The young and gifted American poet who fought in the Foreign Legion.
He was killed in action in the Champagne campaign.]
“The eve of the ceremony arrived—I can not recall the date—but no leave
came. We were in the trenches and chance had placed me near Seeger in
_petit poste_ (the small outlook-post, some yards in advance of the
first line trench). He confessed that he had lost all hope of going,
and I tried to find all sorts of arguments to encourage him, that his
leave might come at dawn, and that by taking the train at Ressons at 7
a. m. he could still reach Paris by noon and would have plenty of time,
as the ceremony was at two.
“The morning came, and instead of bringing the much-desired permission
to leave, it brought a terrible downpour of rain, and the day passed
sadly. He found consolation in the thought that it was only a
postponement and that July 4 would soon arrive, when the Americans with
the Foreign Legion might hope for forty-eight hours’ leave, as last
year.”
The explanation came later. It was a clerical error that cheated him;
the forty-eight hours’ leave granted for the event was made out for
June 30, instead of for May 30. Continuing the letter: