The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1917-12-27
His Mistake
By OSCAR COX
tcOpyrlEht. isi7. wsstsrn Newspaper Union )

In the hall of a pleasant home In a
lonely western town stood two broth
ers conversing. Cant you make MP
your mind to come, John?'
The one addressed hesitated for q
long time, then said, 81 can't do Il Just
now Carl. l know you are right In
going to offer your services to the
United States, but something holds me
back yet"
81 fear. John, it is Hulda's influ-
ence."
Eyes" said John, "I admit her infiu.
ence"
II don't understand her." continued
Carl. Her father is splendid citi-
zen. Her only brother is already at
the front. How can you explain IL.
John2"
"Well. you see, Carl, you have been
away from home so long you don't
know about the influence Hulda'N
mother exerted over her. From the
time the war broke out she waa
strongly pro-German."
"Have you confessed your love for
her yeti" said Carl.
"No. but l plan to try my luck to.
day"
The brothers parted with a warm
handshake.
His love for Hulda Brown, an un-
usually pretty girl, was the one great
thought that possessed the mind u
John Morse. He was willing to make
any sacrifice for her.
He had been backward about asking
her to be his wife, for his great love
made him fearful of himself and what
his answer might be. yet surely Hulda
had given him reason at times to
make him think she had more than
q merely friendly affection for him.
John mounted his horse and In q
couple of hours reached the Brown
farm.
1t was just beginning to get dusk 40
he dismounted from his horse ana
made his way to a summer house
where he was quite sure he would nnd
Hulda alone.
All was silence till Just an no
neared the spot voices came to hin
ear and he stopped almost mechan-
ically. 1t was the voice of Henry, her
NONAAAt ANU AOOAAhB JOIIu saw UIKM
with his arm round Hulda, kissinm
her and saying, "Have good courage
dear little woman; will be back a
you soon."
The man near the summer house
heard the words and they were like q
stab to his heart. Then, with a heavy
sigh, he turned away and remounteA
his horse.
The next day John offered himself
for enlistment In the United States
army and soon after entered a train.
ing camp, where the busy days and
hard life helped to dull the pain.
AS time passed on Hulda became
day by day more unlike her usual
happy self. till her father, noticing hse
pale face and languid ways, put his
wit to work to find something to In
terest her.
The father persuaded some Of HUI.
da's most intimate friends to get her
interested in Red Cross work.
Then came the sad news from the
front. Hulda's brother had been
wounded and was in an English hos
pital.
After a little pleading with her fl,
Their. Hulda was allowed to depart inn.
mediately for London.
On her arrival she found her brother
so much improved that he was to re-
turn to the front In a weeks time
Hulda, however, determined to remain
in London and pursue her Red Cross
work.
For many months new contingents
Of American soldiers had been PASSING
from the United States to France.
among them the two brothers, John
and Carl.
John soon became conspicuous for
his daring and babe fair to be ran.
idly promoted.
In an attack near Ypres during the
night party of American soldiers.
led by John, penetrated a lonesome
house. Suddenly they were attacked
by big force of German soldiers, who
poured up from concrete cellar. ALI
looked pretty blue for the Americana
but such was John Morse's courage
that he inspired the others, and In q
marvellous hand-to-hand struggle the
American soldiers fought their way
clear of the Germans, not one being
taken prisoner.
In a dugOut entered by John he
found one American prisoner, ahalf
starved, whom he carried to the rear.
AS he was bending over the man to
examine into his condition. bomb ex.
ploded near by and both men were
hit by shrapnel.
They were sent to hospital In Eng
land to cOnyalesce and while IN tha
transport John discovered he had
saved the life of Hulda's brother.
The hospital life which John dread
ed was transformed almost into a par.
adise the evening OF their arrival.
when their nurse In charge, looking
most bewitching in her costume, APP