The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-10-12
"A Letter To
Mr.. Sornebody
&Copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
BY LOUISE OLIVER

~~~St
per Syndicate.l
Philip sat thoughtfully down on the
ure step OF the trench. The German
musketry had ceased for the time and
all was quiet along the line. Three of
tne men in his platoon had been
wounded and taken back to the first.
aid stations behind the lines. But he
hadn't scratch.
Beside him, crouching In a variety
or attitudes, were five of the boys
playing cards. Someone had produced
q dog-eared, muddy pack, and now they
were having round Of jackpots. The
entire crowd had an aggregate Of less
than a dollar, all told.
Come on in, Pearson, the betting's
une." called Dorgan. "Sky's the limit"
But Philip shook his head. sit hurts
my finer feelings to see my fellow be-
angs risking their immortal souls. I
can't be party to the outrage. Be-
aides. I'm broke"
poor Phill" Dorgan drew three
cards Lonely again"
Who's he got to be lonely forr'
hearney, new to the company, didn't
know Pills history.
Nobody. That's the trouble. We
cusses here think we're killed because
we can't see our folks. But did you
ever think what It meant not to have
any folks to get homesick for? That's
Phi's trouble. He just naturally hasn't
got anybody. That's what he's think
Ing this minute. I'll bet jitney. New
er gets any mail-never hears from
anyone. By George, here comes Bandy
now with letters. Hurrahl The mails
In, Jimmy! All those for me, chap
lain? Well, this is my day."
Philip sat stolidly on the fire step
without moving. He knew the chap
lain had no mail for him. All the 9TH
er boys were busily tearing open let
tiers and papers and hungrily devouring
every word.
Then the chaplain stopped In front
of him and put hand on his shoulder.
my boy, wonder If" He put his
other hand in his pocket and drew out
q letter. II don't approve Of this
much. I don't have any idea what's
Inside, but I'm going to leave 1t with
you"
Philip took the letter eagerly and
scanned the address. 1t was written in
q rather angular feminine hand on
plain white paper and directed to-:
MR.. SOMEBODY,
American Expediticnary Forces.
France.
Puzzled, he slid his trench knife I'M
der the flap and drew out the closely
written folded pages. The letter be-
gan: "Dear Mr.. Somebody: Before
you read my letter I'm going to ask
whether or not you are getting mail
from home and friends. If you are,
viii you please give this to someone
who Is not, for this Is not your letter,
then, but his. am writing to lonely
man who has no one to care about him
mot to YOU"
Philip paused. Strange that the
chaplain had followed the directions
30 closely without divining the con-
tents. He turned again to the letter.
Surely the letter had reached its In
tended destination. Who else had a
better right to 1t than he? Then sud-
denly a revulsion of feeling seized him.
He didn't want sympathy. he didn't
want to read lot Of Sunday school
stuff about patiently bearing ones lot
and being sustained by pride In what
he was doing.
His eyes ran rebelliously over the
next few words. then he read more
eagerly, and before he knew it-but let
MS read the letter.
'First Of ALL" 1t ran, sim going to
wish family onto you, Mr.. Some
body-my family. And I'm going to
tell you all about what we've been
doing. Maybe you'll want to hear
about them and maybe you won't, but
I absolutely refuse to sympathize with
your loneliness and write consoling
things like that. And as / have to
have something to put into letter, you
will just have to be patient. And I'm
not going to introduce them. I viii
speak of them as though you'd known
us all forever.
''To begin, MFR. Peabody finally came
across and gave Dad the position as
head that he should have
had years ago. Oh, You don't know
what it meant to us! Or, forgot, you
do know, OF course. When Dad came
home that night and told us, Buddy
stood right up In the middle Of the
iining-room table and started to recite
Webster's grafton, knocking over my
vase of Glove shrub, the first out of the
garden, and running bran clean table
cloth that had taken me forty-seven
to iron. But was In for
giving numor, of course, and merely
kissed him and ordered him down. |
Lofty gave Dad a hug that nearly
strangied him and marched right up
gtairs and returned with everyone
everyone--mind you, Of her old dresses
over her arm"
Now, Sis she demanded, can't I |
give these to the poor Harbisons right |
away, and get that pink-embroided
voiie and the Peter Tom suit tomcr~
rowT
was ready to promise ANYTHING. |