The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-20
EVENING STORY
"Lady Anne's Cross .
BIZ DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

her friends called her Lady Anne, and
she called herself merely Anne Gay
conventionally speaking. she was, Lady
Anne Margaret Clievedale: her young
husband, Maj. Reginald Clieyedale,
had been one of the first OF his regi-
ment to fall at the front in France and
the young widow had gone strenuously
into training for a Red Cross nurse.
Nurses are born. Nurse Anne,
said a poor, pale soldier, as he lay
propped up on his bed in a base hos
pital somewhere near Paris.
"We,re all born-we all die" Anne
answered with whimsicaliy sweet
smile as she moved pillow UNDER the
patients arm. That's the one sure
Statement we dare to make. isn't it 2"
The pale American lad nodded. II
can make one more sure bet, Nurse
Anne. I shall live long enough to get
back and have one more crack at those
Huns!"
Il should say yoU would" Anne
laughed. But I wouldn't be thinking
about it yet a while"
Let me think-that's all I can do
on that or any other subject-just
think and think and Think"
Nurse Anne turned away from his
cot for a moment. "All right" she
said gayly. when she faced him again.
land I'll go on my rounds. Perhaps
some time I'll bring you a good
American penny and buy some OF your
thoughts with it,"
She had fled before he could say
more.
Next day, with five other nurses,
she was moved to more urgent work
nearer the battle front, and the pale
American lad asked for her in vain.
He thought of her lovely face each day
that he lay on his cot, and afterward.
when he was taken across the channel
and down into sunny Bournemouth by
the sea~to convalesce with many other
soldiers he always watched for that
| face among the crowds that passed
him by. And always he was sure that
he would offer her those thoughts.
whether or not she had found the
penny.
For Lady Anne there was little time
to think OF foolish penny bargains for
thoughts Her task was to cheer the
| last hours OF many brave lads from
her own country and take what mes
sages she might from their lips.
my cross-take it home to mother
| a young southern captain told her.
you'll be going back. now that we've
nearly finished this game. Keep it till
lyou go. Nurse Anne, and give it to
Tmother to pin on her flag"
| In time Lady Anne did cross the
Atiantic-the great sea made so much
smaller by the world war. She had
not been on her own side since she
had left there a bride two months be-
Fore the beginning of the conflict. How
she had lived since then! She thought
of the years OF experience that had
been crowded into the short five So
called years that she had been on
foreign soil. She would go home
iagain to her own people. and, after a
trest, continue the profession in which
she had had such wonderful experi-
ence. Thus she planned in the
moments when she found time to look
| Among the many messages she was
carrying home personally to mothers
and sweetheartS OF brave American
lads was this one French cross of war
that she had promised to deliver into
the mother hands.
4 The cross was wrapped in a khaki
silk handkerchief on which was en-
broidered an H. Capt. Harold Lee,''
she said to herself one day, as il she
were communicating with the lad who
had gone. what is it that makes me
4 keep your medal so close to the v. C.
from the front when he passed on
| What is it? Is 1t weird the way al
ways treasure them together-it's in
applicable. But-Ive learned not to
Dame Fate spreads out before us
Something compels me to take this
cross at once to your dear mother"
/ Lady Anne travelled well out of hei
way. to seek the mother Of Captain
Lee. She did not announce her com
ing. She found her way up the
shaded southern street to the old rec
brick mansion back among the trees
She opened the gate and walked
slowly up the gravel path to the white
II porch ahead of her.
Il An old colored man opened the great
door Hospitality and bowed low.
please tell Mrs. Lee that Nurse
Anne is here with message for her.
she said. quite Internationally to thu
old darby.
] "Yassum, yassum," bowed the ole
man. as he showed her into the COO
/ Swallowed room at her right.
| Presently, she heard quick steps OF
the stairs. They were not the steps O
Mrs. Lee, she knew.
Nurse-Nurse Anne-Nurse Anne!'
a voice was saying, Will a tall youn,
man held both her hands.
/ Your face. but not your name.
Anne stammered.
His face fell for a moment. "You'y,
forgotten me?" he asked.
No-oh. no." Anne FASTENED to say
Il have cross of war for Mrs. Lee
from her son. Capt. Harold Lee
My brother" said the young man
promptly. I'm Bob"
anne idukneo ana drew away he
: hands. "Oh. yes," she said. recallin,
something sweet from her memory
] I went in search OF penny to blu,
your thoughts about killing Huns
: didn't II" she asked naively.
. My thoughts-yes-but they were
MT about killing Huns. But her
r comes mother. Oh, this is too, to-
5 good of you, Nurse Anne. Come" H
t took her to meet his mother in tn
! doorway. Mother, this is Nurse Ann
r Gay. She brings Harry's cross to you
4 and, oh, mothen it will take foreve
J.. Tor me to tell you what she meant t
u me when. / was in the hospital afte
i lmy first skirmish."
D, The three sat down and untangle
a part OF the skein that fate had woun
J. around them. They shed tears toreth