Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-18

"pVuJ NJ nome on cr7,,na
es, pale and thin-that the sec ~.s'sa J.
the many mementos Of his sny s,ss !. y
and tokens of his love got out -,
one morning the postnan Jef. a.. va
little pasteboard box that bs1 I'm
contained gem. and on open,r. y s'.'e
took out one OF the many rnissiIes = ~. 1e
had wounded him. No word came va 80
1t as to why It was returned ~ ~ s,'A
but for the first time in his life he '. o..
sinking about the heart. Hs 49,.
nized the writing in which tbe -
was addressed as that OF the von..
lady he especially admired.
When the next delivery Of nan
made Captain Franklin was b,rs.,
another box. this time wooden ops
such as opticians use for na,srz
glasses. Opening it, he took ~.
piece Of iron that had been sen. g..
bursting shell. The fragmer. -.
large enough and heavy enough 80 .
hit the captain to have torn hol. =
him big enough to admit cheese b.
This one of the many nemertaz u
had sent out was also returned z1ts.
out explanation.
Franklin on receiving the first mt.
sile had laid it on the mantel. He no.
placed the second beside It. Wien tia
postman came again he brought .,ro
boxes, each containing a piece OF Ieas
which had been sent from the harvs,
Of some kind OF gun. Neither thss,
returns was conn ented on bT ~
sender. Franklin. who had faced tbsr
bravely in battle, now received then
with every indication of fear. He rs
membered the storm in which TIER
had come to him and wished that he
were back in it rather than in his pres
ent position. He laid them beside fha
others on the mantel with trembling
hand
Every memento he had sent out was
now returned to him except one. A
bullet had struck the metallic clasp o.
his sword belt and been fiattened by
the impact. He had shaped it with his
pocketknife into the form of a heart
and sent it to the fifth girl he lored
best. Miss Alice Farnsworth, writing
her how his clasp had saved his life
Alice pierced hole in it and wore II
on a gold chain about her neck.
Bert did not know of the reception
Of his gift, but he wondered il il, too
would come back TO him. He fully e.
pected to receive it by the next deliT-
cry. He moved the four missiles on
the mantel, stretching them along
from end to end. leaving place In the
IL
should come.
The next time Captain Franklin went
out on the street, hobbling on his
he met one Of the girls be
had loved best and to whom he had
sent a bullet. She cut him dead. The
same day he met another Of these
young ladies and received the same
treatment. Within week every one
Of the four who had returned his me-
mentos had had an opportunity 10
show her displeasure, passing him with
her head in the air.
Where" moaned the transgressor,
''are the encomiums these girls Be-
slowed on me? My hero Noble de-
lender of your country Poor fellow
Sufferer for the cause"
These expressions, denoting the sym
,athy, the admiration Of these young
aides, came up to mock him. We are
seldom conscious of our strong points,
md the captain, never having appreci-
ted his deeds of daring, would now
AVE exchanged them all for nod
rom one of these girls who were us
,rlf
One day when he was wishing that
ONE one of the various implements OF
var he had sent north had killed MIN
e met Alice Farnsworth face to i2ce.
She smiled at him.
That smile was healing balm 10 Us
distressed spirit.
How happens it that you delsn
office so unworthy a person as II ne
sked.
Come with me and I will tell you,
She took him to her home and Tnea
hey were alone together. seizins
old chain about her neck. drew io11H
le heart shaped bullet.
The secret that you had sem tnes7
lementos to all of the girls pecal-e
nown by comparing notes soon al'e.
our return. All were furious except
Iyself, my own conscience IN seCn
!atters not being clear as crystai.
as suggested by one of our numUe,
lat we send back your mementos anu
II YOU when we met you. FOUND an
,cuse for not joining in your punsr
ent-a poor excuse. admit-in u
ct that while each Of the others
lived a missile that had drawn spu,
God / had been sent one thar n-
me you no injury whatever J. tnsi
re. declined to participate IN 'H
an"
This is the end of the story so lar a. ]
g old vet tells it today. but not On.
e fiattened heart shaped bullet pu'
e four other souvenirs. have been =.
q possession of Alice his WIFE, eve
ice the memorable day he ieafne'
NJ she had stood by him in his ues
dalton. She admits that there wa
en- after her refusal TO join the ea"-
ainst him, a GOODNESS toward her ~
cir part. but she has managed
ar 1t. since she has got more ~
ection from her husband than s-
$ lost from the girls.