The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Before the War.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.
Icnn-r-Inht 1a1T nv the Mcclure
(Copyright, 1917, by the McCIure
Newspaper syndicate)

that he had "hunch. AT least
had been Davids way OF putting u.
Put he "hunch,' as David slanginS'
IL eYpressed il, had been force so
strong that he had been quite unable
N resist its urge. Something, some
thread of destiny, had drawn him roln
his exceptionally remunerstiye posi-
tion and tied him firmly into the army
THAT urge had been so strong that ne
had let Airline sever the ties thsl
hound him TO her with little or no re-
sistance. ,-,,-o,.
Friends and relatives took Arnnes
aide of the question. A soldier, in the
!. days before the war, was a man VIM
>Vfdr the most part, had cast on the
shackles of home and AMBITION anu
was quite content to drift about NC
forts jotted around the country.
However, had David onered more
opposition TO the breaking OF the en-
0aqement Airline no doubt would have
waited until he had tired of soldering
But his apparent indifference incensed
her and she expressed her opinions of
loafers, army life and MASTERS in 80
exaggerated a manner that David 90
Trained from argument.
So David went his way in khaki and
Airline continued her life, missing Ia
via far more than she had reckoned
on. She was 6 practical little crea'
ture. and for lack OF understanding
had no patience with lunches inward
promptings and sub.conscious minds
Had she been posted even in the
slightest degree on instructive know
edge she would have listened with
less material ear to David's bunch
A year or two dragged past. ArIine
: found one or two men whom she &C
counted friends, but time to time sne
compared them with David and found
them lacking. She was not aware
that she was comparing them with Da'
ytd and would have scorned herself
for It. David had deliberately left her
10 join the army and she did not eN-
en- know that her erstwhile sweet
heart was now Lieut. David Cornwel!.
War began blasting its horrible way
in Europe before airline realized thu.
soldering was a noble calling. She
knew, too, that should America Join
the conflict she would want more tadh
anything In the world to be in po'
sition to help her country and its
brave men.
Not knowing that she, too, was the
victim OF bunch she went to one OF
the great New York hospitals and
found herself making definite arrange
ments to enter as a probability nurse.
II was fortunate that there was va
cancy.
airline wanted TO be a full.hedged
nurse or none at all. She did not want
to be a nurses aid nor did she want
her bit to consist OF knitting or ser7..
ing sandwiches and tea to soldiers.
She wanted to be real help and 20
have her name one OF the first on the
muster roll.
Airline figured that, entering the
hospital in 1914, she could be train.
ed nurse in 1917 and should the war
continue SO long she could go anu
help in a foreign hospital All this,
however, she knew but subConsciOus-
ly. She was not conscious OF havin.
figured 1t all out, but the urge was
there and some power goaded her OF
to effort that she would have thought
quite beyond her own strength.
She did not like hospital work. Il
asked for herself, but she struggled
desperately with duty's grip aoouL
her. She passed her probationary pc
riod which opened the way for the
full course. Airline ,envied the white
clad nurses, not because they had won
the right to wear their uniforms, but
because they could even then go out
and care for the brave wounded sol.
diers.
And still airline was unconscious
that she, too. was following that mys
FERROUS thing called a bunch, even as
David had followed his. She knew
that her material little body was
being flung along. She would have
been at complete less to explain her
action even as David had been at
loss say why he had Joined the
army.
All unknowlngiy she was steering
her bark to the mead of the stream
where she and David had parted. But
her craft was strong now aud able to
brave the deeper current. The strange
sense somewhere within her was tel.
ling her that ahead was tremendous
wave OF life and that she was to he
q great part OF it.
She was in her third year OF tram
ing when America entered the worIo
conflict. Khaki-clad men were every
where and sons of the navy in blue
and white. Airline rejoiced that she
was nearing the goal when she could
sign her name to the muster roll and
/ volunteer for foreign service.
The first time she saw a battalion
OF soldiers. new to khaki, hiking along
the city street her heart squeezed up
int her throat. The men were swing.
ing their arms and keeping steaIy
rhythm along the hard road. The lit.
tie shuttle that accompanied the tread
sent hot, strange emotion over Ar.
line.
When she returned OF the club for
probationary nurses near the hosplt.
al and went into her narrow room and
hung herself on her narrow white bed
she still heard that steady shuttle Of
marching feet.
As she lay on that slim little bed
In the slim little room 1t suddenly
occurred to airline that some power
of which she had not been conscious