The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-01-08
The Old Lady Talks

CBy Edith Barnard Delano. of The
Vigilantes.)
The Old Lady sat down in the
rocker and took off her bonnet. She
was breathing as though she had
been walking fast, and she laughed.
My gracious to goodness, Mary" "
said she, I've had a surprise, ]
! was passing Mis- CIapp's house on
the way home from the Red Cross
pajamas meeting. and Mis- Clapp
waved to me to come in. George
was home. You remember George,
( Mary"
/ DO l remember him?" asked
| Mary, scornfully We'll, | guess I
! do! Seems like it's wicked to think
! such things about a fellow human
being, but when the draft come and
| took George Clapp 1 thought to my
self, Well. if somebody's got to go
off and fight and maybe not come
/ back, it's blessed good thing Gov
ernment's fixed it so some O. the no
accounts will have to share the dan
ger Maybe twas wrong to think
so, mother, but you know George
Clapp was one O those that-hu-
manly speaking-could best be
spared
The Old Lady laughed again.
Yes, | do know that, Mary. The
same thought come to me. too. But
that was quite some months ago.
Since then George has been made in
to soldier and now he's home on
furlough. That's what they call al
vacation nowadays-just one OF
those new names for things you have
to get used to now we're at war,
same as you have to get used to buy
in your sugar by the pound, when
there is any. Well, l went in to
Mis- Clapp's little parlor, and looked
about like | have for years for a.
chair that would bear me up. You
know most of her parlor sets been
weak in the legs for goodness knows
how long. Mis- Clapp must d seen
ne looking around and guessed what
twas for. She laughed, and said,
on don't have to be afraid where
you set down, Mis- Watkins,' said
she, because George has done moth
ing but mend and fix and paint and
get me ready for the winter, ever
since he got home Then George
come in,-only l didn't recognize
him at first. Used to be round
shouldered. now he's straight as a
pine. Used to hate to look you in
the face, now he just grins right into |
your eyes. Used to have grease |
spots all over the front of him, and |
wrinkles ana dirt wherever they
could be, and now he's dressed in |
one o those snug-ftting khaki uni |
forms with yeller shoes on and a \
strip O. tan flannel wrapped around /
his legs that make him look like one
O your Uncle Johns race horses.
And Mary, L do believe to goodness
that George Clapp is ready for the /
race You needn't look at me that /
way. | do believe it. He sat there I
and chatted with me and his Ma ALL,
the time | was there, talked about
the way the fellers got things done {
IN camp and the way they meant to
get 'em done over there He said.3
The words been passed that theY
be sending US over pretty soon
AMI teif oG ts5y
get us over any too soon for me.
guess likely I'll be scared out o. myi
boots first time IL boche bomb comes
looking for me, but gee, I wish
they'd hurry w with that first time,
Just the same l looked at his boots
all shined up. and his neat tan-col-
ored leggins. and l said, Nc, o,George,
don't believe you really will be
scared out O those boots,' said 1. He
laughed at that-and you know what
A surly grouchy young one George
Clapp always was, willing to let
like his mother work
her fingers off for him. I'D like to
Kiss you for that and for goodbye,
Mis- Watkins said he. And you
IAN just bet I'm glad I'm going over
o fight, anyway-it's so everlasting
good to know you got something of
'our own that's worth fighting for.
asked, after a minute, George, just
What is it you've found out you own,
hats worth fighting for? I'm kim
Ter curious. He looked off over my
lead, Mary, and he says, Why
Country-ahd Home and Man
lood,' says he. And that, Mary, was
George Clapp. Here, child, you roll
Up my bonnet strings for me. 1 got
90 much else to think about