Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-18
Epening Story
BEFORE THE WAR.

By DOROTHY DOUGLAS.
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Airline had broken their engagement
because David had given up splendid
position to join the army. He had
given no reason for his desire to be-
come a soldier save that he had
"hunch." At least that had been Dav-
ids way of putting it.
But the "hunch," as David slanging-
ly expressed it, had been a force so
strong that he had been quite unable
to resist its urge Something, some
thread of destiny, had drawn him from
his exceptionally remuneratve posi-
ton and tied him firmly into the army.
That urge had been SO strong that he
had let Airline sever the ties that
bound him to her with little or no re-
sistance.
Friends and relatives took Arline's
side Of the question A soldier, in the
days before the war, was man who,
for the most part, had cast off the
shackles of home and ambition and
was quite content to drift about the
forts and jotted around the country.
However, had David offered more
opposition to the breaking Of the en-
gagement 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 so ex-
aggerated manner that David refrain
ed from argument.
So David went his way in khaki and
Airline continued her life, missing
David far more than she had reckoned
on. She was practical little creature,
and for lack of understanding had no
patience with lunches, inward prompt
ings and sub-conscious minds. Had
she been posted even In the slightest
degree on instructive knowledge she
would have listened with less mate
rial ear to David's bunch.
A year or two dragged past. Airline
found one or two men whom she &C
counted friends, but from time to time
found them lacking. She was not
aware that she was comparing them
with David and would have scorned
herself for it. David had deliberately
left her'to Join the army, and she did
not even know that her erstwhile
sweetheart was now Lieut.. David Corn
wall.
War began blasting its horrible way
in Europe before Airline realized that
soldering was noble calling. She
knew, too, that should America join
the conflict she would want more than
anything in the world to be in a posi-
ton 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 enterNas a probationary
nurse. It was fortunate that there was
a vacancy.
Arlene wanted to be full-nedged
nurse or none at all She did not want
to be nurses aid nor did she want
her bit to consist of knitting or serv-
ing sandwiches and tea to soldiers.
She wanted to be a real help and to
have her name one of the first on the
muster roll.
Airline figured that, entering the hos
pital In 1914, she ould be trained
nurse In 1917 and should the war con.
tinue so long she could 60 and help in
a foreign hospital. All this, however
she knew but subconsciously. She was
not conscious of having figured 1t all
out, but the urge was there and some
power goaded her on to effort that she
would have thought quite beyond her
own strength,
She did not like hospital work. 1t
was the last profession she would have
asked Of herself, but she struggled des-
perately with duty's grip about her.
She passed her probationary period
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 be-
couse they could even then go out and
care for the brave wounded soldiers.
And still Airline was unconscious that
she, too, was following that mysterious
thing called bunch, even as David
had followed his. She knew that her
material little body was being flung
along. She would have been at a COM
plete loss to explain her action even IS
David had been at loss to say why
he had joined the army.
All unknowingly she was steering
her bark to the head Of the. stream
where she and David had parted. But
her craft was strong now and able to
brave the deeper current That strange
sense somewhere within her was tell.
ing her that ahead was tremendous
wave of life and that she was to be a
great part of it.
She was in her third year of training
when America entered the world con-
flict Khaki-clad men were everywhere
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 battalion OF
soldiers, new to khaki, hiking along
the city street her heart was squeezed
up into her throat. The men were
swinging their ,.rrus and keeping
steady rhythm along the hard road.
The little shuttle that accompanied the
tread sent, hot, strange emotion over
Airline.
When she returned to the club for
probationary nurses near the hospital
and went into her narrow room and
flung herself on her narrow white bed