Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-22

and the women who had lost them wcrs
no doubt weeping In anguish Barbart
felt the sting Of her own weakness and
the utter uselessness Of her life.
Even my servants are doing some
thing for those men," she told her
self when she heard a burst OF laugh
ter from the direction OF the lower dining
hall. They don't know I am in the
house" she added thoughtfully. II am
an atom In this world hnd each OF those
men Is a king" Barbara pondered then
as she had never pondered before. Her
own insignihcance, the desperate reality
OF war and It's suffering. together with
the misery that must come In the wake
OF battle. all these thoughts held Bar
bara Heathcoto I'm a grip Of introspection.
SO long did she cit In the darkness that
before she knew II the troops billeted on
her had ceased their laughter and flung
themselves down on veranda and garden
lawn to WOO asleep as best they might
Barbara jumped up and peered down At
them and the tears blurred her sight. A
pale moon threw her radiance on the up
turned faces OF the men and on their
rifles and caps. An occasional murmur
told Barbara that sleep had not as yet
claimed them.
with sudden inspiration Barbara went
into the drawing room and began singing
gently so as not to startle the men. Her
voice filterinR through the open windows
swept like the touch OF angel wings over
the soldiers emotions. and not one OF
them spoke a word.
A young lieutenant surreptitiously
brushed the moisture from his eyes with
khah-colored sleeve. His sweetheart had
tried to sing for him that song at part
ing. but her voice had broken.
Stopl Barbara's voice, too. had broken
She jumped up and went swiftly into
the moonlight among the soldiers. They
arose as one man at her coming and
stood looking at the slim white figure
Il can't stand II to have you sleeping
out here" she said breathlessly. you
must all come inside. I will have all the
room necessary" She smiled when they
demurred, and commanded In a most
adorable manner. please let me have
my way" she said. 81 have never done
anything in my whole life for any one
save myself Please let me do what
can now" And because she was crying
Barbara hastened to help Jenkins make
up the many beds in the great house II
cheered her considerably to be doing
some trifiing thing in the war movement,
and out of the Joy she derived from
making up those beds Barbara knew
that never more could she be happy
while there were those in the world less
fortunate than she.
The troops remained only until the
morning of the third day, and when they
had marched Off with their bands playing
and a smile on their lips, Barbara wept
as II her heart would break.
Bedfordshire was impossible for her
after that. The life of ease and luxury
was not to be borne. She could not sit
idly by and wait for news from the front:
she must go and be a part OF that work.
ing contingent and do her mite
Barbara knew that somewhere, some
day, after the great war was over, she
would again stand beside the young lieu
tenant commander who had slept beneath
her roof on the way to battle. His eyes
had told her that he would come back to
her. and Barbara was living only for that
day and for the good she might do to be
worthy of him.
IT am glad" thought Barbara. that !
lived on the line Of marching. Otherwise
might never had known Lieut.. Com
mander Blakely." She smiled softly and
added, And yeti must surely have met
him some day"
Copyright, 1a16.) ..