Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-11-07
IN WAR TIME
BY LIZZIE N. PEABODY.
Copyright 1918, by the Mcclure Nswspa-
per syndicate)


Wearing her brothers farming
clothes Harriet wynne, with mis-
chievous black eyes, cheeks glowing
through tan, and her thick dark hair
cut short, looked as nearly like q
healthy, handsome boy as a girl could
look, as she planted and hoed~ on the
sunny hillside Of her fathers farm.
Suddenly rhe threw down the hoe. ex-
amined the bllstered palms Of her
hands, and then glanced at the sun.
It's near lunch time. she thought
Dropping to the ground, she pulled
the wide, soft brim Of her hat over heS
face, shut her eyes and rolled away
on her course toward the fragrant pur-
pie lilac bush. which grew near the
open gateway by the quiet country
road.
Meanwhile the shade and blooms
had tempted young Sergeant Ames
and he had Just seated himself on the
old bench beneath the big bush when
he espied the supposed boy rolling to-
ward him. That Is how It happened
that Miss Harriet arrived at the goal
flushed, breathless and smiling. to look
into the twinkling blue eyes Of a young
stranger In the khaki uniform Of the
U. 8. A.
Her first thought was to apologize
for her u~nladylike behavior; her Sec
ond to act as well a possible the part
which she had assumed. Rolling
stones gather no moss, but rolling boys
gather lots of mud and grass stains."
remarked the stranger; and Harriet,
ashamed, angry and a bit envious. for
she envied the right Of every man to
wear q soldiers uniform, copied her
brothers mann.r as she tartly repliedt
II suppose you've heard Of the man
who once made a fortune by minding
his own business"
The sergeant laughed good natured-
ly as he said, You win, but are You
always SO grouchy just before dinner
timef I'm hungry enough to be
grouchy myself" Harriet's answer was
to reach hastily for her lunch and d.
vide with him: and they grew very
friendly. as they ate, although she
talked very little. fearing to betray her
secret.
Sergeant Ames, liking the shy boy,
who proved to be such an attentive lis
tener, talked freely. Tomorrow" he
said. II 60 back to camp. Soon after
that we shall be on our way to France,
and we shall be glad to 60. Our men
are the equal Of any in all the world, IL
not better than most.
Looking at his watch, he exclaimed,
swell | IT'S time to 60 !" and rose from
the bench.
1t was then that Harriet. as she saw
him standing there looking "every inch
q soldier" suddenly discovered that
wherever this boy went her heart
would 60 with him. "Shall I writer"
he asked, and she answered eagerlyi
'If you will. I am Harry Wynne Of
H~illcrest." II am Joe Ames," he re-
turned. "and will send my address,"
Then he strobe away after saying
goodby; and for Harriet, the long
waiting time began. After a seemingly
endless time the letter came. A brave
and cheerful letter; and among camp
happenings he wrote: 20 Boy Of h
Lilac Bush. you never can imagine
things as they are here, or the thrill
with which we think of the wonderful
things which may happen between
dawn and dusk, and dusk and dawn,
but I'm glad to be here to do a mans
part"
She wrote him CHEEKY, courage-in-
spring letters as the dreary winter
passed. and then a letter anne from
a kindly nurse who wrote that he was
In the hospital and wounded.
Harriet sat down to write immedi-
ately, hoping to catch the next mail;
and wrote SO hurriedly that she had
no time to read what she had written;
but she had not heard from him since.
She was thinking of him as she sat
knitting on the vine-shaded. flower
scented porch one beautiful afternoon,
and looked up quickly as a man
stepped up onto the porch floor. Sud-
denly her face went white. as with a
hasty, panied glance she noted the
empty sleeve; and she rose quickly,
and with a sob threw her arms around
his neck.
The pretty girl In the fluffy white
dress had entirely forgotten her role
as a boy, but when the newly promoted
Lieutenant Ames, rising nobly to the
occasion. placed his right arm around
her and gently drawing her to a chair.
sat down beside her, she remembered,
and blushing deeply. whispered: Had
you ~guessedf' mot until your last
letter." he replied. softly. although all
your letters puzzled me. I wondered
how q mere boy could write such wise,
helpful. hopeful letters. In the last, I
think you forgot the part you were
playing. and wrote your thoughts az
they came to you. When I reread
this: Every day my heart and
thoughts 60 ont to you. and every
day I pray for your safe return,,-1
stopped to review In my mind the lit
tie incidents Of the day I met you, and
1t came to me that a little ~black-eyed
girl had been Joking. and that the joke
had been upon yours truly but I en-
joyed It so immensely that the doctors
and nurses wondered at my suddenly
regainsd spirits and frequent smiles.
Soon after that. ! was ordered home"