The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-02
EVENING STORY
Soldier the Seventh.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

BY DOROIH4 DOOGLAS.
/ Lucinda purled the last row on her
seventh sleeveless sweater.
Six of the boys she had grown up
| with already had their warm khaki
| sweaters somewhere in France" and
this seventh one she<would send to
John Watson.
Lucinda did not know John so well
as the others, but many a pleasant
afternoon she had had with him in
her studio before he, like the rest of
the brave boys, had Joined the fight
ing comrades. She knew, however.
that he was waiting for the sweater
and she had knitted as fast as her fin
gers could fling the needles.
When it was finished Lucinda put d
suggestion of sachet in the woody
folds. 1t would remind John of femi-
ninity. She felt sure he would like
that familiar scent. Also she tucked
in some chocolate and many packages
of his favorite cfgarets.
Her letter was long and gossipy.
Lucinda tried, in all her letters to the
soldier boys, to give them touch of
home; a feeling that they were still
near and dear to her and a part of
| the daily life at home. She told him
Of the stories she lad written and the
exact size of the checks for sams.
John and she had spent many happy
hours talking plot, for John had writ
ten a poem or two and was deeply
| interested in writing.
1t seemed an unusually long time
before she heard from France. She
supposed Johns regiment had gone
into action. Perhaps that was the de-
lay.
R,,t ubap u,ord caDe from, the
. sweater it Vas in another handwrit-
ing than that of John Watson.
Lucinda's fair head dropped for
ward and she shook with terrific sobs.
John was the first of her seven brave
fighting friends to fall in battle.
When her tears permitted her 20
continue the letter she found the con-
} tents peculiarly touching.
He. the soldier who had written 1t.
was Johns closest pal. They had
: stood side by side in the trenches.
: and I wish the shell had taken
me rather than John" the letter ran.
He had much to live for, while I'm
one Of the lonely soldiers you read
about. John has spoken of you to me
, and I know you're the kind of girl
err you made for john. need it bad
1y and know he would want me to
have it. The package came just after
John fell. I read the letter and
4
the rest of the boys. If you have a
moment for lonely soldier please
| write me as you would have John. ]
| have knocked about the world q LOT
and am enclosing a bunch of plots that
] may help you with your writing. II
they do-there are heaps more where
s these came from" The letter contin-
S ued in way that quite touched Luz
cinda's heart. She knew, without the
letter of proof, that there were many
9 many lonely soldiers, and she wished
with all her heart that she could reach
and help more of them.
Sf1e wrote back a long letter and
sent more cigarets and chocolate al
well as wristlets and a helmet. She
made minute inquiry as to any specia
requirements he had and thanked him
for the plots he had sent.
While letters and messages were
crossing the wide ocean Lucinds. wrote
a story that brought her in the bigges
, check she had received from an,
!, magazine. The vivid bits of life tina
David Mcleod, the seventh soldier
g had sent her had added a strong touch
of reality to her work.
She wrote him of the success Of tn,
q, story and told him that she was put
ting half the check in a little bank
when you come over to America aft
er the war" she wrote, 1--WE will spent
5 all your half of the check making YOU
forget the tragedy of war, I an
spending mine all on soldiers-doint
!. just the little things that can"
Lucinda and David continued thei
strange correspondence and fount
| much pleasure in it. Her stories i'm
proved wonderfully and the small
bank for the returning soldier be
came bulgy with checks:
But the day came when Lucinds
e waited in vain for an answer to he
c letters. She tried to be brave abou
a this second loss, but it was difficult
somehow she felt very, very near t,
. David. His frank manner of enterin,
into her life and the strange appeal il
e his loneliness had wrapped themselve
e rather closely about her.
t After long days Of depression whel
= she had quite given up hope tina
e David was one of the living heroes, sh
had letter from hospital in France
They ain ost got me- he wrote
f but I'm pulling thru like a team
g OF American mules. Guess it take
a more than bunch of boobies to Kill
: this globe trotter I'm coming owe
e to your country when my ounds ar
8 sufficiently healed to let me travel
It need not say that I await with intens
T pleasure the day when I can see witt
d my physical eyes the girl who has beer
: SO wonderful pal for lonely soldier
d 1 am getting a lot more material 70
you-here in the hospital. I have los
: a leg, but cheer up-I have anothe
= left" 'e
e Lucinda put down her head agail
a and cried. The tears were happy an
y might have sent tiny flowers springin
k up had they fallen on earthly gardens
= But she dried them and started on tn
n long wait until the day when Davi
IS Mcleod would enter in person into he
d life.
II Her stories were decidedly happie
now-the endings more complete L
the little bank a considerable sur
I awaited David. Lucinda realized tina
| it would take a To- of going to spen
| all that on making David forget
II He had told her to look for a one
j legged man when it came near tim
for his arrival. and when he stood out
is side her studio door Lucinda gaspe
with joy at his nearness. David ha
,e told her the exact date. His crutche