Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-03-17
How He Changed
His Mind
By EDITH v. ROSS

soldiers lighting In France and Bel
GUM Miss Denton on looking over
some books she owned selected sew
erai novels and took them to the
rooms where supplies were being pack
ed. They were sent To France and dis
trgbuted with other things among the
soldiers at the front.
Miss Denton he'd not noticed that her
name was In one OF the books. The
novel was given TO the Foreign legion.
composed OF all nationalities. except
French. and fell into the hands Of Fri
youth who happened to be In Paris
at 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 81 W book
lying ON the bottom Of tie trench and
took 1t up. Listlessly opening 1t. on
a hyieaf be read written In pencil
"Luella Denton"
II peace had been declared wilkins
could not have been more astonished.
A year before In Miss Dentons 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 II had
come from Miss Denton. Indeed. be
did not read a word OF IT. 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 be formed a resolution to
write to Miss Denton letter from an
unknown grateful soldier Might be
not still win her by correspondence
Fortunately for his plan Miss Den
ton had left card between the leaves
which she had used as bockmark,
with a London address on It. IL was
possible that this address was that of
Mrs. Denton. AL any rate. when VIII
kins found the means TO write and
send a letter be 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 n soldier In the trench
es thanking her for the great relief af-
forded him by the novel she had sent
He assured her that it was just the
thing needed 10 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 II. 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
der who was constantly exposed to
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. 1t reached his company, and
be had notified the mail distributor that
the name II bore had been assumed
by him.
wilkins was delighted He wrote
again. dwelling on the comfort her
letter had given him. Whenever
shell burst over bis head. he said, or
a comrade was killed beside him he
felt that be would 60 insane from the
continuance Of such horrors. At such
times be read her letter. and 1t always
brought back bis nerve. To preserve
1t be bad placed II In a tin cigarette
box and kept 1t In his left pocket. A
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 to re-
ceive or write 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 to his comfort
by coming to see him at the hospital
,"hcit ne nay
Luella collected large basket full
OF delicacies and betook herself to the
hospital. Joe had given his assumed
name 10 nurse. requesting that II
any one asked for that person he was
the one wanted. Then came Luella
with her basket on her arm and her
romantic heart beating wildly at the
prospect Of meeting her unknown sol.
der. When she was taken up to Joe's
bed so pale and thin was he that she
failed to recognize him
"Luella| he said In a choked voice,
The sound of her name. spoken in a
familiar voice. caused her to look more
intently In bis face. and she recognized
in the poor soldier the man she had re-
fused
"Oh. joel" she exclaimed. and, knee,-
ing beside his cot. she took his hand
In hers