The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-13
EVENING STORY
The War Service Bureau.
BY MELVIN STEVENS.

Copyright 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)
1t was late spring in the mountains,
and Dud Embury was gazing ques-
tioningly into the clear blue eyes of
Doris Baldwin. Somebody or other
has told US all about young mans
thoughts in the springtime, so it
seems hardly necessary to mention
whether or not he dared to tell Doris
how much he cared for her. They
hadn't known each other very long;
only for two weeks, to be exact, but
both were graduates of the same col
lege, which makes all the difference
in the world.
TITS just as if we had known each
other for four years. the man ex-
planned. $50 1 want you to treat me
as one of your oldest friends"
That had been two weeks ago, when
bud had arrived at the Smith farm
house for a brief rest from business
worries. 1t was just a coincidence
that Doris happened to be the village
school teacher, but the new arrival
considered it about the luckiest thing
eyes were like the October sky on a
cloudless day, and her lips matched
the petals of a crimson rose. She had
only been out of college year.
Their two weeks together had
flown on enchanted wings, and the
time had finally come when it was
necessary for bud to go back to the
city again. So he looked into the
depth of the girls eyes and became
su 1denly brave.
Il love you" he said.
He mad always thought that when
he spoke those words, the girl to
whom they were directed would open
her arms and smile at him. But Doris
did no such thing. Instead, she drop
ped her eyes and traced an aimless
he n "a
man could not see that her heart was
wild with the joy of his confession;
that her whole being quivered for the
touch of him. He only knew that she
did not come to him at once; and be-
cause his knowledge of girls was linn
tied, he ina gined that she did not
care.
So, very quietly, he turned away
from her and hurried upstairs to his
room. On such MISUNDERSTANDING,
world of tragedy is based For the
man believed that the girl did not
wish to answer him, and the girl be-
lieved that the man, having spoken
impulsively, regretted his action and
escaped before it was too late.
He went away the next day while
she was ma king a mockery of her
geography lesson; and for a seemingly
endless month he ate his heart out for
her and then, when he could not stand
it an hour longer, he wrote her let
ter, telling again of his love and ask
ing her il she could ever care for him.
But in q week the letter came back
with the announcement that Miss
Doris Baldwin had gone from Noun
tainville and had left no address. And
in spite of all that bud could do, her
whereabouts remained unknown to
him.
And then having found business
suddenly embarrassing, he applied for
application into the first series of
officers training camps and was adj
mitted to Plattsburg early in the sum-
mer, where fifteen hours day of drill
and study kept his mind busy and his
body young.
In the course of three months he
was graduated with a captains COM
mission and was assigned to Camp
Dix, N. J. Then it was that he heard
about the war service bureau of Glen
wood college The bureau was estab
lished by classmate of his who was
Unable to fight because of physical
defects and who had decided to devote
his time to the Glenwood men who
had entered the service of the nation
Every week he sent a letter to the
alumni and students of the college in
the camps. telling them of the campus
meetings. the football games, and all
other gossip. He offered to answer all
questions about G1enwood men in serv-
ice. sent sweaters and socks which the
ladies of the faculty knitted. and did
hundred and one things to make easier
the days of those who had answered
the nations call. The avowed pur-
pose of the bureau was to keep Glen
wood men in touch with Glenwood
and with one another.
bud enjoyed the letters immensely;
and one time in the late fall. when
he happened to be in the college town.
he dropped into the Office of the war
bureau, Jim Handy, the director.
greeted him cordially. told him where
their classmates were. how many
Glenwod men had already crossed the
ocean. how many were at the various
camps, and who had won commis9
sions.
Even the co-eds are doing things"
he said enthusiastically. Il have sew