Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1919 — SPIRTS OF COLONEL DROOP [ARTICLE]

SPIRTS OF COLONEL DROOP

ATTACK ON HIS POETRY MAKES COLONEL THINK WHOLE WORLD ’AGIN’ HIM For once Colonel Healey is downcast! Rather a startling statement, for mental depression is not at all a natural characteristic of the Rensselaer officer. However, his present state of mind is all our fault, due to our having made an uncalled for attack on his poetical ability. So we’re going to publicly apologize to the popular overseas officer while he entertains you in the Healeyesque way. Serrigny, Yonne; France. ’ A. P. 0. 796,. April 13, 1919. Dear Friend Louis*— My writing again is without justification except that our mail service here is so uncertain that when expected letters do not arrive we attribute the fact to the postal clerks and retain our confidence in our correspondents. . My duties here are that of a specialist and consequently not so time consuming as those of command and I find that time hangs rather heavily on my hands and therefore I turn to writing. I think I must quite burden my wife and daughters with my numerous letters and when I think, as the English say, that they are “bally well fed up” with my writing I turn on you. If that explanation is sufficient I will proceed without further introduction, although it is posible my letter will be a bit rambling, for, as I have said before, I find it difficult to get France all straightened out in my mind, although I have been reading bits of French history since I came over and have tried to accustom myself to all phases of their life I have had a chance to observe. 'A bit of French weather lore says : “En Avril, n’ote pas un fil. En Mai fais ee qu’il te plait,” which means: “In April do not remove one thread. In May do as you please.” A clipping from The Republican reached me a few days ago which I imagine to have been perpetrated by “Lefty” Clark, who was rather my'journalistic protege. It said that the day it was written was the sort of a day that would have inspired me to poetry. I don’t know what sort of a day it was and am at a disadvantage, therefore, in trying to defend myself. Poetry has its place in the world but I am not sure that certain days or certain weather conditions are necessary for its production. Not the kind I wrote, in particular, although

ity. Now, this being April and I being in France the truth of the adage above is apparent and I feel that I might almost write a couplet if I am sure that it would not result in my ostericaization when I return home. French spring develop very deliberately. In January there was the only freeze of importance and we had some February days that were bright enough to indicate spring was on the threshold. Farmers have been plowing and planting ever since then, the small but dense fields of wheat are producing strong stalks of young grain, the crocuses are in full bloom everywhere and the trees are in full bud and seem ready with the first warm day to break into full leaf, but the days are very damp and chill and I am comfortable in a closed roohi with a good fire in the grate. Being Sunday I am idle and except for the rather discouraging effect of that article about my rhymes I might be trying to produce verses this very moment. Two weeks ago I had a four days’ visit in Paris. Other trips there have been for brief duration but this time I had an opportunity to scent many details of Parisian life and I was more delighted thaji ever before with it There is a charm that certainly alters any unfavorable opinions that one may have had of this country for which we went to war. Of course, Paris is not in full swing yet. It will take a year or two for adjustment before even conventionally France sets out to participate in the gayeties of triumph, but there is a noticeable change since my first glimpse of it when the armistice was signed. Then there was pathos mixed with the rejoicing, while now there is confidence and readjustment. Of course, death has invaded many homes and French custom exacts respect for such visitation without regard to the sentiment or affection in which the missing one was held. For instance, after the death of a wife or husband the mourning lasts for two years, for parents it lasts 18 months, for grandparents 15 months, for brother or sister or brotherinlaw, or sisterinlaw 10 months, for uncle or aunts 6 months, for cousins or godparents. 3 months. Ido not mean to say .that the French people would be indifferent in any cases about their losses, for they regard them keenly, but if will be realized that wearing mourning according to the convention for relatives of all sorts France was very generally in crepe and the long thick veils of the widows will be worn yet for many months. In fact, France dresses mostly in black in ordinary times and last fall everything was dark but the large stores are now showing a considerable amount of color and consequent gayety. The popular eating places, however, are clearly patronized mostly by foreigners and the French customs, generally in small groups, are lacking the spirit and animation characteristic of the race. - . However, this is not what I started to write you about Paris. I was

walking toward my hotel one morning when who should address me but Russell Warren, son of our old classmate and former schoo Isuperintendent, I. Newton. I was indeed glad to see him and he certainly was looking fine. The rose in his cheek and the tidiness of his appearance showed that the war had dealt gently with him. I asked him to have a bit of lunch with me and we talked over things back there and he told me that he was one of the naval guards at Hotel Crillon for Colonel House, with whom he came into frequent contact. It is surely a fine privilege for him amd a great experience. Previously I had seen Sergeant Or? ville Shreeves, who was one of the guards of honor at the Crillon and I thought that Rensselaer was surely quite well represented to have both a sailor and a soldier assigned to that very important duty. .. Since returning here I have learned that Miss Adah Bush, of Kentland, is in Paris, in Y. M. C. A. work. Miss Bush is quite well known in Rensselaer and may be remembered as the secretary of Warren T. McCray, who made such a fine campaign for governor three years ago. . There was general rejoicing in this, the 36th division, a few days ago when an order came that will take it back home. It moves from this area to the embarkation center on April i27th. This probably means that it will reach New York some time in June. My services with it being only temporary, I have no information about myself. My plans are still to visit ngland, Scotland and Ireland and if possible, Rome and Naple» and Nice and Marseilles. If I start off on a new tangent I am certain my letter would become most distressingly long and so I won’t do it more than to say that newspapers that are publishing rot about the temperance people taking advantage of tne> absence of the soldiers to vote the country dry are maligning the soldier a great deal. I am sure that the great majority of soldiers after seeing the results of access to liquor here will be better prepared than ever before to say that there is no god whatever to it and to agree that the great deeds disclosed by this war ca nbe solved more satisfactorily without liquor and its coevils to contend with. Write to me if you have an opportunity and send me a Republican some time just to cheer me up on rainy days and prevent me from that low-spiritedness that “Lefty” thinks drives me to verse. With best wishes to you and Clark and “Lefty and Grace and all the friends who may inquire I am, , > Sincerely yours,

GORGE H. HEALEY.