The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-01
HowHIe Changed
His Mind
By EDITH V. ROSS


eral novels and took them to the
rooms where supplies were being pack
ed. They were sent to France and DIS
trlbuted with other things among the
soldiers at the front.
Miss Denton had not noticed that her
name was in one of the books. The
novel was given to the Foreign legion,
composed of all natonalities, except
French, and fell into the hands OF FRI
yate Joseph wilkins, an American
youth who happened to be in Paris
ut the breaking out of the war and
had enlisted In that corps.
one day when Private Wilkins was
some seven or eight feet underground,
getting tired of listening to shells
screeching over his head, he saw book
lying on the bottom Of the trench and
took it up Listlessly opening 1t, on
flyleaf he read written in pencil
'Luella Denton"
| IL peace had been declared Wilkins
could not have been more astonished.
A year before In Miss Denton's home
in America he had proposed to her.
She had considered his proposition for
three days, then turned him down.
The young soldier was not interested
in the novel further than that 1t had
| come from Miss Denton. Indeed, he
did not read a word of 1t. He was ex-
pecting at any minute to be killed,
and one in such condition is not apt
to give his attention to reading, New
ertheless he formed resolution TO
write to Miss Denton a letter from an
unknown grateful soldier. Might he
not still win her by correspondence
Fortunately for his plan Miss Den
ton had left card between the leaves
which she had used as bookmark,
with a London address on 1t. 1t was
| possible that this address was that OF
Mrs. Denton. At any rate, when VII
| kins found the means to write anu
send a letter he used the address on
the card He took care TO disguise his
handwriting and sign an assumed
| name.
| One morning Miss Denton received
an epistle from soldier in the trench
es thanking her for the great relief af-
forded him by the novel she had sent.
| He assured her that 1t was just the
thing needed TO divert his mind from
death, which continually stared him In
the face Would she not write him a
letter? Whenever the danger was
most appalling he would read 1t, and
he was sure 1t would draw his thoughts
from constant presence Of death.
Now, Miss Denton was a romantic
young woman and had refused wilkins
on the ground that she could not love
one SO matter Of fact She was well
pleased to have given comfort TO a sol
I der who was constantly exposed 70
death. She wrote long letter to the
poor man, mainly composed Of such
! items as were TO be found In the news
papers, addressing ii TO his corps IN
France. II reached his company, and
he had notified the mail distributor that
the name il bore had been assumed
/ by him.
wilkins was delighted. lie wrote
again, dwelling on the comfort her
letter had given him. Whenever a
shell burst over his head, he said, or
a comrade was killed beside him he
felt that he would go insane from the
continuance OF such horrors. At such
times he read her letter, and Il always
brought back his mere. To preserve
Il he had placed II in a tin cigarette
box and kept It in bis left pocket. A
4 fragment Of shell had struck him
over the heart and had been turned
aside by the metal. Her letter had
saved his life.
wilkins had no opportunity 20 re.
ceiye or wE5te another letter, for In a
bayonet charge he was wounded and
as soon as possible sent across the
channel. He was finally removed to
London and not long after arriving
there wrote Miss Denton. informing
her OF his condition and asking II she
would not further add 20 his comfort
by coming 20 see him at the hospital
where he lay
Luella collected n large basket full
OF delicacies and betook herself % the
hospital Joe had given bis assumed
name 10 a nurse. requesting that II
any one asked for that person he was
the one wanted. Then came Duells
with her basket on her arm and heI
romantic heart beating wildly az the
prospect o. meeting her unknown sol
der. When she was taken up 10 Joe's
bed - pale and thin was be that she
failed 20 recognize him.
eInellas" be said IN a choked voice
The sound Of her name. spoken In 2
familiar voIce. caused her % look more
intentiy IN his face. and she recognized
in the poor soldier the man she had r.
fused.
aOh. Joer' she exclaimed. and knee
ing beside bis cot she took his hand
81 hers
Joe told her that when 10 saw hei
name IN ire book she had sent be az
. not feel lu-sfed IN writing bef direei
after Der refusal - him. but desirins
fhe comfar1 she might give stranger
sd written her incpguito NafuraIiT
she took PITY % bin. for hs had heer
hsffr wouuded nnd wHs ire shadow q
fis former self - she Harsasd tif1
haek 20 comparative bsalth But -
surepaus arrned tfaf d vou'd requlr
long zine ~ make HIN 81 far ~
esla arrir. era BE- u-as fis1hsrEsd
ne ana fna1ls we're EBsrfia.d 90 I'm
4 raTasHaIan