The Lamar register., 1915-04-21
THAT OLD, SWEET SONG ;
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

Enid smiled softly to herself while
she labored over the task of selecting
q number of songs preparatory to
1ourneying across the ocean. She was
going over to do her mite in the great
war crisis by singing at numerous ben
efits and concerts and in the hospitals
for wounded soldiers and sailors.
1t was not until she had reached the
lowest shelf OF her music cabinet that
Enid found the old, old song that
Capt Cyril Baker had given her. The
irresponsible. fascinating young scape'
grace of the British army had been
In New York Just long enough to cap
ture a few foolishly feminine hearts,
to borrow money from everyone who
was unwise enough to give 1t to him,
and to disappear into future no less
vague than the past from which he
had come.
my mother used to sing this to
me-" he had said softly. VIII you
too sing 1t to me? l want to hear yoG
now" The effect of the dainty hom-
age on Enid came wildly back to her
as she sat three years later look
ing over the song. A flush crept into
her cheeks even as It had on that
other day, and Enid wondered If she
would ever see the fattering young
ne'er-do-well again.
Enid put the beautiful little song
called RUBY" into her overburdened
folio with a hope that its donor would
find that salvation held out to so many
men in times OF war. Perhaps among
the thousands OF khaki-clad figures she
would see Captain Baker. She was
curiously, and without much reason, In
terested In the career OF the hand
some, irresponsible officer.
The men had been brought into the
big sun parlor of the hospital. some
carried In on stretchers, others in
chairs and some OF them could limp
in on the arms OF their nurses. Enid
had never expected. in the whole OF
her musical career. to sing before SO
completely wrecked an assembly OF
living men.
She was standing quietly after
storm of applause when one OF the
nurses approached the platform.
Have you, by any chance. song
called Ruby?" the nurse asked Enid.
"one of my patients is longing for 1t.
Enid smiled and glanced swiftly
over the mass OF upturned faces.
ut is not very cheerful song" she
said. But will be glad to sing II.
Her hurried glance had failed to find
a familiar golden head that somehow
she had expected with the request for
the song. Her accompanist left the
platform and Enid sat down at the
piano and played the dainty, ripping
melody.
In 30 far as she could watch her
audience Enid watched for one sol
der among them who was more than
interested in the song. She was curl
Gus to see who It WAS that was ia
miliar with the old-time favorite. In
the far corner a man, 80 wound with
bandages as to be unrecognizable, was
leaning forward.
But when she had finished the Of
ficer who had been leaning forward
had been wheeled away. Enid
searched for the nurse who had spok-
en- with her, but she. too. had disap-
peared.
Out in the corridor Enid was
stopped by one OF the surgeons.
Il am going to hold you responsible
for the sudden desire on the part Of
one OF my patients to live"
II" Enid laughed back at the sur
geon. What have l done?"
You have sung life back into the
heart OF a young daredevil officer
whom we had all given up. He had
come back from the battlefield wound
ed, a hero who has won the Victoria
Cross, and has stepped into a title and
huge estates, but it took your song to
make him fight for his own life. He
has begun the fight and II he wins,
you and your song have saved him.
Desire is a great factor as a stimu-
liant along with our medicines. You
have given young Baker that desire
and | want to shake hands with you
When Enid stood beside the young
officer who was lying with his face
to the wall she did not speak until
the door had closed upon the sur
geon.
Why did you not make yourself
known to me?" she asked softly, and
Blaker turned swiftly.
Il am ashamed of my past" he said.
and ala mot offer hia unhanda Rpd