The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-08-12
THE LITTLE LADY
BY JACK LAYTON.


choice Of their village as a place OF
habitation with some, the words had
an atfectionate sound, but there wsre
others who omitted the "little" and
spoke Of her with sarcasm.
The appropriateness OF the llt;e.
however, could not be disputed.
Iittle lady was the new inmate Of
tire Old Parsons place.
Farlnsdale young people were accus-
toned to labor In homes and factory,
theirs the problem of living But fhe
| great old Parsons place WAS opened,
muslin curtains showing behind geain-
ing windows The tangled garden was
| eoaXed int6 order, the town boy
scouts spending their spare time liz
the effort. Happily the little lady
| directed them and repaid their lahors
whats she here for anyway?7 they
said, and "How is she going to spend
her tlme|
But the little lady only hummed her
i tunes bending idly over the sundal.
A young officer home from camp was
tempted to turn in at the gateway 10
ask for a drink from the fountain;
the day was hot.
"One does not realize In this peace
ful setting" he said, the. suffering, the
privatlon that others are enduring
across the water, War seems very an-
real and far away. yet it Is there
The eyes of the little lady were sym
pathetic. yes" she agreed, but She
stopped as she spoke, to train rose
about the sundlal.
The official frowned as he went on
his way. She had been much, too
much, in his thoughts, since they had
pointed her out to him the beautiful
stranger who had leased the old Pur-
sons place. Why should he sit in judg-
ment upon her. II she chose to re-
main carefree In times OF seriousness
and self-denial, what was that to hir.!
A girl stood just outside the en-.
! trance looking into the garden; she
was one of the girls from tAe factory
and her face looked wan and tired.
II was waitin' for you." she told the
soldier; II wanted to ask about Jim.
When do you go over to France?"
"That we cannot tell, Josie" the Of.
fcer replied. but your brother is
feeling fine. You are a brave girl 10
spare him for your country"
'gThe doctor thought wouldn't he
strong enough to keep on at the fac
tory through the summer" the girl
said, "but 1 reckon l wouldn't try to
hold Jim back cause of that
She motioned wearlly toward the
white-clad figure by the fountain.
'Pretty soft, to be like her. said
Josie.
And as the soldier went on down
the path he paused to greet pale
woman in a wheel chair Her tall hus-
band propelled the chair and his tense
face frightened eagerly at sight of the
soldiers uniform.
"When are you going back to
camp?" he asked and when upon some ,
pretense the wife had sent her nus
band away she raised patient eyes to
the officers face.
tits so hard for him not to be able !
to CO." she said. IF it hadn't been fG-
the accident to my hip he might have |
gone with the rest. / think Bert feels
tied to this chair with ball and chain.
But if am better, as the doctor prom
ises, next year"
"You are the kind Nell p the soldier
exclaimed, and he pressed her hand.
Yes, she was "the kind"
Old Henry was glad to see him. He
ba ~,
stone If Jed's boat had got over safe;
Jed hadn't written yet And If
'twa'n't for Matte here" he went on,
beckoning an old neighbor from the
next cottage, ''her boy Ben would
a-been in the fight too. Matties lame
ness held Ben back" "If l could only
get along alone" said the old woman
regretfully. But / can't she added
and sighed.
Yes, there were those in this fair
country also who realized the neces-
sity of sacrifice. As the officer strobe
on his way he thought about these
familiar people of his boyhood, anxious
in the time of need to do their best.
Across his memory flashed vision
of the little lady, but he banished the
picture with firm-pressed lips There
would be one more vi&t to the town
before sailing; when he came again
he would avoid the road which led
past the great house. so he told him
self; but that was the very road which
he chose. The grounds had been culti-
waited wonderfully he noticed, and in
the background worked a mans bent
6aure; "she" was not lingering near
the fountain The fact brought unac-
countabe disappointment. But toward
him, down Il winding pathway came
Josie-Josie. brown, radiant wheeling
an invalid chair and in the chair was
Bert's wife.
The color came and went in her
face when she saw the soldier. "Come
in" she called, land let us tell you
about it."
"The little lady has befriended Us
ALL" she answered his questioning
gaze. ut was what she had planned,
she says, to make it possible. perhaps,
for one or two men to serve their
country who otherwise must have re-
manned at home. Bert has gone and {
Ne of4fo'C san fno Toeso t,l,e .,ll