The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-13
ROMANCE OF AOAMSkI,
DRAFTtE, SHATTERED
He and Margaret Had Visions OF Their
Own Home After the War Was
Over.
JOURNEYS FAR TO SEE HIM
Arrives on Even Of His Departure for
France and Falls Ill--Dcath Takes
Her From Soldier Sweetheart.
BY STUART A. RICE.

BY STUART A. RICE.
tof War Camp Community Service
This is the true story of simple
soldier boy and the cir, he loved.
Adamski came to America from
Poland about nine years ago. He
went to Montana. and with his hard
earned savings secured some land in
a wild, rough district in the north
eastern corner OF that state. II was
forty eight miles GLASGOW. the nearest
town.
On an adjoining ranch lived Mar
garet Stendal. Adamski loved Mar
garet and she loved him, but her
parents did not approve. He was
only a Polack," they said. Adamski
planned mad saved and worked eeas-
lessly for the home they were to make,
They were young and they would build
their happiness on solid foundations.
Then came the war. Adamski was
drafted. He accepted the situation
stoically. When the war was over.
he would start aagin. He rented his
farm and sold his live stock. locked
his little cabin. and kissed Margaret
goodbye. He was sent to Camp Lewis,
near Tacoma, Washington. Unques-
tioning obedience and absolute in
tegrity characterized him as SOL
der
In time it was rumored that his
company would be sent to France.
Margaret was pleading to come to see
him before he left. Out OF his saw
ings he had loaned money to neigh
bors in Montana. He sent the notes
to Margaret, told her to collect them
and use the money to make the trip.
A second letter warned her of the cpl
demic and the impending quarantine
and advised her not to come. But she
had alreay started.
Margaret was twenty-five, but she
had never been away from home. The
long railway journey tired her. and
she arrived in Tacoma hectic and ex-
cited. 1t was the day the quarantine
was "clamped down" on Camp Lewis,
Margaret Was Faithful.
Margaret went Immediately to
camp. Because she had come so far,
she was admitted. She had not realiz-
cd 1t was so big place. and the build
ings all looked alike. She tramped
most of the day before she found
Adamski. When she left him he said
she should return to the city and rest
well before she came again to camp.
But the guard told, her she could
return the next day, and she was back
in the early morning.
| 2-RO.
Several days went by. Margaret
scarcely thought OF food and drink,
but only of seeing her soldier boy at
camp.
But Adamskis money would not
! last, and besides ii was to be used to
build their home, So Margaret obtain
ed work as an operator with the tele-
After one days aoinshrdlr 1lunn
/ phone company. After one days ap-
/ premiership. they told her she was
sick and that she must go home They
/ sent doctor at noon etaoin shrdlun
sent a doctor to her room.
1t was another case of influenza.
! The doctor was overwhelmed with
cases. He left a. prescription. Three
days later chambermaid reported
that the girl was all alone in her room
and very sick. The ambulance attend
! ant found the prescription still on the
stand. where the doctor had left II,
I The hnsnital wired Adamski that
she was very sick. Hrt it would not
do. Margaret thought to worry him.
She had a message sent that she was
I sick, but not very sick.
| The head nurse phoned to Adamski
that he had better come. But the quar-
antine was very strict; ne could not
get a pass; he could not come. A day
or two later the nurse phoned again,
and then she phoned to headquarters.
In fifteen minutes pass was in his
hands.
Grim Reaper Intcrvencs
| When he reached the hospital. he
was told that Margaret would die that
night. But she recognized him in a
misty way, and rallied, and then they
talked. For days and nights. Adamski
/ III
Margaret with devoted tenderness
and when she lapsed into sleep or I'M
consciousness. he kelned the overbur-
! dended nureses with other patients.
/ Margaret died. and with her. all that
was bright and beautiful and sacred in
this world to Adamski
He was taken to the army doctor
in Tacoma He was i'll and had fever
He plead not to be sent to camp-yet.
His sacred clay had not been laid to
rest. The kindly doctor acceded to
his request and sent him to the SOL
diers and sailors club. There he I'M
! burdened his story. Nourishing food.
a good bed and the assurance OF be-
ing among friends were his. He slept
the sleep OF exhaustion. and awoke
refreshed with fever gune
During the days of waiting to hear
from her parents, Aoamski haunted
/
diers and sailors club. The father ask
cd that she be buried here. He sent
money. and Adamski had very little.
Il will pay when return from
France" he said.
! He planned to ride on the seat of
| the hearse beside the undertaken. He
| bought some simple astcrs to place
upon her grave. But there were other
flowers: from the war camp commun-
ity service: from the Red Cross: and
! from the telephone girls with whom
she had worked for a day. there was
bright bouquet such as she would
have loved.
And his new found friends rode
with him behind tho hearse. The men
erved az pail bearers, and there
were sisterly women standing by him
at the grave. to parry the loneliness
added to grief. We stood with barred
| heads as words Of hope were spoken
and the blessings OF God invoked.
II we were able to tighten, as feel
we did, the immense burden Of that
/ poor soldier boy. then knew that We
, fulfilled the highest ideal OF the war
camp community service.
WAR WORK CAMPAIGN