The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-15

were drafted, and gave as his reason that
he was Conscientious objector, nobody
doubted he was telling the truth, and no.
body doubted his courage; he had proved
that for many years, and his people were
of the Society OF Friends, although John
went to the white church. The Old Lady
was one Of those who heard him say It,
and she suddenly tottered, put out her
hand, swayed
Somebody get me a chair" she
gasped; it was big John Graham who did
so, and eased her into it gently and ten
derby. When she felt better she looked
up at him and smiled her thanks.
you're good boy, John, and always
were she said. I'm real glad you won't
get into that awful mess over there and
see the sort of things I'll was -was re-
Numbering, and that made me 90 faint
like"
Everybody looked at her; John Ora
ham did not seem to find anything to
say. So the Old Lady did the talking.
Il haven't been feeling wells usual
since day before yesterday" said she. q
was in to town, and ! met that nice little
Miss Conroy from Canada, the one that
nursed Junior through the typhoid two
years ago, and we all got so fond Of. She
she was pounds thinner, and she looked
she looked--haunted. / never did see a
woman look worse. / was that shocked
At first | scarcely dared to ask her
what's the matter but ! just had to.
She told me.
Miss Conroy is the sort o. woman
ought 10 IA had ten children OF her own
Stead o. that she mothers all she comes
across. The one she mothered most was
her own nephew, a young lad about Jun
ior's age %, maybe. She used to tell us
how bright and handsome he was; he
wrote her regular. He had enlisted in
Montreal, and he was an aviator. First
time / ever come near knowing an avia-
tor was when his aunt nursed Junior
We used to talk about his flying
young and so handsome He was good,
too, and he was all but engaged to a girl
Miss Conroy liked She was with us on
his birthday, and Junior was sitting up
then, and we had birthday cake for
Tom Conroy with 10 candles on it, and
ice cream-even though he was across
the water at the war. Well
"Well Miss Conroy was Just back
| from Canada the other day, and she had
Seen him-her Tom her young birdman,
| He had been shot down behind the Ger.
man lines, been taken prisoner, and he
was transferred back through Switzer-
| land because-because one arm, his right
arm, was gone. But that wasn't what
allied Miss Conroy It was the story he
had to TELL and the thoughts that grew
out of it, Of course you hear lot Of
stories-but this was Miss Conroy, that
nursed our Junior Her boy Tom,
when he got to where there were other
prisoners, was made to stand up in a line
with the Others They were arms length
apart, and they had to hold out their
arms full length and open and shut their
hands, without stopping, until they were
told to or until they couldn't do it any
longer. Of course, they hadn't any
CROSSES back of 'em--but even Germans
can't do everything all at once. Well, a
Hun officer came along the line asking
each boy, while he opened and shut his
hands who he vas and what regiment
he belonged to- and what not. Presently
he come to Tom Conroy--and twas the
day we were having his birthday cake
for him, as it happened. The officer asked
him who and what he was, and Tom told
him. When he said he was an aviator,
the officers face got red as red and--and
he took out his sword and--ohs I'm glad
you won't have to see such things, John
Graham land that officer brought his
sword down full strength on young Tom
Conroy's right arm
"The officers sword had cut through
the bone, but there was still something
| to be done, so they took the boy, our Miss
Conroy's nephew Tom, to the hospital.
Anesthetics are pretty scarce over there,
! they say Anyway, they wouldn't waste
any on mere young Canadian lad, They
used white hot iron to cauterize with
twas just as safe as any other way. An
tiseptics are scarce, too-Why, what's
the matter, John Graham?"
| Tall John Graham with the Quaker an
cestry, had turned his back and raised
his clenched hands to heaven.
God, Cod" he prayed aloud, God let
me get to EN-! Just let me get over
there to 'em, Godl"
There was utter silence in the store ;
one by one the men crept out, and only
the Old Lady and big John Graham were
left. The little woman stood up beside
the towering man, and laid hand on his
arm.
"Now. now, John" said she, gently.
Don't take on like that You won't see
any of that You're conscientious OBJ
iector to fighting"
He turned and looked down at her, Il
am, said he, "snd shall always remain
so. But for the duration of this war my
conscientious objections to fighting are
asleep---without anesthetics!"
The Old Lady reached up and patted
him on the cheek. "There, there, John,
she said, with trembling lips. There
! therel" And the tall man stopped down
ard kiesad her