Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1915-07-23
TheGirlHeLeft
Behind Him
By F. A. Mitchell

II was q Lit of philosopher IN MS own
way. He was engaged to be married
TO Ellen Briefly and expected to In
berit her fathers farm and live and
die there. Ellen was a high strung,
emotional girl and when the war with
Germany broke out insisted that John
4 should enlist.
what for?" asked John.
"Why, all the men are enlisting."
ut seems to me, if that's so, some
one 'ad better stay 'ome and do the
farmin'."
"Rut think Of the excitement of 60
ing off to the war with the flags flying.
the drums beating and the band play
i ing THE Girl Left Behind Me! y"
"And hobblin' back singin' the leg l
left behind me-"
"John, I'm afraid you're coward"
John looked at her. leaning on the
snade with which he had been dig
cling. then threw 1t down and said:
Il can't stand that from the girl l
love. I'm goin' to enlist
1 Forgive me-" said Ellen. throwing
her arms about him. II knew you
weren't afraid to so to the war.
thought you needed little prodding."
n I'm goin' to war to please you. l
don't believe in wars. The fellers that
go either don't come back or. If they
81 do, they find the excitement all over
III and people talkin' about somethin' else.
They don't cut no figure at all. The
fellers that stayed at ONE has got the
jobs, and the soldier as to git Twin
"A the best way e can"
Don't fear for that, Johnny, dear.
81 I'll he ere to welcome you back. and
I'll If you are MANNED I'll take care OF you
for the rest Of your life"
She kissed him and patted him to
make him feel better about the sacri-
fee he was making. but Johnny refus-
ed to be comforted. However, he went
to the nearest recruiting station and
enlisted When he marched away with
the regimental band playing THE Girl
Left Behind Me" Ellen stood by the
roadside waving her handkerchief at
him, her eyes bedimmed with tears.
One day, the better part of year
later, discharged soldier. walking
along q road In Yorkshire on one flesh
leg and wooden one, met man with
q hoe on his shoulder.
# Mister" said the eX-Soldier, Hi
been to the war. Hi was taken prison
err by the Germans on the battlefield.
sz all heXcept my leg. that was shot off
Il and wasn't worth anything. l been a
prisoner for months. but was hex
changed not long ago and sent 'ome.
i went from this place and want to
nj, I
Wot's become O Ellen Brierly?"
~ "Wot's Ellen Briefly to your snarl-
ed the man.
"Wot's she to me? A good DEAL
seem that Hi went to the war for 'er
sake and left my leg in Belgium for
~ 'er sake too"
Are you John 'Obbs?"
"Fauncy are, wot's left o. me. Be
sides my leg. my right 'and as gone
and my left heye."
And you've come back to marry
your sweeteart?"
M Hi fauncy. She promised to take
care O. me for the rest o. my life If
came back MANNED"
M 1.-The man looked thoughtful. stroke(
HIS beard, changed the leg he wa!
standing on several times. then said:
This ere promisin' to take care O
any one for life is bad business"
low SOP"
u promised to take care of WON
an for 'er life, and I'm a-doin' of ii
but it's a ard job. l wouldn't min'
giyin' 'er to you to take care of you"
Il don't want. 'er. want Ellie
Briefly, the girl left behind me whe
went to the war and the girl l wen
TO the war to please
Ism I'm sorry you did that"
"WhyY
well, your goin' to the war got m
into lot o trouble. l was might
Independent in them days. 'ad n
Worryment wotsoever. A girl took
shine to me and married me. ain
ad no peace since"
rs that wot comes O. matrimony?'
that's wot come to me. See FER
young fellow. | fancy it was yer
ara stayin' In German 'ospitals an
ieavin' your leg and your fingers b
mind you and losin' your eye, but yo
missed a lot O. troubles worse tina
that by goin'."
"Wot troubles?'
missed EN-; got EN-"
low 500"
i married the girl you left behir
YOU"
Wot. You married Ellen Briefly
did. | knew that Teller nam'
= 'ohn Obbs that 'ad gone to the W
\ was expectin' to marry 'er when
got Dack-if he ever did git back-al
thought was wrongin' i'm. l dol
d hind dom the best l can to ma
!. amends. If you want 'er I'll light o
anu say nothin' about it, leavin' 'er
q YOU"
'ohn hobbs thought awhile befo
accepting or declining this very s,
Sacrlncing offer. Finally he said:
sb mats very kind 'earted O. you, I
M friend. but seem 'ow you and Ell
X.* l.