The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-17
He Had Neither
Patriotism Nor
Romance
By OSCAR cox

another man ON the road, he stopped
him and said:
II come from re wars in la belle
France"
ooh. you do? Did you go out with
one of our Canadian regiments or did
you 60 over and enlist in the French
army?"
II enlist in re til Canadian in
fantry. / am a Canadian, though !
love France"
There's more of you come back
than might have been expected. Seems
to me I'd about as leave be a steer
turned into Chicago packing house as
go over there to be made pulp Of"
"We fight for civilization, for re ben
eft Of posteritie."
well. you're welcome TO do so if
you like. I'm not interested in posteri-
ty myself, and I don't consider that
I'm under any obligation to my great
great grandchildren whatever"
The speaker was about to move on
when the war SCARED veteran said:
''There is girl in this town by the
name of Mabel Shaw, / believer"
''There was girl by that name"
"Mon Dieu! She is not dead?"
mo; she's very much alive"
81 bring a message to her from her
lovaire"
"Oh, you do?"
"He and 1 fought togezzer in re
trenches"
'Is the main part of him coming
home too?'
"All of him is buried on re battle
field in Picardie."
THAT'S too bad" This was said
with evident disappointment. "Was
his name Wilkins?"
Eyes. You knew himT'
"No. ! never saw him. After he
went away l took something that be-
longed to him. I'd like to return it to
him."
"He was a brave man, YER brave
man."
'1'm sure o. that, considering what
he stood up against before he left. But
l reckon he didn't realize the critical
position he was in. What was this
message you brought from Wilkins to
his girl?'
1--WE had repealed seven attacks in
one day by the Germans. At the last
attack my friend was shot through the
heart"
That's the weakest place in a mans
body"
ut is certain death. But wilkins
lived long enough to say to me: An
tome, in re little town In Canada where
I lived there is lovely girl who has
promised to wait for me till l come
back after re war. II you 60 there
will you seek her and tell her Eat my
last thoughts were Of her, Eat l died
wiz her dear name on my lips? !
would like to live for her, but rejoice
to die for my country"
That's very beautiful"
ut is magnifique. What could there
be more glorious for a man than to die
for his country wiz re name of re girl
he loves on his lips?"
Nothing, positively nothing" replied
the other. 81 envy Wilkins from the
bottom of my heart. Fate has many
trials in store for us. If he had come
back he might have been sorry that he
hadn't closed the account abroad"
"Oh, but that was not SO wiz him
he would have come to re embrace OF
re girl he loved. Eat made his sacrifice
so MAGNITUDE"
There was an impressive silence be-
tween the men, which was broken by
the returned soldier.
Can you direct me to re house OF
Mabel Shawl
Certainly. Do you see the little rec
house over thereT pointing.
"Yes."
"Well, around the corner is q whit,
house with green shutters. That's tn,
location you're after. You can tel
Mabel that you met man on the roat
who directed you to her and asked 70,
to say to her that he won't trespass oil
her sacred feeling for the rest of tn,
day and she needn't expect him to din
ner. She'll doubtless be very mucl
overcome"
"You are her brotherT
II wish was. No; I'm her husband.
mon Dieur'
There's a lot of romance in thi:
world. but wasn't made that wa,
myself. There are men who tumbl,
over each other to get themselves killet
In battle and men that are ready to xii
each other for a woman. haven't an,
experience In war. but I'm a majo
general in love. After Jim Wilkin
went of to fight the Teutons l execut
ed a brilliant strategic move on tn,
girl he left behind him and captured
her. Did you ever hear Of the soldier,
who captured a powder mill? No
Well, they were much pleased witt
their exploit till the whole thing blew
up and sent 'em sky high"
"You have no reverence for woman.
you bet havei My mother was tn,
best woman that ever lived"
The soldier stood irlesolute for few
Minutes then. furnfng away said.