The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-15
A Soldier Of The Legion
by Emerson Houah Of The vllIsantea.)

(By Emerson Housh Of The ViIisantea.)
He lay silent in his white bandages. It was his
first return to consciousness. He thought he was
in another world.
Presently he heard gentle sghing-the sigh
ing Of many depressing their pain for the
sake Of others. Elsewise the place was silent,
save that from some distant place music,
soft and gentle. Again the thought came to him
that it was another world-that world Of which
one never spoke in the trenches. He was sure OF
this. since now he saw approaching him Great
ure in white.
She came and stood by his bed passed a hand
across his forehead, looked down at him with
gentle eyes
We'll, MARION OF the Legion" said She "tt
comes on, eh?"
He smiled suddenly his even white teeth show
ing between his bearded lips
so then" said he, you are not angel"
"Oh, no, MARION. l but the nurse" She
touched the badge Of the Red Cross on her cap.
What is it-your organizations" he asked. In
the Legion we do not know OF it. Who brought
me In? Did cry out?"
THE bearers brought you. You did not cry
out. You were close to the wire Of the objective.
All the Legion! Always it Is the Legion which
must do the impossible"
We did 1t, them"
Yes. 1t was glorious. But there is no Legion
now!"
She wiped away the tears that gathered in his
eyes-the first his eyes had known within his
memory.
Il am Of the Legion!" he murmured.
Why did you join Marbon?" she asked of him.
ITO fight" he said simply.
And to forget?"
why, yes That is best attained in fighting,
you see"
And you came to France-for some ones
sake?"
I'VE do not speak of such things in the Legion"
he said simply. But what matter? I am broken
and done It is creed to leave such where
they fall. Who, then, are you, to violate our
creed-you with your uniform Of white and it's
1T is the white Of clean faith, MARION of the
Legion. cit is the red Of hearts bleeding in
sympathy with other hearts on all the fields Of
all the world. That is our creed"
TT is folly said he gruffly, trying to turn
beneath the white counterpart. When man
falls he Is done if he cannot rise of himself In
the Legion one kills a man sometimes in mercy.
have done as much-many times. l lacked
that-this time"
save them. Could you not devote yourself to
my creed? You see--"
II see that you are brave as any of us. But
what you ask is the impossible"
1T was the impossible that always was asked
Of the Legion, MARION. 1t is the impossible that
always Is asked Of us we'll. But in the one
and will be done. So now I will take you and
make you man again. You shall live. You
shall work to ease sorrow, not to create it; to
build up the world, not to destroy 1t. I say
nothing against your Legion, for men like you
must go out to tight that which is wrong. say
only that a man goes from one regiment to am
other, that one regiment may serve as we'll as
another-that our Legion may have its place as
You are brave" said he simply. He gtill
sough1 10 nod, his lips tight
Then you, too, MARION, consecrating yourself
to this, our Legion, must be brave again, You
must live. You must hope. promise you--you
shall yet forget"
the impossible. "A good creed! Wen, then,
vive--"
Suddenly he drew out his arm from beneath
the covering TO wave his hand But his hand
was gone!
Gently she pushed his arm down u he gazsd
AT II WQuderngly.
Patience, my friandn aald ahe "Patience
ard couEaga III our Legion we also 10 the lime
possible for the sake oG love and hope