Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-02-01
AWar
Memento
By George Elmer Cobb

d. @eAfp ANGW6PaREf A
where's the sunshine gone to, little
woman?' cried Bruce Manton, as he
entered the house, home on the minute,
as usual, from work.
The room was full of it, outside all
nature was bathed in it. Lettie Man
ton responded to the query in a half
puzzled manner. Then she understood
that 1t was the seriousness in her
thoughtful face that her husband had
referred to. She arose and greeted
him with IN enforced smile, but her
kiss was as fervent as ever.
81 was just thinking, DEAR" she ex-
planned, Il received a letter from my
mothers half-brother an hour ago. He
is In New York CITY,"
"Good-grand! sincerely jubilated
Bruce. "Then he has escaped from
Belgium
He writes So" responded Lettie,
but his property there has been de-
stroyed and he is still suffering from a
wound he received. He writes that he is
too old and feeble for army work and
has come back to his native country to
die"
"Have you answered the letter."
"Oh, no. / wished to consult you
about that first, of course"
81 don't see any need of consulting"
declared Bruce. "He is your only rela-
tive. He is a victim of the war, help
less, probably robbed of everything he
once owned. Write him at once, Let
tie. This is his natural haven, with
us. Tell him to come on and be sure
of a glad welcome"
"Bruce," said Lettie, in broken
tones quivering with emotion, 81 think
you are truly and grandly Gods good
mani"
Bruce kissed and kissed the lovely
face upturned to his own. He under
stood fully that Lettie had been worry
ing at the thought of saddling him with
the care of a relative. He never did
things half way. He set all details of
the present situation completely at
rest now.
I'm glad your Uncle Vance is COM
ing" he said. I'm the first place it's
our duty to look after him, under the
circumstances. In the next, he will be
company, yes, and maybe some help
to you. I am always worrying while at
work about your being alone way out
here all day. Your uncle will be COM
pany for you. He "a potter around
the garden and do little errands for
you, and what a lot that is interesting
he can tell us about the war!"
Lettie wrote a heartsome letter to
the refugee in the East forthwith. She
took pleasure in fixing up their spare
room and each succeeding day looked
for the arrival of their expected guest.
A week passed by.
q II = = = +
81 hope Mr.. Vance has not net with
delay or accident" said Bruce, and
Lettie was growing anxious: She
would go outside aqd look across the
half-mile expanse between their hum
BILE little home and the city's limits
half a dozen times a day. Their place
was quite isolated, except for several
houses in the same remote group as
themselves, They formed the nucleus
of a new subdivision of slow develop
ment. The roads were as yet unpayed
and they had to use well water, but the
house and lot had been offered to them
cheap IN long payments, so they had
decided to pioneer and made the task
more hopeful, then certain, for Bruce
had a position that brought in a very
moderate income.
One morning Bruce went out, as was
his routine, to let the chickens out for
the days foraging, when he came to a
dead stop with a stare. A man was
just stepping from the shed. He was
old and bent, poorly clad, u~nshaven,
and the loose straws cl;nging to his
hair and clothing indicated that he had
been sleeping in the shed all night.
"Sort of late for Your breakfast,
aren't you, friend?" bantered Bruce in
his natural jolly way.
tits got to seem so good to sleep
without a lot of shells exploding all
about you" responded the intruder,
whom Bruce had at once put down as
a tramp, "that l could sleep anywhere
and enjoy it. I got here late and the
house was all dark and / didn't want
to disturb you, so l bunked in among
the fresh straw"
"Whyw shouted Bruce, enlightened,
grabbing the old man and giving him
a friendly hug, "you're Hubert Vance!"
"What's left of me" asserted his Wis
itor, grimly, swinging a bandaged arm
and pointing to a lacerated ear. you
act as If you were really glad to see
me-"
Don't you ever doubt it," said
Bruce briskly. "Lettie !" he called to-
wards the house, Here's the good old
friend we've been expecting for over a
week."
Lettie camo tripping from the house,
welcome arms extended. Bruce could
note the wrinkled, wearied face Of the
old man thaw out under the influence
of genuine delight DIT his truly hearten-