The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-04-09

bur very fcrvcut language, they ex-
pressed the hope that he vas not givcn
10 worldly WAYS. aud above all that no
stunned the use OF inioXicau;s. The
letter closed with an earnest prayer
for his worldly and spiritual welfare.
Il was seven weeks before this letter
reached the recipient then lying in
the base hospital recovering from q
wound lie had been struck b. a
fragment OF a she'll while leading his
company TO the attack. and be would
never lead il again. because a tendon
I In his leg had been severed and Corp.
I Richard Barton" must 20 nmping
Y through life thenceforward
True. the limp was no; a very pro
nounced one. hardly visible, in fact.
when the soldier walked. but IL is
one thing 10 walk across a drawing
room floor and quite another 10 charge
a line OF trenches at full speed across
barbed wire entanglements, laden
with ones accoutermentB.
A second letter reached the two
ladies in due course. Mss Mary. who
Was romantically inclined. opened II
IN the presence OF her sister With
thrill Of delicious wickedness. Miss
Lizzie, however. was inclined 10 think
that Miss Mary had been a little indis-
Greet. She intended TO tell her that in
her opinion the correspondence must
be brought 20 a close.
But as the ladies' read it they looked
AZ each other in d.smay.
He has been wounded exclaimed
Miss Mary. TREMENDOUSLY The poor
man, I hope it is not a serious
wound"
He says IL Will prevent his going
back 10 the ranks again" Miss Mary
announced. as she read further on.
"And-Oh. Lizzie. what do you think?
He says that some day he may come
10 America for a visit. and that IL he
does he viii take the opportunity 10
pay a call upon those who we're so
kind TO him
The letter fiuuered out OF her hands
and she sat down in a chair breathless.
Mary" said her sister severely,
this is what comes Of carrying on a
Irritation with a strange man"
Sister" gasped Miss Mary. How
can you say such a dreadful thing?
Did you ever know me even 10 think
OF man.
A common sOlier-just a cor
ingly. You know. my dear" she went
on. relenting. the lower classes in
England are not like they are here.
The man may be anything. Perhaps
he is a drinker,"
Miss Mary rose TO the occasion as
she had never done before.
Well. sister. IL he is a drinking
man" she said. L shall shall send
Willis out TO buy a bottle OF beer for
him, THERE" and she walked out OF
the room Indignantly
But as the weeks went by and moth
ing more was heard about the cor
poral Miss Lizzie's fears gradually sub
sided. And so the weeks slipped into
months. and then
Miss Mary, there is a gentleman in
the parlor waiting TO see YOU ex-
planned the maid He SAYS ne hasn't
a card. and he thinks you will remem-
Der his name. Mr. Richard Barton"
Miss Lizzie looked az Miss Mary as
the two sat together in the sewing
room.
Sister she said. perhaps 1t would
be better for me 10 see this Corporal
Barton,
And that time Miss Mary did not re-
ply. because she was already in her
bedroom brushing her hair,
How desperately she brushed and
how quickly she changed her frock.
hearing a bass voice talking IN the
living room below. and dreading every
minute that her sister would succeed
in dismissing the visitor before she
could get down. And when az last
she did get down and stood before a
tall, neatly dressed. soldieriy man OF
about thirty-fye. her heart beat and :
she felt her face suffused with foolish
bushes.
MY dear. let me present Captain
Barton" said Miss Lizzie
Captain Barton," Miss Mary
gasped.
The captain pulled his nustache and
stammered.
Well. Miss Penfield. the fac, IS. that
when you deciphered my illegible hand
writing as corporal the Joke seemed
too good TO lose. And so | made my
SELF a corporal in my second letter.
know IL wasn't right-but it's better
TO make ones self a corporal when
ones a captain than vice versa. isn't
Il? And. Miss Penfeld. assure you
that ! am not a drinking man"
And Captain Barton is going TO
stay 10 lunch" said Miss Lizzie.
During the lunch Miss Mary plucked
up courage to look at the captain. And
the more she looked at him the more
he came 10 resemble certain idol In
little secret shrine tucked away in
her heart What was more TO the point.