Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23

made them a liberal proposition. Around
the house hung all the memories of their
honeymoon. In that bed room to the right,
under the Jutting caves, BERTHE had been
born. Down the concrete walk leading to
the spot where she stood their boy had
taken his first uncertain steps, and under
the cherry tree his sand pile. She
noted that a fort he had been building that
very morning still stood and she frowned
at sight of it. Then there was the bride
rose which her husband had planted and
just beyond a slip from the bridal-wreath
bush sent by her mother from the old
homestead in the east.
And now If Harry enlisted all this must
be given up. Their savings would go for
her support during his absence. The change
!, from his liberal salary with Dodge, Meyer
d co. TO the paltry pay of a first sergeant
seemed appalling. The expression of her
face grew harder and harder. Bitter tears
rose in her eyes. Were there not men in
plenty to make up this army of emancipa-
ton? Yes, plenty and to spareH
'Muvverr'
She held out her hand mechanically. with
out looking down at the child. Suddenly
she felt the little hand in hers culver. A
burst of sObs shook the boys frame
BERTHE lonely. BERTHE wants fadder'
Margaret picked him up and Rugged him
1T is a sign, an omen" she murmured
Harry belongs to Sus-to us-and no one
else"
But the sun sank into the twilight. and
twilight INTO darkness. and still Harry did
not come. BERTHE was in bed, and their lit
tie maid of all work sat the back stoop
humming war songs in happy anticipation
of watching the soldiers march to the de-
pot next morning. AT last Margaret aban-
doned her vigil on the front porch, entered
the dining room and packed basket OF
lunch. She selected the best the pantry of
fered, wrapping each dainty separately in
tissue paper and covering all with snowy
linen. Then she put on of her prettiest
dresses, and fastened Harry's favorite rib
bon at her collar. 1t all appealed to her as
means of riveting the domestic letters
Her head throbbed in time to her ever
recurring murmur of 'E won't give him UP
i won't"
Lights blazed from every window of the
armory. The babble of voices met her at
the foot of the stairs. She paused in the
doorway of the drill room The air was
thick with dust, through which she saw
vaguely a mass of blue-clad figures, each
surrounded by circle of somberly clothed
friends. young girl clutching a string of
brass buttons and bows of tri-color ribbon
stopped at Margarets elbow, and remark
ed:
Isn't it too lovely. the dear, brave
things!"
Margaret turned from her coldly, and
asked young man she knew by sight
where Sergeant Lawrence was.
I'm the officers room, ma'am They're
packing supplies and he's the busiest man
in the bunch"
Sergeant Lawrence blew his wife kiss
from the UPS OF his STlfny myers and went
on with his work. With the ghost of a
smile. she held out the basket
TOO late. dearie 1 got SO hungry
waded into crackers and cheese but there's
a couple of boys in the next room who
just enlisted. They walked in from the
Dunbar ranch. I guess they'd be glad to
have that lunch"
Harry went back to his work and with
Tightening of her lips Margaret carried
the basket to the two ranch hands sit
ting stiffiy and uncomfortably erect in their
newly donned uniforms. They accepted the
proffered lunch without hesitation and FELL
to with relish. One of them, picking out
a piece of snowy angels food, nudged the
other and whispered hoarsely: That's how
,, things come your way when you wears de
blue"
Margaret's hand frightened on the basket
and without waiting for their awkward
thanks. she hurried from the room. Were
there not enough men like this? Why
And again the question formed In her
brain: why should Harry go?
There was no room for her in the officers
room. where barrels and boxes were being
showed toward waiting men. The din of the
drill room confused her. The shrill voices
of the women pierced her ears. The soldier
boys rushed about excitedly with dust on
their uniforms, and forced gaiety on their
lips. 1t was all very dirty, offensive and
absurd, from Margaret's point of view She
wandered from group to group, returning
greetings with commonplace. Later on
. bugle sounded. and the entire company