The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-06-22
THE ROAD.
BY LOUISE

macadam through a country gor-
geously painted with the colors OF
early autumn. The fields, shorn of their
golden crops, were skirted on either
side by low hills, already r%eddening
where the oaks were thickest, or yell
lowing amongst the chestnuts and ma
pies.
Suddenly the girl flung her arms
wide. "Oh, Jim, isn't this glorious
just to be alive, just to exist. to
breathe and see everything, and feel
the sun and airi l could keep on ike
this forever and forever. I'm so hap
py, dear, 1t almost makes me sad"
She faced him, smiling radiantly, but
with it all tears stood In her eyes.
Jim took one hand off the wheel and
slipped an arm tenderly around her
waist. drawing her to him and kiss
Ing her passionately.
"You dear !" he exclaimed. 81 was
just thinking the same thing. Well,
grille, there's no reason why we
shouldn't go rolling along through
life Just like this, is there? We may
not always be in an automobile, ana
perhaps the fields won't always be
green, nor the sun so bright, nor the
road so smooth, but as long as you're
you and I'm /, and we get married as
we intend to, 1 can't see why life
won't be a mighty sweet dream, can
you? Eth, girlie?"
mo, Jimmie-unless." She ran her
hand tenderly up and down his arm.
"Unless what? There isn't going to
be any unless, Helen.
"You don't understand, Jim. There
is such a thing as crying for pure JOY.
Only 1t seems that when I'm happiest
I'm always saddest, too. Sad, / sup
pose. because other people aren't as
happy as l am"
Forget il. That's their funeral. II
would be a great world, wouldn't il,
If we were responsible for other peo-
pies troublesT
"That's true, / suppose" She sigh
ed. "But think If you had been draft
ed instead of Homer, wouldn't you
have liked a little bit of sympathyp
eff again"
"Oh, Jim, jim" Helen laughed In
spite of herself. "Do be serious. But
what If you had been drafted instead
of Homerf"
"Well, what2"
"Td just die, that's ALL"
snow, look here, grille, don't talk
that way. Anne didn't die. did she?
And she thinks as much of Homer as
you do of me-"
Helen was silent a minute. But
Steiner stuff than / am. Why, / be-
lfeve she'd take a gun and go out and
fight herself. I do believe, too, that II
Homer hadn't been drafted, she'd have
made him enlist, anyway"
you're right, Helen. I believe she
would. Moreover. If Homer hadn't
been drafted, he would have enlisted
without Anne telling him to. That's
the stuff he's made Of"
She turned and faced him squarely.
"Why. Jim Harlowe, what are you
talking this way for? / really believe
you're sorry we are engaged SO you
can't 60"
SIN not sorry we're engaged, dear"
he denied quietly.
"Then what is 1t? Do you want me
to be like Anne and tell you to goT"
"No, I wouldn't want to have to be
told, dear"
"Then what is 1t? You do act so
queerly, and l can't understand you at
all. I just thought there was some
thing wrong"
"You certainly have a way Of get
ting at things, Helen" he evaded.
Here we started out as happy as two
kittens on a fence fine day, good road,
just two of US. and the whole world
before us. And you insisted on being
sad about something you don't know
a thing about, and start to ask uues-
tons, and"
"Jim, tell me, what is lit" she de-
manded.
He hesitated just an instant. "pve
enlisted, little girl that's ALL"
The car slid ~noiselessly over the
smooth road. Helen, still facing Jim,
did not answer instantly, as he ex-
pected, with a stormy protest and a
food Of tears.
Instead, a wonderful, glorious smile
overspread her face and her eyes
shOne LUMINOSITY. "Oh, Jim, jim"
she breathed almost too low for him
10 hear. I'm so glad. II didn't
think / could be so glad, but l am.
I'm so proud. Why-I never thought
before / could bear 1t, but | can, you
see. It's wonderful, Jim. I'm so
proud of you, dear. My Jim enlistingl
Really, | think I've felt rather out OK
1t because / had no soldier boy"
The little car came to a standstfil
under a big maple, as Jim took Helen
In his arms.
You're the soldier, dear; the truest,
bravest little soldier that ever vast
And I'm the coward, for / was afraid
to tell you. I'll come back. / don't