Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-24
The Daily
Short Story
A SCRAP OF PAPER
BY GeneYieVe Ulmar.

Roger Melville was proud OF his
home town as he returned to 1t after
an absence of a year. He had been
abroad On business-the business
of demolishing autocracy and full
well had he done bis duty. Placed
at once in active service, bit of
shrapnel had lodged in his chest,
placing him ON the hospital list for
month. Near Verdun, months
later, a rife ball had penetrated one
knee. They invaded him then, for
it would be a long time before he
could walk without limping.
He Iimped now and progressed
slowly as he left the train, arriving
at Clinton five hours after the glor-
ious news of victory and peace had
reached the little hamlet. At any
other time he might have become
the center of attraction, for he had
many friends in the town and re-
ports of his bravery and medal
award at the front had been duly
noted in the local newspaper. Just
now, however, the place had gone
wild.
There was a reason for this. Just
before going into the service his
love for a certain young lady in the
village, named Wanda Bond, had
inspired him with mighty hope and
longing. On the eve of making his
declaration, with orders for de-
parture to service pending, he was
told by a friend that Miss Bond
mad become engaged to Ellis
Thurston. An overheard reitera-
ton of the information on the part
of Thurston completely drove
Roger from the field as a rival. He
was glad to get away from the
scene where his fondest hopes had
been so rudely blasted. He had not
heard from Wanda since. Now, re-
turned, he could not repress the old
interest and love in a girl who was
the one and only ideal of his
dreams.
"ls it an omen?" abruptly Roger
questioned himself, and drew back
into a sheItering doorway. Coming
down the street in an automobile
was the man who had robbed him
Of his loVe-Ellis Thurston. The
latter was flushed and riotous of
manner and voice. He was show
uttering jubilant yells, the sham
patriot he had ever been, for he had
taken advantage of a teachnical-
ity to evade going into war service.
Clinton was soon ablaze with en-
thusiasm, copying metropolitan
manners celebrant on a minor
scale Whistles shrieked, bells
jingled, automobiles dashed along
with strings of tin cans trailing be-
hind From Office windows great
masses of torn-up paper were cast
adrift, filling the air and littering
the street, and all the time, cooped
up at home, just convalescing from
an attack of the measles and there
fore unable to join the rowing
throngs downtown, little Millie and
Esther, nieces of Wanda Bond, set
about having a jubilation of their
own on a homemade scale, but
destined to solve the fate of two
loving hearts that otherwise might
have drifted apart forever.
Left alone with servant they
, trimmed the porch with flags and
bunting. They were forbidden to
leave the yard, but fully enjoyed
the infection of patriotic duty. A
sight of whirling scarps of paper
down the street suggested an idea
On" exclaimed Esther, why can't
we make a snowstorm, tool"
We can, we must" acquised Mil
lie excitedly, and very soon they
had gathered up all the old news
papers in the house, got up on the
fence posts and shouted with glee
as the brisk breeze added their
quota to the litter that notified the
roadWays.
81 know where there's aheaP of
old paper" declared Mile, as their
initial supply was exhausted.
'Where-where," demanded her
partner in mischief eagerly.
In the attic. Aunt Wanda put
box of stuff from her desk up
there yesterday" and thus it was
in their needless glee the two exiles
from the public celebration made
up for the deprivation by recklessly
scattering to the winds the con-
tents of a waste basket speedily
bounced upon.
Roger Melville had meantime felt
an Irresistible impulse to stroll
past the house of his beloved one.
Twice he was buffeted with the
sheets and particles of paper sent
adrift by reckless hands. An open
four-page letter caught against his
coat. His eye falling upon it, he
looked with interest at letter ad-
dressed to Dear Friend Wanda"
and it was signed by Estelle Mason,
her closest friend.
1t was of recent date and pail
pably one of regular correspond
ence His eyes glowed as he pc
rused it, All thoughts of the pro-
priety of reading the letter were as
naught for the moment, as his
thirsting soul drank in a rapture
complete.
81 am glad you have given Ellis
Thurston his quietus," it read. Be
tween a Stacker and a hero there
is no choice. Why don't you forget
maidenly modesty and all that, and
cheer up the man you love. fight
ing for his native country and very
likely thinking of you as constant
ly as you of him? Dear, brave
Rogeri / really believe, dear girl,
that some misconception sent him
away without telling you how. much
he thought of you
Medals are something, the letter
of commentator from my general
is something greater" soliliquized
Roger Melville joyously. but this
is more than all put together"
And he pressed his Inns 10 the