The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-11

The Euenine Story
I Left in Charge.
(By Harmony weller.)
When Capt. Cyril Blake was orders
ed. with his regiment, to the front
his chief regret was the fact that he
must leave his birds and flowers in
the care of strangers. The young Of
ficer had a hobby for rare songsters
and still more rare flowers and had
nurtured them most devotedly In his
small but lovely domicile in the Lon
don suburb. His concern over their
| one who loved birds and flowers
could understand and care for them
| according to their sensitive demands.
The advertisement he inserted In
the papers was human and appealing
and brought quick response in the
person of Marina Vance. She having
babe her sweetheart goodby when his
regiment had gone forth to battle felt
that she must do something to occupy
her mind and rid it of the horror Of
vfsualizing the scenes ON the battle
ground.
Capt. Blake's advertisement asking
for some one to watch over his birds
and flowers while he went to fight
IOT MS country sent n VI ivy
over Marina. Devoted to animals and
growing things since her earliest
childhood, she felt that her great love
for them would render her capable OF
! giving them proper care. She made
| application at once and went quickly
| to Capt. Blake's address.
| The tiny cottage from which echoed
| the song of many feathered choristerS
struck q note of happiness Into Mar
mas heart. She hoped she was not too
late to secure the coveted position.
Capt. Blake knew the moment ne
saw Marna's face light up at sight OF
| his birds and flowers that they would
be in perfect care during his absence.
| A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
He had scarcely realized how deeply
rooted were his sentiments regarding
his pets and his home until his fears
dropped from him and he knew they
were to be safe in Marna's hands.
| He went off to the front with a light
home and his old housekeeper re-
| joiced in the presence OF mistress.
An uncommunicative male person was
at times trying as master.
And Marina, after week or TWO,
| found herself at home among the
birds and flowers which she tended
with loving hands. She heard only
meager news from her sweetheart.
| for he was in the trenches with the
Bucks Light Infantry and continually
IunQeH
prayed nightly for his safety and
Capt. Blake. who was with the Lon
| don Scottish and in the midst OF the
fight. She heard occasionally from
the latter and answered his letters'
giving him much detail regarding MS
home and his birds and blossoms.
Weeks wore away and on the bat
| tlefield only one of the many deeds OF
valor was the going out under IRE OF
Private Young of the Bucks Light
who had fallen. Young, though shot
through the shoulder himself, carried
| Captain Blake back TO safety. They
| were both almost across the great
border, but awakened to recover IN
the base hospital in Paris. Captain
Blake. realizing that he owed his life
to Private Young, offered him all that
he had to offer for the time. and that
was a lasting friendship. Young also
received the Victoria Cross q short
time later: but that fact was Tor the
moment lost sight OF in the vital In
terests that swept both Captain
Blake and Private Young into a hu-
man tide Of emotions.
When they could be moved from
the hospital Blake insisted that Young
go with him to the suburban cottage
to recuperate. Each man knew that
he could not return to the battle line
again: injuries such as they had sus-
tanned flung them out or the ngntang
class. 1t would take months of care
to adjust the balance of life allotted
: to each man. Suburban England
would give them back their living
strength in any case, and Young WaA
persuaded to accompany Blake to ms
. home.
: minfstering angel to some twenty
. wounded men and who had admins
tered to them during eight weeks
without full nights rest. took charge
of them even to the moment when
they were put on the hospital ship
. and Transferred to England. She toe
was in need OF rest.
A great wave of guilty joy swept
over Private Young when. he knew
. that Blake had asked the little nurse
with them until the last bandage was
, removed.
Young had never spoken Of his
fiancee to Blake. Captain Blake was
in consequence. entirely ignorant OF
the fact that Marina. the girl he had
left in charge Of his pets. and Private
: Young were betrothed lovers. Had
: he known he would not have changed
his plans, for the situation as he saw
1t seemed entirely void Of the elementa
, of emotion. Blake hardly realised
that Young was drifting into love
j affair with the brave little nurse who
had saved his life by her gentle care.
When Marina received telegram
from London telling her to expect two
wounded men and q nurse she wa
completely taken by surprise. She
, had known that both her sweetheart
. and Captain Blake had been wounded
in battle, but never had she suspected
that they, OF all two men At tho front.
should have happened to meet and
journey home together. Neither did
she suspect that the second OF the
| two crippled men coming to the cot
, tage was her own David Young.
Marno stif1ed q cry when she caught
sight of the two once stAlWart men
hain1 fenderlv helnAd FINN thu hle