Page:Poet Lore, volume 27, 1916.djvu/388

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368
WHOM THE GODS DESTROY

thousand and one dreams woven by the spinners of fiction born out of a mind which knows no evil and a heart that is overflowing with love of one’s neighbor. Today the lyres are mute, the jester’s bells ring out of tune and the shriek of a bullet roars with derision at a mother’s lullaby. To the few to whom it was not given to conceive hate in order to justify murder, who insist on withholding judgment, this is a soul-trying epoch indeed. It seems at times futile to build, to weave, and create what in a moment of fury, an insensible mob will destroy. But the passion for the betterment of the world is a part of our existence and on board of a torpedoed ship, we dream and plan the great dream world to-be and the equality, love and citizenship of all who shall inhabit it.

Characters Of the Play

Ebner, lieutenant of the 21st regiment of Baron Reichach.
Vonka, soldier of the same regiment.
Vichodil, soldier of the 5th Jägers.
Havlin, soldier of the 4th of Count Grenville.
Kovar, soldier of the battery of Brigadier Frangner.
Spravil, Uhlan of the 3rd of Archduke Charles.
Kloc, soldier of the 4th of Baron Degenfeld.
Levinsky, soldier of the 77th of Archduke Charles Ludwig.
Soukup, soldier of the 24th Jägers.
Svacha University students, volunteers of 31st Jägers.
Suk,
Anna Petrova, woman of the village, wife of the signal man of the railroad.
A Soldier.

A country church-yard. In its depth is a weed covered wall, about a man’s height. It winds to the right toward the spectator then there is a gate. From the gate a short path in the grass to the door of a little church which is on the left of the scene. The graves are ill-kept but covered with wild blossoming flowers. Near this wall bushes of gooseberry and wild currant are nestling. It is spring-time, June. Before the curtain rises, shots are heard. There is noise, alarm and confusion.

The curtain rises. There was a light shower in the early part of the afternoon, the grass is wet. Near the gate the body of a dead soldier lies huddled. To the right the sky is red with the glow of the