The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-29
UNDER A WAR STAMP
BY ELSIE GRuHL MARTIN.

Every time Earl Hosmer thought OF
the fair young girl with whom and
her father he had passed a pleasant
month abroad, his heart stirred with
in him. They had been nothing more
than friends, but she had made the i'm
preston of his life upon him. A
thought of how genial and friendly |
the father and daughter had been to
him, of their present distressing con-
dition, of their friendlessness and pow
erty in foreign land, appealed to the |
best instincts of his loyal nature.
They were wealthy people, the Duri- |
wages, but Earl as we'll had an abund- |
ance of worldly means He had a
business to attend to, and going
abroad just now meant something Sc
rious for it's interests, but he was will
ing to make the sacrifice.
When Earl reached his Office he sat
down to think out his plans for an inn
mediate departure. While he was ar
ranging in his mind all the details, the
Office boy brought in the afternoon
mail Earl tipped the letters over
carelessly. Then his face flushed UP
and his eyes took to their depths a
rare token of interest From post
mark aid handwriting he knew at
once the source of one of the letters.
1T is from Elsa-from Miss Duri-
vage." he breathed eagerly, and
opened it.
The letter was brief, ordinary mis-
sive, as if written between acquaiEt
ances. 1t gave an address in the far
away ar-beleaguered city. It told
of business there going on as usual,
Of no particular effect of the war.
There was nothing in the letter that
would not pass the most critical cen
sorship
There was postscript to the let
ter and it greatly puzzled Earl. 1t
read: THE war stamp on this letter
| is probably quite curiosity in Amer
| lea. You might soak it off, for they
will be scarce after a while, and it is
| quite a memento to preserve
"Of course, / will save it, muir
INJURED the ardent Earl, thinking of
the dainty lips that had touched the
insensible piece of paper. and he pro-
ceeded to follow instructions.
"Why-there is writing under the
stamp" exclaimed Earl, and with dis
tending eyes he read the words: 1--WE
are penniless and starving"
In a flash Earl Hosmer read the
| oracle. The letter had been written
| in a noncommittal way that had
passed with the censor. Elsa had
used the war stamp to conceal a mes
sage telling of the real situation in
|, the district from which she wrote.
1t required no further thought for
Earl to arrive at a speedy decision
The evening train bore him eastward
and two days later he was on the
ocean, bound for the continental war
, center
| Within two hundred miles of the
| city that held his beloved. the prog
: ress of the ardent Earl was blocked
He had with him a large amount In
ready cash This had enabled him tc
5 proceed thus far without much diff
Guilty Now a broad stretch of dis
!. puted and war-ravaged territory lay
4 between him and his prospective des
tination.
It was through a little child that {
4 long, anxious waiting was brought Il
K a close. Passing house wrecked b,
t shell in the little town where h
:. was staying, Earl heard faint wall
ing voice He investigated, to discov
er little four-year-old girl lying tel
v feet down in the dismantled celia
: where she had fallen.
e Her arm was broken. she was vel
L | ~. Tow
8 ton. He managed to learn from he
where she lived. When he restores
|! her to her frantic parents he foun
l. that she had been missing for tw
days.
d The gratitude of the poor parent
1t was genuine. The father CHANGED t
mention that he was one of som
fifty wagon men who were to carr
n. some wounded soldiers to the cit
where the Durivages were. He was
" bring up the rear with five days prt
visions. 1t did not take Earl long t
decide that here was his opportunit
to reach his beloved.
r. He had an understanding with tn
AZ man. When the caravan set out Ea
was comfortably ensconced in
n shielded corner of the enclosed wagol
ct How his heart, beat with suspens
IN and then sorrow as he finally reache
his journeys end! The Durivagt
n. were sheltered in a poor howell an
had parted with all they possessed
III secure the bare necessities of life.
The wagon man was to return
," neutral ground with his vehicle, al
;, Earl and the Durivages were smugglt
;,. through in his vehicle.
ITO think of that dreadful past
IN murmured Elsa, as they set sail fro
no the coast, homeward bound at las
#. "Oh, what a messenger of joy al
ks hope you have beeni"
A messenger of love as well. I'll
moon was smiling down. the sta
twinkled, the gentle breeze breathe