Samuet Woodfill, 5th Division, in attacking single- handed a series of German machine Zun nests near Cunel and killing the frews of each in_turn until reduced fo the necessity of assaulting the last detachment with a pick, dispatching them all. And of Sergt. Alvin C. York of the 82nd Division, In standing off and capturing 132 Germans after his Patrol was literally surrounded and outnumbered, ten to one; and Maj, Charles S. Whittlesey and his men of the 77th Division, when thelr bat- lalion was cut off in the Argonne, in -Tefusing to surrender and holding out Until finally relieved. Doubtless many died in performing deeds of unknown heroism and no survivor to testify.” "The heroic deeds mentioned by Gen. Pershing_were performed by Sergt. Samuel Woodfill on October 12, 1918, When he was ordered with his patrol to take Company M forward to make & reconnaisance to determine the main line of resistance of the enemy just north of Bois de Romagne forest. His reconnaisance lay between the Made- Jaine farm and Cunel. That territory 18 rolling, heavily wooded ground With a small stream and ravines run- ning at right angles. It was close to Kriemhilde Stellung_ (the line of re- sistance of Kriemelde, named for a character which Wagner worked into his cycle of operas). It was bad fight- ing ground. those who have been through it declare, and the Germans had excellent positions of _defense. Their dugouts were deep and heavily timbered, their positions hard to lo- cate and extremely dangerous to at- tempt to reduce. * Kk ok % DFILL went forward and his ¢ company was held up by a ma- chine gun nest—a machine gun with a full crew of five men is a strong in- trenchment. He ordered the company 10 take cover and went forward alone, working his way around the flank just as he had been accustomed all his life In stalking big game. He shot the five men manning the gun. In the trench was the sixth German, a run- per or messenger, and as he jumped out to scurry away with the news that the Americans were attacking, he was killed. Then Woodfill jumped to a bush for cover and bumped into a German offi- cer. . The officer pulled his pistol, but Woodfilll beat him to it. Then he took his company and went forward, still looking for the main line of re- sistance. Authorities at the War De- partment point out that Woodfill would have been justified in going-| back and reporting that this was the main line of resistance, that there he had been resisted in strength. It is because he did not do this, that Persh- ing characterized his achievement as “heroism of the highest type” and “perfect devotion to duty. ‘Woodflll, going forward, encounter- ed a second machine gun, again stop- ped his men and went forward alone. Again he killed the five men at the gun by shooting them. Having re- duced that nest, he called on his men to follow and then ran into three Ger- mans who were carrying ammunition forward to the gun. This was ample proof that he had met the main line of resistance. He pulled his pistol, Lut the Germans threw up their arms, calling, “Kamerad!” These three he sent to the rear as prisoners. ‘ For the third time Woodfill called his company to follow and pressed lnrm. still looking for the abso- Jute line of resistance. ped after reducing the second nest + jie ‘would surely have received.the to the Secretary of War, | he looks patriot. bred. He comes from the backwoods country where a family means every- thing and all his life he hes had the strongest devotion to his father, whom upon as a great American He desired to emulate the father's example. His father was John Samuel Woodflll, who during the Mexican war_ enlisted on October 1, 1847, for the duration of the war. He was’ made a sergeant in_ what was then designated “Capt. Hull's com- pany,” which was Company A of the 5th Indiana Volunteers. He was mustered in at. Madison, Ind, and mustered out on July 28, 1848. He took part in many engagements and in_a hand-to-hand conflict at the capitulation of the City of Mexico was wounded by a bayonet thrust in the arm, so that the present-day hero of the rican _expeditionary forces feels that he inherited his disposition to get close in conflict. Buring the civil war, when thirty- seven years old and the head of a family,” Sergt. Woodfill's father was commissioned a captain in the 55th Indiana Volunteers and placed in com- distinguishd service cross and prob-|mand of Company A. He was muster- ably the medal of honor, but he was|ed in on June 12, 1862, the commission not thinking of these decorations. He |dating from May 30, and mustered out was simply concerned with doing his |Soptember 6. On September 22, 1864, duty no matter how far it might lead {he went into the 9th Indiana Volun him. So he continued to press for-|teers and was mustered out May 15, ward and bumped .into a third ma- 1585, presumably as captain, as that chine gun in the underbrush. Again|rank is shown on his application for he stopped his men and went forward | pension. alone. He killed the five men of the crew and by that time was in the main line of the Germans and in or- der to get some sort of cover, jumped ‘down into the trench where the gun was located. Two Germans had a machine gun nearby, but not in a | position to turn it upon him. One of these reached’ for his rifle and the other pulled his Luger pistol. Wood- fill had his pistol and shot the Ger- man in the thigh just as he fired his pistol. Then he aimed at the other German and found to his dismay that his pistol was empty and that in the Il(;nfiunge of the soldier he was “S. * ¥ ¥k X UICK action was required. The American saw a pick lying near, [and nailed the German. Looking | around, he saw the other German he had shot reaching to recover his pis- tol. He knocked him also with the pick. This made ‘his nineteenth vic- im that day. Then Woodfill went back and report- ed that he had met the German line | of resistance. For this outstanding heroism, he was promoted to a cap- tain of infantry and received several decorations. But on the way back he was severely wounded in the right shoulder and confined for some time to the hospital. The exceeding modesty of Sergt. Woodfill is illustrated in a stery told by Representative Roy O. Woodruff of Michigan. Woodruff was captain and personnel adjutant at Sordeaux and as such was in charge of all the casual companies. { Woodfill was first lieutenant of lone of these companies and on - went to Capt. Woodruff, saying: “I've got to go to Chaumont,” not giving any reason why. He Was gone three or four days and then resumed his duties. About ten days later the printed order came across Capt. Woodruff's desk, and_that was the first that any one at Bordeaux knew Ithat Woodfill had been called to Chaumont to receive a congressional medal of honor. . The citation accompanying the congressional medal of honor award- cd him is as follows: “For conspicuous gallantry and in- trepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy at Cunel,” France, October 12, 1918. While he was leading his company against the enemy his line came under heavy machine gun fire, which threatened to hold up the advance. Followed by two soldiers at twenty- five yards, this officer went out ahead of his first line toward a machine gun nest and worked his way around its flag, leaving two soldiers in front. ‘When he got within ten yards of the gun it ceased firing and four of the enemy appeared, three of whom were shot by Lieut. Woodfill. The fourth, an officer, rushed at Lieut. Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with his pistol. After a hand-to-hand struggle he killed the officer with his pistol. His company thereupon continued to advance until, shortly afterward, another machine gun nest was encountered. Calling on his men to follow, Lieut. Woodfill rushed ahead of his line in the face of heavy fire from the nest, and when several of the enemy appeared above the nest he shot them, capturing three other members of the crew and silencing the gun. A few minutes later this officer for the third time demonstrat- ed conspicuous daring by charging another machine gun position and killing five men in_a machine gun pit with his rifle. He then drew his revolver and started to jump into the pit when two other gunners turned their gun on him. Failing to kill them with his revolver, he grabbed a pick lying near by and killed both of them. Inspired by the exceptional courage displayed by this officer, his men pressed on to their object under severe shell and machine gun fire.” * ok k * | HEN the casuals at Bordeaux| learned of the great honor that had come to their modest comrade they gave him a big party, and that ‘was the only public recognition of his valorous deed until Gen. Pershing made his name famous throughout the entire nation. Serg. Woodfill is a soldier born and Had he stop- | POCKET PHOTOGRAPH CASE CARRIED RAPHS Gl ARE OF MRS, The elder Woodfill was a Welshman, five feet eight inches tall and very much resembled his hero son today. The family lived in a stone house in the country village of Belleview, Ind., where he raised a family of three boys and two girls. At one time he took a “fifer” in the printing business and owned a newspaper in the town, but was principally noted as an expert rifeman. He did aslot of hunting, took part in various contests and won more than his share of prizes. One of the first things the elder Woodflll taught his youngsters was to shoot. When the hero of today was but seven years old he was given his first lesson in close shooting. Th father loaded an old muzzle-loading rifle of octagon barrel type, commonly called a squirrel rifle. He gave the boy a rest and instructed how to shoot at a bull's-eye and charged him, “Now see if you can do better than your brothers.” Young Samuel made a bull's-eye the first shot he ever fired Photo by 1. Pridgeon, staff photographer.) and recalls even to this day the in- structions that his father gave him to “take aim looking through the bot- tom of the groove of the rear site and over the top of the front site and ob- serve the bull's-eye in the center over the top of the front site.” “I was the happiest boy in the en- tire country that day,” sald Sergt. Woodfill, in telling officers at the ‘War Department of his youthful suc- cess. The ‘best record that he der made was on a skirmish run, while sta- tioned in Alaska, where he got, 96 points out of a possible 100, * K ok k FROM the time he was seven until he was fourteen years of age young Woadfill attended the country school and got as far as the fourth grade. It was wild cduntry and he had to put in much of his time at farm work. When he was thirteen his father died and young Samuel went to work with his brothers in the woods, where for four years he did & man's work and drew g man’s pay. During this time he did a great deal of hunting and_ shooting. He bought himself a new Winchester rifle and became known as an expert shot, extremely hard to beat in turkey shoots and other competitions. In most of these shoots he took a handi- cap of ten to fifteen yards and shot from a prone position. When he was eighteen years old young Woodfill went to Loufsville and enlisted. That was something he had always intended to do. He says to- day that the tremendous family in- fluence surrounding him, the fact that he honored and loved his soldier father, very much gave him a feeling that_he should do nothing else in life but follow his father as a soldier. He enlisted in_1901 and was sent to the Philippine Islands, where he went through the training of an infantry- man. There he got a chance.to do quite a little hunting, wild hogs be- ing the largest game. He proved to be an expert shot, good at locating game and was depended upon by his comrades to keep them supplied with fresh meat. When his period of enlistment ex- pired he re-enlisted and was sent to Fort Edgar, Alaska. During the game season the men were allowed a 1 ten-day pass for hunting. The com- manding officer arranged it so that those among the men who did not care for this kind of sport surren- dered thelr passes in favor of Wood- fill, and he got the entire hunting season. He hunted everything but polar bears. His kill included brown, cinnamon and grizzly bears, moose, a mountain sheep, mountain lion and'birds and small game. He be- came known as the best hunter at the post and kept it provided with meat not only for immediate consumption, but to be stored away for the wi ter. On one occasion he killed two cinnamon and a brown bear in one day. He went out with the purpose of killing two of these. Having done this, he dropped off the mountains into the valley of Wolf creek and went crashing through the under- brush on the way back to the fort. The brush was thick, so he decided it was no use hunting for game. He had his rifle thrown across his shoul- der*in the sling and was making time for the post when he heard a snap- ping noise which he thought was an arctic rabbit. Three times he heard the noise, and then, looking around, saw a large cinnamon bear bounding out of the willows with his mouth wide open, snarling and breaking di- rectly for him. “He was twenty-five feet distant when he broke out of the willows, said Sergt. Woodfill in describing the encounter. “This necessitated quick action. I grabbed ‘for my rifle and {pre it off, brushing m§ hat off, and threw the rifie down. I hadn’t time to take aim and had to do hip shooting. The bul- let struck the bear in the spinal col- umn and broke it in two. All four feet were off the ground and when he was struck he just jack-knifed. He tried to crawl at me and was chew- ing the moss and roots and roaring. I was fortunate to be using a special bullet, for which I had sent to Chi- cago. It was called the “Hoxeyized" ammunition and was a soft-nosed bullet with an air cavity and a steel ball-bearing in the nose, sealed over with a coating of lead. It was a very effective bullet for large game, the least hit expanding it.” * ok x % 0, in addition to training as a sol- dier, Woodfill ‘had good training as a woodsman, as a stalker of game. He was out much with the Indians, and learned woodcraft. Thus he was well equipped by long experience as an infantryman in the Regular Army and experiences in the open, which made him an exceptionally valuable man overseas. It was this experience in the opén that made it possible for ‘|him to carry through successfully BY SERGT. WOODFILL DURING THE WAR. THE TWO: rno'i'o- CHRISTINA WOODFILL, HIS MOTHER, AND HIS WIFE IN HER BRIDAL DRESS. his big stunt on October 12. He knew just what to do, and was accustomed to_quick action. Throughout his early life,/his only love seems to have been his rifle.’ ys today that the only sweetheart ;‘ ever had was the little woman whom he married just before he went overseas. Sergt. Woodfill carries in a leather case over his heart the pic- N P I | | Hg | tional competition, held at Lemans|orphan and friendless. married. Time passed. She fell {ll The doctors said that the only chance saving her was to bring her here. felt better at first. Then she 8 X by the President on Friday morn- |grew worse. After lingering for a explaining to her who you are. Medal of Hono graphs of Mother and Ing. Gen. Pershing sent for him and extended his personal congratulations and asked why he had not accepted a commission. Maj. Gen. James J, Har- bord, assistant chief of staff: Maj. Gen. C. 8. Farnsworth, chief of infantry, and : | the Secretary of War have all gone out of their way to show attention to Sergt. ‘Woodfill. He has taken the congratula- tions and handclasps of his superior officers in much the same way that he took commands from his superior offi- cers in the field, as part of his duty. Ope of the greatest gratifications, of his life was to come back in time to see his mother before she died, in Septem- ber, 1920. He had not even written in detail to his family regarding his great exploit, on October 12, saying in his let- ters merely that he had had a serious encounter with the enemy. “She told me she was, very proud to live and see me return after having .|done my duty for my country, as she knew I would,” he said, in speaking of his mother. Sergt. Woodfill has a brother and sis- ter living at Bryantsburg, Ind., R. F. D. 9, Ma n, Ind., and a sister living OW He Received the Congressional r, Highest Award of the Nation—When the Germans Had No Chance With His Rifle—Used Pick to Silence One Machine. Gun Nest—Hunting Adventures in Alaska—Woodcraft From the Indians—Leather Case With Photo- Wife. {8t 1440 East 50th street, Indianapolis Ind. In one way Sergt. Woodfl we comes the nation-wide publicity that he is getting. He hopes that it may help him to locate one brother whom no member of the family has heard from in twent¥-two years. ~At that time the brother wrote 1o his mother from the state of Washington that he had en listed in the Army. He did not say what branch or organization. While in Washington Sergt. Woodfill is going to | try to hunt up his brother through the War Department records. Sergt. Woodfill does not play golf nor sing. He admits that he used to bew | very fond of dancing, but that was in the days of the round dances, and he | hasn't learned any of the | He is 5 feet 10% inches in helgh | weighs 1180 pounds and measures {inches across the chest. When he h: time to read he likes to read instructi d “never cared much for fi | tion."” | Sergt. Woodfill says that he has never |taken a church obligation and that his | religion is the religion of the Golden | Rule. THE MI By Jean Bertheroy. ' NSTREL | T WAS so beautiful outdoors that they were taking their coffee under the pergola, although it was still winter. The sparkling sea, the glowing sun and the deep azure of the sky made the air tremble with its own clarity. Magda, who was stretched on a lounging chair, asked her husband: “Didn't we breakfast earlier than SERGT. SAMUEL WOODFILL. (Copyright, Harris & Ewing.) S T ] RIS vafe:|usual? The violinist hasn't come yet." His wife was Lorena B. Wiltshire, | ('Have a little patience!” the young born in Covington, Ky., and a direct descendant of Daniel Boone. The ser- geant had known her for four years, and they had been engaged most of that time, but had been postponing marriage in order to accumulate vnough money to make the first pay- man answered, with a smile. Twice a week, in fact—each Thurs- day and Sunday—the gray-bearded old man, whom they called the violin- ist, came to their terrace to delight ment on a home of their own. them with a furtive concert. He “I felt under the played on his instrument, with its | greatest obliga- tion to this little woman, who had devoted so much time to me, and fel that 1 must make my promise good,” said Sergt. Woodfill, describing h feelings when the time came for him to go overseas. Previous to sailing he was stationed at Camp Greene . and they were married at Fort Thomas, Ky., on December 26, 1917. Mrs. Weodfill, when she learned of the distinction that Gen. Pershing had given her husband, gave him a per- sonal décoration of M. H. (model hus- band), and recalled that he was ac-ithe world. Luxury had neither cor- :gmlor?;d,g:h:n at home, to help her lrupted their hearts nor spoiled their T e dishes and do other work |delicacy of feeling. They didn't dare around the home = Sergt. Woodflll (to question this singular artist wh re :3_5{ e compliment Ly describing | resembled other artists so little, an his wife as “the most devoted and|who came. without being asked, to ing wife." However, he said that|play for them airs which they had he would not encourage young sol- |never heard before. diers, as: a rule, to marsy while in| “If he doesn’t appear,” Magda went service, unless they have the neces-|ON. in a tone of discouragement, *“we sary finance. Otherwise, on occasion, | shall have lost the opportunity to as- it ‘might . cause great hardship, he|Sist him. We shall go back to Paris said. thinking of the deprivations that | without” knowing where he comes he caused the wife ra. rom or why, with a soul so vibrant, the husband, ther than |, 0% St poor and alen e beginning of the war = sald Marcel, shaking non-commissioned officers. were sent |nead: “We shall soon forget him. to schooi and given much the seme|, But he realized that his words rang tralning as reserve officers. In thig|f28C 804 that the mystory of this way Sergt. Woodfill was commii |recluse's existence would long occupy sioned a second lieutenant. He soon | the!r thoughts. was promoted to first lieutenant, and X s had attracted attenti officere by his shees ::m"[;, superior AT that minute the first stirrings . of the music reached their ears and handle men. * k ok ¥ and against the foliage of the orange HILE in France Sergt. Woodfil, |trées they saw the violinist's silhou- when questioned, did say that he|°tte: This time again he played a would like to receive a commission, | MOt ©f extreme simplicity, which He went through preliminary exami. |2Ccorded with the sober lines of the nation and was recommended for g {l2ndscape before him. There was no commission. embellishment, no redundance. But a When he had returned to this coun. | PFofound feeling welled up in these try and a second questionnaire was |POfeS like a cry in the infinite. sent out by the War Departmene| DOVt let him get away” Magda Woodfill replied that he did not care | ISEBSd: bending toward her hushand, to be examined. Although there are| 21N him here. I must speak to plenty of colonels in the Ameri g Army who would be glad to hav?: You do me too much honor, madame,” the violinist began when good man like him as captain, he re- | wag seated beside the yeung couple enlisted at his old grade as sergeant | wnoge curiosity he had excited. “You and was placed on the detached en-|wish to know how my taste for music listed men’s list and assigned to re-jcame to me and how I learned my profession. cf:m“iedl‘;:ys“n“;";: Thf;“‘“- KY. |jsn't a profession, like the others. It where es . s wife. She is|is a vocation, which seizes hold on coming on to witness the honors paid | You, Without your chopsing it, and him on Armistice day, but is the only | VoucT shrill notes, unknown airs, fragile and light, freighted with a strange sensi- bility. When he finished he went away without waiting for a modest gratuity. It was wecessary to call after him to induce him to accept this offering. His reticence and modesty interest- ed the young couple, who led a life of ease in this enchanted corner of is you must follow. Mon Dieu, ves! I could have been a lawyer or present. The sergeant himself ex- | an office instead of run- Dlams that his brothers and sisters | N LvinE 11 AN o My father was cannot afford the trip. & registrar in the village where I In everything Sergt. ‘Woodfill isab- | was born. I could have succeeded solutely modest. He has impressed | nim in that office. the officers at the War Department a8 | But, no, I couldn’t have. being the best type of soldier, well |T knew already that I couldn’t do trained, capable of taking care of |anything else but devote myself to himself under any condition and do- [music. I had no ambition.” I had ing his duty without talking about it. | only the desire to respond to the voice He has had twenty-one years of actual | which spoke within me more strongly I say I could have. service on account of his assignments | will"” to the Philippines and Alaska.. He| He looked at his violin, which he can now retire as sergeant: -Sendtor | had stood on the ground beside him Richard P. Ernst of Kentucky- has,|and ~whose cords still trembled however, introduced a bill, which is|against his leg. Magda understood now before the Senate committee on |and stopped him with a gesture. military affairs, to put Sergt. Wood-( “So you bought this instrument and fill on the retired list as captain. The | learned very quickly how to use it, War Department would not be- dis- | didn’t you? You were delivered over pleased to see this done. to_your passion? And you became Sergt. Woodfill wears the congres- | celebrated? . sional medal of hopor, which is the No, madame, I have never been highest award of the United States|celebrated, and 1 ‘have often béen | unhappy. SEhi m;’;h::{'ry";fi:"f,",‘n‘;d'°{n’°{},‘§ “Nevertheless,” Marcel intervened, resence- of and against the enemy | “you have exceptional talent. Nobody >s gives as well as you do with your bow newin'la D iably hesond and | miven s el VAo, G A0S given for any act of herolsm, no mat- 2nd order in the universe. et 18 member of his family who will be (Xl [ 120t making money or losing At eighteen ! service and thirty years' constructive | than the voice of my blood or of my few years she died. I was worn out myself. Our means were exhausted. So I remained here. I mo longer had hh!i courage to support the burden of * k% % H!—: glanced at his companions, blushed beneath his wrinkles and said in a lowered voice: “Then, I will confess to you, music such as I played before ceased to respond to my ideal. It wasn't that clear and supple French music, of which Lulli and Rameau had left the tradition. We were oppressed by German polyphony and deluged by the waves of ltalian melodies. I tried myself to compose some airs and to test through them the feeling which 1 created in those who heard them— for example, the people who lounged about the terraces., Some seemed to find a charm in my. pieces, but many, the majority, shrugged their shoul- ders and asked for something elsc. At bottom, this was all the same to me. My real joy was in composing the airs and playing them with ail the sensibility and fire which were left in me.” He arose, picked up his violin and walked rapidly away, after making a vague bow. And Margel didn't dare to run after him to put the customary gratuity into his hand. Marcel had great difficulty in find- ing the wandering musician again. One April evening, however, he brought™him into the pergola, where Magda was awaiting them. “We have a proposition to make to you,” said the young woman, invit- ing the artist to take a seat beside her. “We are rich and have no_chil- dren. We love art in all its forms and are passionately fond of music. We are going back o Paris. Our house is large and ean easily ac- commodate one more person. We want to take you with us. You will be free to go and come as you please. But we will see to it that you will play in circles where you will be appreciated at your real value. You deserve zhis compensation after all the tribulations you have 3 through.” N fehe The old man had listened to her without exhibiting any surprise. When she had finished he looked at her “coldly. . “I thank you,” he said. “You are very=good, but I cannot accept. is too late. 1 am too old now.” “One s never 0o old to see his life's efforts realized,” Marcel suggested. “You didn’t understand me,” replied the violinist. “I told you that I didn't set great store on riches or glory. 1 have no need of anything or anybody. An old man requires so little to live on, if only a ray of sun- light caresses him.” Very gravely he made his final con- fession to the young couple: “1am no longer free. 1am attached It In the first piace, music to this coast by a thousand liens, in- | visible, but all-powerful. It is_herc that 1 have heard the voice of the sea—that grand music which contains all other music. When one has heard that great voice he can't listen to i other voices. I have only one desire | —to die on a bench, facing the sca. { with my violin on my knees.” This time he went away, his head bare and his gray locks tossing in the breeze. Magda wept silently. (Translated from the French by William L. McPherson.) A Curious Food Plant. THB French chemist Balland has analyzed an annual food plant called “woandsu,” growing in tropical Africa, and Introduced in southern lA:lu. and Brazil, and his conclusions are interesting. This plant is, it appears, the first fruit, in the natura] state that has ever been exAmined and found to con- tain all the chemical properties of a per- fect nutriment. Two pounds of it, it is claimed, would supply the daily re- quirements of the human system. Like the peanut, it matures underground. Its edible kernel is shaped like an | ter how greet, which is manifestly cried the old wan; “that s the duty of the soldier. He also wears the insignia of a chevaller of the Legion of Honor of France, has the croix de -guerre with palms, and the Order of Danilo I (fifth class) of] Montenegro, which corresponds with the chevalier ‘grade in the Legion of Honor, He wears the wictory medal with three bars and the Philippine and Mexican border ribbons. .He has been-ap exper He was® member of the infantry rifie team of the A. E. F. in the interna- ‘Al what we must strive for. fortune could. The two men shook hands. Put at his ease by this mark of sympathy, the obscure artist continued: “Perhaps I could have attained wealth and glory, never eager for them. But fate de- cided differently. She spontaneously at- oung girl. % She tached herself to me. in the summer of-1919. * %k * ¥ ERGT. WOODFILL was recelved|She # words give me more joy than a although I was e countries I visited with the orchestra t rifleman since 1907.|o¢ which I was a member 1 met & was an We were egg. It furnishes a very white flour, the flavor of which, after cooking- resembles that of the chestnut. Between Two Fires. The young couple were dining out. In the middle of their meal a tall and beautiful woman passing near their table gave the young man a look of recognition and a smile. So dangerous was the smile that the girl said, “John, !iho was that ‘woman?" » John held up his hand. “Now, for goodness sake,” “he said, “don’'t get botHering me about who she is. T shall have tfouble e!,nugl