The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-24
m give you a check for $25."

but, madam, your income Is $4,000
or more. Surely you can afford to give
the Red Cross at least $780,"
but there have been so many other
things we've been asked to give to, and
the upkeep of this place is tremendous.
You see. besides the chauffeur and the
houseman. I keep five maids. 1t takes
quite bit OF money every month" The
woman glanced around the room with
had the right to be proud of her home;
1t was high note In artistic luxury.
The room they were standing in was
long and very deep. In between the
oak paneling on the walls were hung
hand worked in gobelin blue
and dull browns. depicting hunting
scenes OF some king Of long ago. On
the oak mantlepiece, stained dark by
the smoke of many hog fires were two
deep red Cloisonne vases. The brilliant
red of their shining sides was repeated
in mass of jacquesminot roses nod.
ding from a large golf trophy-cup in
one corner of the room. The splotches
of red We're again echoed, though in a
duller note. in the Persian rugs which
here and there broke the CLEAN OF the
in,aid floor. The deep chairs and dav-
exports were upholstered in the blues
and the browns corresponding to those
in the tapestries.
The man frowned as he looked about
the room. TT certainly must take a
n knap ~ ic
place." he said. "but still it seems to
me that you ought to be willing to give
more than $25 to help the boys in the
trenches. They're doing their bit, you
know"
Yes. yes: I know" There was a
note Of impotence In the woman's
voice. but | help my country In 9TH
er ways: the Liberty Bonds. and my
son is in training in an officers reserve
camp. and also sew for the Red CROSS
So you see. too. am doing my part.
cannot give more than SOS"
The man folded the check and slipped
1t into his pocket. His Good morning
madam" was the briefest possible. AS
the maid closed the door after him the
woman sighed regretfully.
THAT s25 might have bought me a
new tea cloth. Strange how unapprc.
ciative some people are"
few months later the. same wom-
ans son was ordered to the front. And
although the mother felt that she would
miss him while he was away she was
glad that he, like others, was able to
do his bit.
Seven months after the boy had
sal lied for the trenches in France his
mother received a notice that he was
coming home on sick furlough. That
was all the notice said. but the mother
never doubted. Her boy would come
to her sick and worn In body, but a
doctors care and perhaps few
months in California would bring back
the glow to his eyes and the red to his
cheeks. And then--then II necessa nv
the hoy could go back and serve his
country once more. The mothers eyes
flashed with pride. Her boy was a
man.
Sometimes the moments dragged.
Sometimes the days seemed to skin by.
Finally one morning when the world
/ was athrob with new life and the warm
sun and quick shower had filled the
air with the wet fragrance Of the lilacs,
n taxi unexpectedly drew up to the
portecochere. The mother was in the
boys room. giving it the finishing
, touches to make it seem more home
like to him: a great bowl of lilacs on
the table by his bed. his favorite edi-
tion of the Rubayait handy. and his
silver In Its proper places on his bu-
reau. The heavy mahogany of mis- he'd
| caught the Cream of the sun and held
1t. the whole room was beautifully
clean and aflood with bright light.
! She heard the taxi draw up and
slowly drive away. The house. the
world fell away from her. She was
Just pounding heart in a vast space
She knew her supreme moment had
come. II was not until she heard hir,
enter the house that she ran to meet
4 him. They met in the tapestried en-
trance-hall. 1t was much the same a.
when he had left: the red Chinese
vases were still the bright note Of colol
in the room. jacqueminot roses agar
filled the great trophy cup and theil
presence perfumed the room with {
clinging sweetness. The high polisi
Of the floor again reflected the shap'
A0f his boots. He only was changed