The Springdale news. [volume] (Springdale, Ark.) 1887-1990, 1918-06-21
4 MOTHERS PROMISE To HER
son.
BY Kathleen Norris.


Ny Dear One-I'm writing this
very, very small and on the thinnest
Of paper, so that tightly folded it may
slip into one of the olive drab pockets
of your new uniform without en-
croaching for the tiniest part of an
nch uron all the new things thar YOU
must have there-the passports and
Identification slips and photog' II,
the knife and pen and writing pad, the
lists and numbers and names and
eiphers, the address book and the thin
manual you have been studying so
hard and the slim little Bible, for this
letter Is a part of your equipment, too,
or at least like to think that it is.
I'm going to tell you in it just one
or two of the things we've been try
inc not to say in these last days. You
have said to yourself, haven't you,
that there were possibilities that |,
thank God hadn't seemed to think of.
You've marvelled gratefully. haven't
you, that | could say goodbye with
dry eyes and talk about what we
should do when the war is over. My
dear, there is Observation-Disclosures
can happen to you that | haven't fore
seen in every detail since May, since
the very beginning of it all. know
that some of our men are not going to
come back. l know-as | write this
in the room you loye-that your fin
GERS may tumble for this little piece
of paper in some dreadful hour, a
month or two months or six months
from now, just to read it over once
more for the last time, just to feel ir
your fingers out there in a shell light
ed battlefield something that | have
touched-for goodbye
And thinking of all this for almost
year while you've been getting
ready to go I've been getting ready to
stay. Just as you planned | planned,
and | said to myself when the time
comes for us to part | shall make him
a promise Dear one, this is my
promise, and | make it for the term
of your own for the duration of the
present war"
promise you that while you are
away, whether it is months or years.
nothing except what | can give you
ard give all the others shall fill my
life. | promise you that shall de-
vote myself here in safety, to the
work of making what you do easier
and stronger and safer for you. |
promise you that shall give-and
give and give-for the Causei Not
the money | can spare, not the time
| have left when everything else is
done, but all the money, all the time,
all the energy have!
Your whole life has been altered,
has been set to sterner and graver
music. So shall mine be. You viii
know self denial, privation and fat, ue
while the war lasts. So shall | know
them. Even if black news comes,
even if the blacklist comes, | shall re-
member that against your brave heart
this promise is resting, and shall go
on. And while there is one man
amo.y our million and among the mill
lions of our allies who needs cloth
ing and nursing and comforts and So
lace for your sake l shall not fail him.
Perhaps in Gods goodness this note
will come safely back to me in the
olive drab pocket, and we will smile
over it together. But, remember, IN
til that hour comes | shall be always
brsy filling my own small place in the
great machine of mercy and as truly
under the colors over here as you are
over there God bless youi