The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-10-16

diy Grace =, Richmond of the Wig
ilantesl
She had had letter from her only
son that morning. II was the sort Of
letter which ought Ia make any moth
ers heart leap with pride. Hut II was
such startling news that pride war In
stantly overcome by fear
Mother Dear:
II want To enlist, | know you were
glad wasn't called In this first con
scriptlon- and I thought ! was glad.
Somehow. after little. I wasn't. I've
been going round feeling like a sneak.
Every time anybody congratulates me
on having escaped I wish to heavens I
hadn't But now--I'm glad did. so 7
can do the thing myself.
IL hope this won't break you all up.
You don't want me to go on feeling like
a sneak. do you | don't think It's good
for a fellow to feel that way. Maybe
It's not good for his country. either.
Please write me at once and tell me
how you feel.
Lots OF Love.
Tom"
The first letter she wrote in answer
To this began this way:
Dearest Tom:
Il certainly want YOU to do what is
right-but / am not az all sure that II
is right-in your case. You have never
been remarkably strong. though | think
perhaps you are as well as the average
young man who spends his hours be-
hind any office desk Then | remember
how. as boy. YOU dreaded the sound
of gun. DO you think you could bear
it to kill men-you who cried your
heart out over dead bird? oh. do
think twice about this thing
Then she remembered that he must
have thought twice-ten times a hun
dred times-before he came to this de-
cision. She tore up the letter and be.
gan another.
81 don't know what to say to YOU. OF
course | want you 10 do what is right.
! wish your father We're alive-the
responsibility is so heavy for me. II
you should enlist. do you suppose you
could get position where you wouldn't
have to go to the actual front? Just as
useful a position. but where ! needn't
feel that your life was in danger every
hour. don't know how | could bear
that. r.
But she didn't like the look of IL.
After long thought she started another
sheet
Il have tried to write to YOU in a
way that would influence against en-
listing. but | am afraid that ! ought
not to do that. | have hoped | might
escape the awful sacrifice Of seeing
you go TO war But if you feel that
it is surely your duty, I know | must
bear my part. You can little imag-
inc what il is TO me"
At this point she broke down and
cried-of course. One can't write
about ones awful sacrifices without
feeling much worse the moment one
sees the words upon paper. That's a
fixed psychological law But by and
by she wiped her eyes. She wasn't a
coward. and she felt that the words
were cowardly. She tried again.
Il think it is very brave of you to
want to enlist when you still might
escape the draft. | want you to do
your duty. OF course / shall be very
anxious and lonely. but / know | must
do my part. | don't want you to feel
like a sneak-thOugh | do think there
are others-great strong fellows whose
mothers are not widows-who could go
much better than YOU But if you feel
that you must go, | shall not hold you
back"
And still it wouldn't do. Her heart
was aching desperately. but suddenly
she began to think about Toms feelings
when he should read her letter. Those
wailing words about her loneliness
and her anxiety-and her reluctant
willingness to do her duty.-Was that
the way to send her boy off. with his
heart heavy with fear for her. that she