The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1918-05-28
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THE SOLDIER GIRL
BY MELVIN STEVENS.

In February. 1917, Dick Huber de-
cfded that he was working too hard
and needed a rest. Happily. Dick was
one Of those fortunate young men who
could afford to take q rest whenever
he wanted one; and having made his
decision. he packed al necessary cloth
Ing In Q steamer trunk and took the
train for Old Point Comfort, He
couldn't tell why he decided on that
place In preference to several others
he might have selected; but he blessed
his lucky star for guiding him IN bic
selection. ,1.
For. after having washed and I'M.
packed, he made his way leisurely into
the broad sun parlor and discovered
Edythe Norton. She was reading q
book, and the first thing he noticed
was that her long black eyelashes lay
carelessly upon the pink Of her cheeks.
She gave not the slightest indication
Of noting bis presence. Instead she
looked over and through him, and
turned again to her book.
Dick felt suddenly that Old Point
Comfort wasn't an that Il was cracked
up to be. He started to back out Of
the palm room, but % he aid % q
young man In uniform brushed PAST
him and approached the girl Of the
black eyes. She sensed his coming
and looked up with q smile Of greet.
ing. and there was something In the
way she smiled which made Dick
Huber wish for the flrst time in his
life that he had gone to West Point
instead Of to Harvard.
He wandered aimlessiy about the
hotel for time. his thoughts on the
girl he had seen. Still pondering. he
found himself back at the desk Of the
hotel. A clean-cut young fellow was
In charge. and for want Of something
to do, Dick engaged him In conversa-
tlon. He found. after time, that the
clerk was q Harvard man also; that
he had been forced to leave college
for a year because Of lack of funds,
and that he knew everybody in the
hotel. So Dick questioned him guard.
eddy about the girl he had seen, and
found that her name was Edythe Nor
ton; that she intended to stay at the
Point until the first Of March, and that
every good-looking soldier at the Coast
Artillery Training school was crazy
about her.
"Other fellows come from up North
to zee her." the clerk announced. But
no one without q uniform has q
chance"
Dick wandered into the dining room
after Q time, wishing more than ever
that he had gone to West Point.
But the NEXT morning, through one
II those rare pieces Of luck which
come to ~ all now and then, he found
Z mutual acquaintance who introduced
him. That was the beginning Of the
happiest month Of his life. February
wore away and the time came for him
to 60 back North. ne made . desperate
resolution to ask Edythe to marry him.
"Edyths" he began. I'll want to
say something to you." f
She nodded. without raising her
eyes. and waited; but Dick became
suddenly fearful. He had never pro-
posed to girl before, and he did not
know that she already knew what he
was going to say. and was trying to
make Il easy for him. 80 instead Of
blundering along he simply cleared his
throat again and relapsed into silence
and the girl, simply because she was
q girl. looked across the room after .
time. and discovered figure approach
Ing them.
sHers csmes Tom Atkinson in his
new uniform" she announced. TIN
Just crazy about soldier suits, Diek."
And because he didn't know any.
thing at all about women. Dick Huber
decided that his case was hopeless and
left for the North without saying Q
word about the love that was tugging
his heart ont.
He tried hard to forget Edythe after
that and because business was not
strong enough to ease the ache which
possessed him, he announced himself
q candidate for the Second Ohicers'
Reserve Training camp early in Au-
gust. and September found him ut
Fort Myer training for commission.
A few weeks later he was transferred
to the Coast artillery and was ordered
to report ut the training school at
Fortress Monroe, which IL only across
the street from the big hotel at Old
Point Comfort.
Dick smiled rather grimly one after.
noon late In November a. he made his
way into the palm room Of the hotel,
looking for another cadet who had
promiaed to meet him there. It TO
minded him wildly Of Edythe. and in
Voluntarily he glanced over to the
corner where he had hrst seen her.
And then his heart stopped beating
for there she was. sitting In. the wicker
rocking chair.
For q long two minutes Dick stood
looking across the room at her. and
then she raised her eyes. She gasped
. bit % she recognised him, but when
he strobe over to her. she rose and
held ont both her hands.
"Dick I" she said. "What ID the