Evening star., 1917-11-11

y EXPECT 1t was Luther j. white
got me sore on the war. Sounds
simple, too. 1 feel sheepish about
q admittin it, even now. For 1t
wasn't Whittle's fault, exactly. Why,
he's probably as inoffensive a party as
you'd find in the whole of Rockhurst-
on-the-Sound. In fact. I hardly knew
he was on earth up to few months
ago.
You know how it is. There's some
people you just don't count in, they're
such dead ones. Whittle was that kind
"a thin little man with thin, grayish.
close-cropped whiskers. and mild, light
blue eyes inclined to water up. Always
wipin' his spectacles. and always
beamin' through 'em gentle after he'd
finished. Didn't mean anything by it.
Just chronic beamer.
He was fairly well fixed. Retired. but
no plute. Lived in a big gray house
down on the Point: but his place sets
SO far back from the street, you'd hard
ly notice it. Not that he did any hermit
act. No; Whittle was counted as one
Of our leadin' citizens. when he was re-
membered. He was bank director,
vice president of the Electric Light
Of the yacht club. But never heard of
his havin' much to say. He Clipped in
generous. though, when we was run
min our reform campaign. and went to
the meatin's reg'lar; but, somehow, he
didn't figure any in the hot debates we
had.
The family was a good deal like that
in the social doin's, too. Him and Mrs.
Whittle and the young folks went
around some, but doubt IL they'd ever
been missed If they hadn't. Miss Mildred
wasn't bad lookin'. either, but sort of
pale and delicate and old-maidish. AS
Tor Ernest, he was one of these string
beany youths awkward and shy. You
generally saw the four of 'em together
So you might think I was hard up for
a crouch when 1 worked one up on
Whittle. 1t wasn't until we got into
the war that ne begun to bother me
at all; One day. comm out on the
5:o7. he camps down beside me and
slows bundle between his knees.
"Ah. McCabe"' says he, beamin
wha. this is?"
him curious. He's little flushed. and
seems some excited.
Il say" he goes on. pattin' the
'1Rss Says ssn guess s aans mfhs y0p ss tn.
weeks wash"
NO. no." says he. Think. War has
been declared. hasn't IT."
Oh! says i. AND you're StOckfn' up
on groceries. That it?"
He looks panied and disappointed
1T is the flag of our country" says
he.
"Ye-e-es?" says !. kind of vague
Il intend" says he, ito throw Old
Glory to the breeze at once. 1 have
been meaning to for some time, bu,
now-well. it Is the least we can do
isn't 1t? Yours is already out. l sup
pose"
/ admit that II amt
But you will be getting one righ,
away. i am sure says he. I'VE mus,
show our colors, If nothing more
Every one must. eh?"
Well, as a matter of fact, ] had beer
thinking of putting out pole and fly.
Ing flag from the front OF the house
when Whittle goes on insistin' that it.
thing ! ought to do. somehow
bucks. No gettin' away from him
though. He explains how buntin' II
scarce, OWN to the big demand ant
IL I want to be sure Of gettin' a fae
right OF, I'd better let him phone II
an order for me. And the first thing
II he don't insist on comm around g
few days later. to help me raise It,
There" says he. takin' off his hal
as l hoists away. Our national EN-.
blem! Beautiful. isn't 1t, McCabe? Ant
here. I've brought you a button fol-
your coat lapel. We should all show
our colors. these times"
SO I'm duly decorated. Course, I dom,
object to such things In general way
It's all right to plaster yourself with
red. white and blue bow-knots and
shields and notices and such truck
u you feel that's the thing to do. But
II -