Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-06-13
"'What do you mean?' asked
"'You might 50 home with an arm
shot on

NAT would De more IKE you tnau
me. Billy You're always up to some
practical joke said l.
But think how Jolly u would be
after ReSs had sympathiZed with you
and stood Ivy you. and all that, to un-
deceive her
1T would be kind Of nice. I've a
good mind TO try 1t on
You see, II wasn't very long since
we had been lighting. and might have
lost an arm and not written home any
thing about 1t. | couldn't bear to give
them the pain. you know. Well, moth
Ing more was said about the test OF
BeSs' affection for me TIL we reached
the town where the regiment had been
organized We came IN train OF
cars. and. since we arrived late at
night. there were few persons to well
come us The next morning | secured
leave to 80 and see mother, and after
she had huyGcd ME and shed tears over
me for awhile went up to my room.
doubled my arm behind my back ~
der my blouse, buttoucd the cape OF
my ovcreoat under my chin and, With
an empty sleeve swinging loose, madO
pretty good one armed soldier.
"ReSs was at the door to let me In
and when she saw my empty sleeve
she looked ms IL she was going to cry.
| didn't wait to set inside to put one
arm around her and kiss her right be-
fore persons passing on the street.
Fact is, | couldn't wait wished had
both arms free. Those who saw me
didn't mind the publicity OF the thing.
All the soldier boys were coming home
and We're mighty popular fellows, tell
you Every one liked to see them hap
Ply.
"oh, Archicy exclaimed Bess he.
tween kisses. My poor, dear Archei
Why didn't YOU write me about the
loss Of your armT
~ couldn't | faltcrcd I was too
broken up Resides, | didn't know but
when YOU knew | must be maimed for
life YOU would ~
"'Cense to love YOU, discard youl
oh, Archie, how could YOU think thatr
- only feared Il | had confidence
in your nobility OF soul, but | wasn't
quite sure
"'Wasnt quite sure! Why, Archie.
II | thought for moment that you
had believed would be 40 base AZ to
turn you away after you had fought
all this time for your country. while |
have not been able TO stand my shars
OF the burden. | would feel outraged
81 began To feel bit nervous. lf
this was the way she felt, what would
she do when she knew | had put up a
| Job to test her? | Ind intended to sur
prise her by bringing forward the MISS
ing arm n few minutes after our meet
ing. Now | dared not do SO We sat
down on sofa side by side. Bcss,
dreadlng lest | should hurt the stump.
kept at distance from me on that
account. | tried to get her to let mo
put the other arm around her waist,
but she said that not for worlds would
she risk hurting that poor wounded
member or as much OF Il MS the sur
geon had left. The consequence was
I was obliged to sit at one end of tho
sofa. while she sat ut the other.
II couldn't get her TO talk about any
thing except my misfortune. Sho
wanted to know In what fight | had
lost the arm. just how fnr up II hnd
been sawed off. how long | had been
In the hospital. tried to head her
of. but 1t was no use by and by
she conquered her repugnance at look
ing Mt such Il thing sufficiently to sug-
gest that | let her see how much Of
the arm was left | wasn't ready to
make n confession just then, so | told
her that to uncover the wounded en1
would pain me terribly,
"Of course | should have been
ashamed OF myself; but, having got
| into the scrape, how was | to get out
OF III tried To screw up my courage
to tell her. but every time | was about
TO begin that look of mingled reproach,
/ indignation aud contempt that would
surely come over her face II ! did
scared me OFF couldn't do II.
There was u ring ut the doorbell,
aud who should come In but Billy
/ WEIGH
Ion. Mr. WEIGH exclaimed Bess.
! isn't It terrible about the loss OF Ar
/ chie's ARM Why didn't you write me
about IT,
81 didn't have the heart to break
tn" news 10 you
ITO think that when other boys are
coming home whole Archie should suf
| fer this lossr
ITS awful! exclaimed Billy, turn
ing his back TO get chair, or rather.
TO hide an effort to rcprcss laugh.
81 wish you would tell me- Bess
went on to him. how much of the arm
Is left. Archie won't let me see It,
won't he? Then I'll make him
BILLY came TO me and landed Il blow
on that part Of my lost arm which was
near the shoulder Bess gave cry
You awful man" she said to Billy.
How could you be so cruclT
by this time | could see that both
hess and Billy were trying to keen