Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-08-08
AMessag e From
a Soldier
BY EDWIN 4. SABTN

1T doesn't matter much about faith
er. l guess he never quite liked ms
or perhaps l was a lot of trouble to
him. Leastways, we didn't agree
much. If we had, mightn't have en-
listed when | did-skipped off, you
know, without saying good-by. Pa
won't care if l don't come home. But
ma-you'n 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, if ! go
at all. It's no use jollying me up.
Talking won't help But | kind Of
wish-oh, well, I only get my honora-
bic 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 the corn and the wheat.
or the stubble and the shocks, and the
naples shielding the peaceful, white
house. However, a Filipino bullet had
decreed that if Private Griegs 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
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 nos
pital, a battery doomed sullenly as it
shelled the jungle Rife 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 infan Try,
U. S. A.
Three months later, Corporal
Thompson, invaded home, tot ed
slowly up long, long hill, over one
Of those roads, consequent upon Iowa's
boosted rolling pra1ries. 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
it, 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
ind the Griggs place, he went over ana.
over in his thoughts the words that
he would speak.
On the crest Of the hill, ahead, ap-
peared a bunch Of soft naples.
Many 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 homeIy 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
Tough had come to both, but not alike.
Corporal Thompson remembered
II.
and spare, and slightly stopped be-
cause he was troubled with rheuma-
eism. But he was very active and
| could outwork most young mel,
The mother was little, and wrinkied.
and gentle. She, too, had white hair.
coiled on the top OF her head, with
black celluloid comb sticking into it
RI lYnnYN in
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 father-rigorc,us
stern, close-fisted Saul Griggs. known
| the country over as 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 ne
mOpped bis face with his blue bandan-
| ma handkerchief.
But the place seemed strangely quiet.
The loudest noise was the humming of
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 suit of ill-itting black.
rs this the Griggs placer" asked the
soldier.
The other man peered at him closely
| for a minute with a doubtful. inuulr-
| ing look, in which expectancy faded to
| dull immobility. Finally he answered:
81, - -