New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-17
MY SOLDIER SWEETHEART
of
REVELATIONS Or A Wife

Allcn Drake new Dicky had been kill
ed. and that he feared to give me the
news.
please, Mr.. Drake" I faltered.
Tell me your news quickly. L am
fully prepared for the worst. But
don't keep me in suspense"
But it's all right" came the quick
answer, almost shouted over the
wires. 1t: Graham is alive. slightly
hurt but in no danger. would
have told YOU at once, but I didn't
know how much Mrs. Underwood had
told you, and I feared TO shock YOU
] couldn't answer for Il moment
My heart was too cholled with the
sudden blessed rush of relief. Lillian
who had come swiftly toward me at
the telephone summons, put her hand
upon my shoulder.
STEADY, dear.' she said encorar-
ingly. It can see by your face it's
good news. Don't go to pieces now
when you've been so brave. DO you
want me to listen to the rest of the
message?"
[ signalled decided negative as /
heard Allen brakes voice again
this time with a decided note of
anxiety.
Are you there. Mrs. Graham? Are
you sure you're all right?"
How Dicl1y Helped.
quite sure" I returned firmly
And won't you please tell me all
about it?'
You shall have every scrap Of
news I possess" he said reessurin ely.
L have just left the censor's head
quarters, where I was privileged to
read a dispatch from correspondent
of the Continental Press, story of
wreck incidents, a part of which is
devoted to an exploit of 1t. Graham.
OF course you would better not say
anything about this until you see it in
print. 1t will be in all the afternoon
papers, where you can read it at your
leisure. But I will read it to you now
if you wish
IF I wish" I repeated, "Oh, please
hurry"
THE paragraphs devoted to LIT.
Graham run thus" he said. and
pressed the receiver closer to my
ear that I might miss no syllable.
Among the most striking incidents
accompanying the loss Of the Almi-
mana was the exploit of Lit. Richard
Graham of an aerial squadron, whose
home Is at Marvin, L. l., in rescuing
Capt. John O'Brien of the Alminana,
one of the best known navigators in
American sailing circles. Capt.
OBrien, who is we'll past middle-age,
true to traditions of the sea, was the
last man to leave his ship. but 1t.
Graham, who had done wonderful
service in transferring the survivors
to the lifeboats, preceded him only by
a minute. and helped the elder man to
T-iCtoy y,oF h Job +loo
only refuge left them, all the avail
able ifeboats having been previously
sent away heavily loaded
Safe and Well.
THE raft drifted rapidly away from
| the boats, and several times the two
men were thrown into the water, but
managed to scramble back to safety.
| Lit Graham saw that the elder man,
who only recently recovered from a
| serious illness, was becoming ex-
hausted, so he buclzled the belt of the
captain to his own in such a, manner
! that if the elder man were to lose his
| grasp upon the raft should it be cap
sized again, the young lieutenant of
the air service would go down with
| him if he could not rescue him.
He had scarcely accom- plished this
when the unseaworthy piece Of lumber
| which was their only barrier from
death again threw them in the water.
But Lit. Graham, with the weight Of
! the almost unconscious captain
| hampering him, managed to cling to
the edges of the raft and to guard
his companions head and body from
being battered. He was almost I'M
conscious himself when picked up by
one of the destroyers hurried to the
scene, and was painfully bruised. But
| the surgeons have pronounced him in
| no, dange and believe that the cap
tain, although seriously Ill from the
| exposure, Will eventually recover.
lit. Graham insisted upon leaving
the improvised hospital as soon as he
| had been revived. and is now assist
ing in the work of rescue and identifi-
cation"