Alma record., 1918-07-25

II was evening and the big Office
buildings were discharging their quota
OF humanity, who. though stu In work
aday garb. stepped forth briskly int
the crisp autumn air. conscious that
the chains of<oil were loosened for .
<ew brief hours and that they were
free to play, relax and to take their
dies Of social life.
Ann DoHovan was one OF q group OF
animated. chattering girls that emerged
from one OF these immense beehives
Of industry. They fingered for q mo-
ment On the sidewalk. laughing and
talking. then scattered On their various
homevard ways.
Ann started OK, bat had emily gone .
few feet when q quick step sounded b.
hind her and q pleasant masculine
voice said:
''Hullo, Ann! What's your hurryr
1t was annoying. Why would Tom
my Insist on waiting for her every eve
ninsi OF course he was pleasant CON
paAy. and all that, but-veil, a gth
likes to dream sometimes. and that
walk home In the evening along the
quiet. shaded streets, was the only ~
OF time out Of the whole busy day she
might have for herself.
Good evening. Mister Rsgan," Ann
managed to respond, taking q certain
satisfaction In using her moa formal
prunes-and- -prisms tone, usually re-
served for impertiAsnt statesmen o.
persistent book agents who invaded
the ONCE.
why so distant Acushla7 Doesa't
Tommy sound good to you any morei
That mister stun doesn't listen natural
comm from you to me-" And the
cheerful Tommy softly hummsd:
Pack mp your troubles In your old kit
bag.
And smile, smile, sanilei"
~Them's my sentiments every time
Fellow that wrote that song must have
been u real fellow. One who Knows
that n smile makes the digging easier,
whether you're digging with a shovel,
or a pen or "a sword"
TomInys voice faltered a little on
the last word. and he gazed irifle
anxiously and uncertsiny al his silent
companion.
'Er-Ann. there's something Tve
been wanting 10 tell yod. and ton't
see why ] mightn't as well tell goa
now"
Ann was nanic-siricken. Why could
they were and not begin treadng on
dangerous ground. Besides-apd tbs
was the real reaSon--a certain resent
nent bad been lurking in the back
ground ef AIMS minC rur some time
with reference TO tins same Tommy
Regan How could he sit tamely be-
hind a desk and watch other fellows,
dozens OF them. marching away to
Garry the starry banner over seas?"
Tommy was strapping, stalwart
youth, clean-cut and pleasing 10 the
eye. Aggressive and intelligent, he
had in him the making OF q splendid
American soldier.
But he had not enlisted whsn he
nationwide call for volunteers wsnt
forth. nor had the long arm Of osa-
scrpton as yet reached out fec him
He and Ann bad never d1rect4 as
cussed the subject. It was eonseaatly
In AIMS thoughts, but q certain hsG1-
fancy had prevented her from tntre-
ducing the topic, and though ahe bad
skated dangerously close at tina for
all OF Tominy's unfailing chesrfulness
and apparent willingness to chat on
anything and everything under the
sun, somehow he had never given her
clue as TO his real reason for putting
himself in the Stacker class.
Ann herself was an ardent patriot.
Fifteen dollars q week Is not q munif-
cent sum. but when q girl lives at
home the stretching qualities of even
a meager fifteen dollars are remark
able. So by dint of wearing her last
seasons suit. by studiousiy keeping
her head turned the other way when
passing an ice-cream parlor, by sundry
small economies and self-deuiais con-
stantly practiced the world over by
thousands Of working girls, she was
aoiS W ouy LipStts Dobu, W JOiu the.
Red Cross and TO contribute her mite
to various special funds for the benent
Of "Our Boys" She was even now
learning to knit In the From Pothooks
TO Knitting Needles" class recently
launched at the once.
SO when Tommy announced In that
serious tone that he had something to
tell her. she mentally besought her pa
tron saint to ward of the imminent
proposal without hurting the lads feel
ings or destroying their friendship
For, after all. fought Ann. they had
grown up together as neiGhbors. and
there had always been friendly feel
ing between the two families. though
OF late years the social intercourse had
been confined chiefly to the young
people save for an occasional cross
the-fence chat between Mrs Regan
and AIMS mother.
They were on quiet side street now
and her prayer seemed hopeless when,
just as Tommy started to resume his
confidence, the heaven-sent Interrupt
tion occurred. The interruption was
Just q pair Of lovers strolling along
arm In arm-a scene old as the ages,
yet ever Interestingly new to observed
a. well ~ to observers. The youth
Martial Law