River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-08-02
"Youm see her and tell her about

THAT l will, Jack, sure.
ct doesn't matter much about faith
er. / guess he never quite liked ms
or perhaps | was lot of trouble to
him. Leastways, we didn't agree
much. If we had, mightn't have en-
listed when | did-skipped of, you
know, without saying good-by. Pa
won't care If / don't come home. But
ma-you1l see her!"
Just as soon as / reach Gods coun-
try, Jack, I'll make straight for where
you say. But we're going together, old
chap"
I'm going over in the hold, IL | go
az all. It's no use jollying me up.
Talking won't help. But I kind of
wish-oh, well, only get my honora-
BILE discharge the way / expected But
kind Of wish"
What Private Griggs wished never
was uttered. Doubtless it was for one
more sight of the old farm back in
Ioway"-of the corn and the wheat,
or the stubble and the shocks, and the
naples shielding the peaceful, white
house. However, q Filipino bullet had
decreed that if Private Griggs ever
crossed the ocean, bound for Iowa, he
should go ''in the hold" Private
Griggs knew this, and now he was 81
lent.
Corporal Thompson, recovering from
Filipino fever that had tried to rival
a Filipino bullet, sitting there holding
the hand of his chum, read what was
in the thoughts of the dying soldier
the vain hope and the hopelessness.
Far away, to the north of the hos
pital, battery doomed sullenly as it
Shelled the jungle. Rifle fire spattered
and snapped. Family a cheer came
drifting down the humid, sluggish air.
Maybe the wounded man was
among the Iowa meadowlarks. Maybe
he recognized the cheer At any rate
he smiled. Thus the end came to Pri-
vate Griggs, B company, til infantry,
U. S. A.
Three months later, Corporal
Thompson, inValided home, toiled
slowly up a long, long hill, over one
of those roads consequent upon Iowa's
boosted rolling pratries. When he had
received the orders to go back to the
States" with the next consignment of
weak and wasted soldiers, he had been
mindful of his promise to the dead
private. His home, as he jocularly put
1t, was wherever his hat was, and no
ties Of kindred interfered with his
purpose to go straight from San Fran
cisco to accomplish his mission.
AS he assembled the hill, at the top
of which villagers had said he would
find the Griggs place, he went over and
over in his thoughts the words that
he would speak.
On the crest of the hill, ahead, ap-
peared bunch of soft naples.
Many a time had Private Griggs,
crouching in the muddy trench while
the sun or the rain poured down in
fury, described to Corporal Thompson,
crouching beside him, this homely spot
on the top of an Iowa hill. He had
arranged that his friend should see
and taste with him it's delights when
the furlough comes" And the fur
Corporal Thompson remembered
many details. The father was tall,
and spare, and slightly stopped be-
cause he was troubled with rheun1a-
eism. But he was very active and
could outwork most young men.
The mother was little, and wrinkled,
and gentle. She, too, had white hair,
coiled on the top Of her head, with a
black celluloid comb sticking into it
to keep it in place. She would De
found "doin' things" for she was al
ways busy. She would be washing the
dishes, or cooking, or feeding the
chickens and turkeys, or churning, or
perhaps making ice cream.
Corporal Thompson expected to see
the mother alone, and in some way
he was not yet fully determined how
inform her Of the tragedy that had
taken place those thousands of pitiiess
miles away. mid the isles of the China
Sea. He had not come all this dis
lance to tell the Advantageous,
stern, close-fisted Saul Griggs, known
the country over as a man whose cat
tie were dearer to him than his family
The messenger had now arrived at
the hilltop; but at the gate, under the
guardian maple, he paused while he
mopped his face with his blue bandan-
ma handkerchief.
But the place seemed strangely quiet
The loudest noise was the humming oil
the bees, and save the bees, no sign OF
life was visible until the front door
opened and a man, stepping out on the
porch, waited there, having carefully
shut the door behind him. Corporal
Thompson noted that he was an old
man-evidently much older than the
father of Jack. He was more stopped
and his beard was all white, and ne
wore a suit of ill-ftting black.
rs this the Griggs placer" asked the
soldier.
The other man peered at him closely
for a minute, with doubtful, inqulr-
ing look, in which expectancy faded tc
dull immobility. Finally he answered:
"Yes. sir, it is.
ct would like to see Mrs. Griggs, II
it is possible" said the corporal.
1T is not. Do you-have you come
-"
From her son." explained Corporal
Thompson.
From. you say? Not with. Then
he iS-he is"