Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1915-04-02
8ILILETIHe IND BARBARA
sy hARMoNy MElLsn.

III ''fff.'~Nt VEALEHs
\ copyHisht. ~. BY the Mcclure News.
/. paper Syndicate. as
bYen after war had been decia red
and the troops we're actually On The
march, Barbara Heathcots failed "a
realize the gravity Of the situation.
Comfortably snsconced In her great
country bungalow, surrcund ded ~ scr.
4 wants and every luxury. she aid not
zee the necessity of worrying about
war which would not upset her
4 own well ordered existence.
Barbara had not stopped to realise
that the little village IN Bedfordshire
was right on the line Of march.
Il was with great surprise that she'
found herself Watching a oficer
retreating from her door having hi.
leted . score Of soldiers on her
Where viii these troops sleepY'l
she asked OF her old servant.
a0n the vcrtnda, Miss Barbara and
n the garden replied Jenkins morst
excited than the soldiers themselves
'ws win feed them In The servants
hall" " \;
In the evening whom score or
more Of tired but laughing soldteys
In khaki came trocping through shs,
great hedge gate Barbara watched
them with quickly beatink heart
Somehow and without warninx :
sharp emotion grlpped her. she tried
to atifie Q desirs.te cry. and wondered
why she should feel 70 helpless ali
Of Q sudden, The men were biz ana
brave and were going on happily ID
hsht for thsir country and their
womenfolk.
She looked again al the men, now
going toward the back OF the houss.
and thstr war kits brought fresh emo
liou to harbars's heart. They were
soins 70 battle foF perhaps mosxAs
md maybe yearsswith that small pro-
vision Of corfort. Sh4 turned frem |
he window and to the teIsphonA
Jenkins" she called down to her
I'D servant. .ssc that the cook pro-
ridss the best Of everything Tor these
men. Spare no expense or tros.bls
Q make them eomfortahls <
= Whsn Az nalf hifif ID tbs receiver
Barbara fslt q triis more Ike her.
eli After an. she was raErettlne
he entrance into hsr NE Of that scorr
( brave men. BatbAra felt the sting
4 her own weakness and the utter
sslessness of her life. D
Even my servants are doing some.
hing for those men, she told her
elf whom she heard burst Of laugh
sr from the direction Of the lower
lining hall. So long did she cit In
y darkness that before she knew II
% troops billeted on her had ceased
leir laughter and flung themselves
own on veranda and garden lawn 70
90 sleep - best they might Bar.
ara jumped UP and went swiftly into
. moonlight among the ssldisrs.
hey arose ~ one man at her coming
"a stood looking at the slim White
Iure.
r cant stand H, 10 have you sIssp.
{ out here." she sald hreathlsssIy. |.
lou must all come inside. | win have
the room necessary" She smiled
hen they deuurred, and commsnds1
q most adorable manner. please
me have my way" she said. III
~ never done anything in my whole
: for any ono save myself. Please
me do what can now.s And
cause she was crying Barbara hast
cd to help jenkins make up the
my beds In the great house.
The troops remained only until the
'fninE Of the third day, and whan
y had marched on withl thsir
nds playing and smile on their
Barbara wept a. II her heart
uid break.
3edfordshirs was Impossible 10 her
or that The life Of ease ana iux~
wa not 70 be borns. she oonld
sit IDLY bt and watt for asua
= The 6ont; ne must g. and w.
art Of that working contingent and
her mite.
larbara knew that somewhere.
= ~, after The great war VA
: shs would again stand bsslde
young lieutenant commander who
slant beneath her rnof IN fhe