"NEXT CASE PLEASE."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11669, 8 April 1916, Page 9

"NEXT CASE PLEASE."

THE TALE OF WENZEL NEKVASIL

Tho "Arbeiter Zeitung," of Vienna, a newspaper demoted to the inte/ ests of the working men of Austria, prints tho folio.ving -nathetic incident, showing how the war affects every phase of life .of .the people:— " The scene," says the "Arbeiter Zeitung,'' "is a little village in Bohemia. Won&el Nekvasil- has received some legal paper. Neither he nor his wife can read, so his neighbours read it for him, telling Nekvasil that it is _a. summons to appear in the District Court on tho 17th at nine o'clock in the morning. . . ' , , " ' Perhaps it. is about my sou, said Nekvasil ' and they may want to tell me some news of him. You know, we have not heard from him m four months.' . . " At sis o'clock on the morning or the 17th Nekvasil, dressed' in his black Sunday clothes 3 starts to wrlk to the District Court_ for the road rs long and) dreary, and it requires at least two hours to get th.jre. When he readies the court building he is ordered to sil. on a bench in the o-rridor until he is callod. There are many others there waiting. After a weary wait of two hours ha is called -n. '"You are Hg-t Wen/el - NekvasiJ?'

" £ Yes, your Honor.' " ' Very well ; on order of the court of this district I am direrted to examine you regardiig a matter of inheritance.' u ' Yes. your Honor.' " ' Your' ion Fraai Nekvasil, nineteen years old. who was with the Landsturm infantry regiment, No.. ■ —,• fell like a hero in battle in East Galicia. Was he your only son?' "'Yes, your Houor.* " < Well," after his- death tho following were found on his person "'A.—AsS3ts:— Kronen. Cash money . . • 14.37 Five kopecs worth seven helles . .35 A nicWl watch . . . 2.40 A memorandum book . . . .18 An old pocket-book (of no value) Amount of assets . • 17.30 B.—Liabilities —Non-?. C.—Actual value of effects . 17.30 " ' That is what he actually left. Do you understand?' " ' Yes. your Honor. ,£ ' As your son left no will or testament, the law will have to take charge of the matter.' " ' Yes, your Honnr.' " It is to be in accordance with the law Do you understand?' " ' Yes your Honor.' " ' Therefore you and your wife can only claim one-halt of the value Of the effects.'

" ' Yes, your Honor.' "'So I'wili d'iclr.ro you and your wife the only heirs. Of course, the Surrogates' Court will eventually assign the whole matter over to the District Court.' " ' Yes. your Honor.' "'Then you and' your wife will receivo notice again for examination. There, now wo are through. Now you will please si.ijn this examination paper.*' "Nekvasll signs by making three crosses. " 'So now you can go. Next, please. 5 " Nekvasil goes to the door, but hesitate?) whan ho reaches the door._ "'ls there anything else you wish?' asks the official. " 'Pardon but I am thinking of my son—is he dead?'_ "'Mv dear friend, I thought that was u:jder.«tocd. If lis were alive there would be no reason for court action. Go home and console yourself with the thousht that vour only beloved v*>n saerftced his life- on the altar of the Fatherland find died like a hero. The next case, please.' "Wenzel sadly walks back the two-hour stretch to his home in the village. " That afternoon be and 1 his wife ouietly attend to their work; only in the evening, when thev both sit silently at their frugal meal, do they give way to thoir emotions, and both weep bitterly. "'The next case please."