The Washington herald., 1914-12-06
HER MAJESTY'S FUND.
BY HARMONY WELLER.

tCorgnEht, leI.)
Elaine looked long and wistfully al
the beautiful ring lying in the palm OF
her hand. She had promised faithfully
that should anything happen to her
soldier boy who had gone to the front she
would take or his ring and dispose OF il.
1T will only be a constant reminder
| OF me- he told her at parting. "and II
the battlefield claims me you will forget
me the quicker without that ring"
And Elaine had wept as nearly all of
the women in England had wept when
the regiments had gone OF with pipe
and drum playing. Jimmy Thorpe be-
lonEed to the famous Black Watch. and
his kilt had swung merrily as he march
ed away. among the first to reach the
battle ground.
Elaine had met the shock with brave
heart. Jimmy's name had been in the
list of casualties after a furious attack
on the enemy. The girl wept for her own
loss, but more did she weep for the
mother whose son had been struck down
in his youth and for the mothers Of other
sons who had met similar fate
War Is savage! Brutal" she told
herself and looked sadly down at the
ring Jimmy had placed upon her finger.
Dear. brave Jimmy. You loved life
so and now you've been robbed of it
poor dear Jimmy Elaine pressed her
lips to her ring in silent farewell She
had given her word to part with il and
in the afternoon she took II down to
Foley House in Portland place as a con-
tribution to the queens fund It had
not been an easy task. but Elaine real
lied that Jimmy had been quite right.
He would not want her to live in constant
painful memories. By giving It to the
queens fund she was adding to a most
worthy cause.
When she returned from Portland place
Elaine found her home cherries Per-
haps It was her mentality more than
physical surroundings. Nevertheless she
knew II to be intolerable and decided
upon a trip to New York America AT
least was neutral. and there was little
danger Of bombs and spies to further
the wreck OF her already ragged nerves.
She was of then as soon as trunks could
be packed and berth arranged for.
Two days after Elaine had sailed for
neutral lands Ethel Davis was walking
down oxford street looking at the war
pictures that adorned the shop windows
and at every other evidence of the great
upheaval OF nations. kilograms from
Petrograd, from Berlin and from Rome
were pasted in the windows and trophies
from the battlefields attracted huge
croWQs- Ethel passed all these by, but
stopped interestedly in front Of a win
dow that displayed an odd assortment
of jewelry. embroidery, paintings, indian
relics and historical gems OF all kinds,
These were being sold for the Queens
fund. and many a treasure had been sent
when perhaps the sender had not even a
shilling to offer
Ethel gazed longingly at some of the
jewelry. 1t was one OF her hobbies 10
collect odd bits Of adornment. She knew
that she would be helping 70 augment the
Queens fund should she see anything in
that assortment that lured her into pur-
chasing II.
When Ethel caught sight of the beau
tiful ring that formed an z, her own
initial. she was lost. Never had she seen
a ring so completely desirable as that
one with her birth stone set in to form
her letter. opals and diamonds clustered