The Washington herald., 1914-12-09
DAILY SHORT STORY.
BOTH LOVE AND WAR.
By JUNE GAHAN.
tCopynght, lslL.l

-Hurrah!" sang Gretchen Armour, as
she danced into the family living room
Coming? When" gasped her
mother, laying down her book and los
ing her place thereby.
Tomorrow - they've been billeted
upon us! We're to have twenty OF
them over night In the name of the
government" Knocked Gretchen, try
ing to initiate the deep bass of the
'man's voice who had been at the door
with the news.
Let me see," said Mrs Armour, TAX
ing the slip of paper her daughter
waved as she still sang her improyised
song to the good old Scotch tune Of the
"Campbells Are Coming" do be
quiet for a moment and let me think,
Gretchen"
The old Armour homestead stood far
back from the main road, and II was
TO be expected that, sooner or later,
the family would have 10 shelter some
of the many troops that were starting
out on their long march in support OF
their coloFs. The war was several
months old and there seemed to be no
end to the fighting. 1t was the least
the citizens could do-to extend their
best hospitality to the boys who were
fighting for them.
To Gretchen the prospect was to DE
rejoiced in To the mother, it was only
bringing the terribleness of the war
to her rooftree. She had no men
folks to offer and she did not begrudge
this little help she could give. But
Mrs Armour took everything seriously;
everything worried her in prospect
Gretchen was the happy go-lucky re-
plica Of her late father, and not even
her mothers Joyless attitude toward
Rife could dampen her enthusiasm.
4 shall make doughnuts and drop
cakes and chocolate layer cake and
apple pie and"
"And they'll all have to go into hos
pital quarters before they're well on
the march" interrupted the mother.
'Oh, thank you, mother. OF course,
Hannah will make soup and cook chops
and steaks and all the substantial, un-
romantic things, but I shall begin at
once or doughnuts," she declared
Mrs. Armour was about to add that
doughtnuts had never been connected
with romance in her mind, but-well, that
minds had changed since she was a girl.
Her daughter was gone before she could
utter the remark.
Her thoughts turned quickly to the
more practical side of their prospective
hospitality. Soldiers, she knew, could
sleep out Of doors, on the porches. any
where. But Mrs. Armour was going to
give the boys the best she could and she
began Immediately to plan for their well
fare.
Unusual guest rooms were turned mo
TedQS-lD-NNe-4n GA4dLlDCISg NON-ASS
cots were brought from attic and base
lument until the place looked like veri-
table dOrmitory.
In the kitchen Gretchen drove the cook
almost frantic with her efforts at cook
Ing She had apple peelings everywhere,
doughnuts in every available platter
dripping their grease, chocolate filing
on the fire for the cake that was not
wen started and which Gretchen said she
.ould make later.
Even when the soldiers began 20 ap-
proach the house on the following aft
ernoon Gretchen was still In her entold-
Ing kitchen apron, her naturally pink
checks as rosy as a German rnaiden's
II her lovers first kiss. Curls had stray
ID from beneath the frilly lace cap
Gretchen said she must wear to be tidy
the kitchen, and a dust Of powdered
sugar near her lips made them most at
ractive.
We shall not be much trouble, one
,f the officers in uniform told her. after
she had mingled with them as they sat
about and rested after the long daN's
march. It's too good Of you-too good"
"Good?' cried Gretchen, her dinlples
dancing back and forth as she talked.
Why it's too good to be true to have
you here. Its the one spot OF Joy in the
whole WARRIOR mS!"
The soldier laughed and whirled his
hat round and round in his hands He
lived in the great city near by out ne
had never seen a girl like Gretchen in all
that vast population.
There's a little JOY in everything" he
said, IF you just try to find II The
greatest joy I've found-up to now," ne
said, pointedly, lis the band music. You
lust can't help being thrilled and en-
Unused when the band begins 20 play
that stirring martial music. 1t IS "A
long way to Tipperary," but there Is
much by the wayside that is good TO
see"
sometimes I think it's easier to be In
the fight than to be back home with
with everybody gone and you don't know
where they've gone to, SAID GreIcheh'
with a plaintive little catch in her tone
that made the soldier boy look straight
ahead instead of at her. He must not
look at her too much.
Perhaps. you're right" he said. Il
i left a mother and two sisters and
they took it pretty hard" he said.
And theh, until it was time 20 have
supper. the two talked and Gretchen
learned much of the young mans home.
He told her he had wanted to go to
the front all the time and that he hoped
10 come back-he believed he would re-
Iurn. And then
It was the supper's arrival that hao
interrupted his story, and Gretchen had
TO help serve the many soldier boys, ana
the Young lieutenant with whom she had
been talking watched her go from one to
the other offering them this and that and
chatting and laughing with them. In his
youthfulness he wanted to shoot some OF
his fellow-officers then and there instead
of waiting for the enemy to do II.
But Gretchen managed to see him be-
fore they all turned in" She extended
her hand to say goodnight.
Goodnight" she said, Il do hope
you'll be comfortable
"Comfortable?" the soldier said. TIL
be comfortable bodily, but you've upset
my comfort of mind. Goodnight"
Gretchen ran away, her heart beating
wildly. She had reveled in romances of
wars gone by, she had cried with the
heroines and adored the heroes who had
marched on to fight for them. And now
now, she was actually living one of her
own. She knew it, This was her hero
this soldier boyI
She went to sleep consoling herself
that be had said he left only a mother
and Sisters at home. II he had left a
sweetheart would he not have told her
SO? Her slumber was disturbed by the
sound Of many voices and she never an
7 swered the question satisfactorily to her.
self Would he have told her? Would