Cleveland County herald., 1918-05-02
BILL BRADSHiH BUYS
 THIRD LIBERTY BONDS
By ANNA STOKES.

not wealthy, Just an ordlRary country town, but with lots of patriotism, which bubbled forth with energy at the approaching sale of Liberty Bonds, which marked the entrance of the United States into the world war.
 Bill Bradshaw looked at all the preparations with smile. He did not intend to buy Liberty Bonds. That $4,000 lying so snugly in the bank should not be disturbed. He guessed he was loyal enough without bayinT bonds.
 Just before the sale Of bonds for the Third Liberty Loan started Miss Ames. the compositor in the little country print shop, said to Bill, They'll make you buy some bonds this time, won't they, Bill?"
 Not me; I won't invest a dollar"
 Bet you $2 that you buy at least one bond before this sale is over,' said the editor, rubbing a grimy finger re flectively over his long nose.
 ''Take the bet!" snapped Bill.
 Bill left the office, and Mr. Rich, the editor, got in communication with Me Namara the head of the selling com mittee. As they talked low. the young lady in the bank could not hear the conversation.
 A week after the campaign opened Bill Bradshaw had bought no bonds, It was we'll on into the third week when MT. Rich met MT. McNamara coming to his office.
 Hello, Mac! Any news from friend Bill?"
 "Yes and no. Fact is called on him last night. and I told him l un. derstood that he had repeatedly re. fused to buy bonds. Now l was re, quired by the government to fill out this card. Then l pulled my yellow card on him and began to ask ques. tions."
 McNamara paused. Rich waited. then asked: What then?"
 His wife said: Bill, you'd better buy bonds than to let that go to the government
 Did her" asked Rich.
 NO, not then, but he asked me not to send the card until tonight. which: of course, I agreed to. I think 'he'l see the light"
 McNamara went down the street while Rich went into his office with [ smile on. Late that afternoon, as Rich went by the bank to the post office, MT. McNamara called him in
 Bill bought thousand dollars worth of bonds," he said with a broad grin.
 Scared, was he?" asked Rich.
 Pretty badly rattled"
 It was fully two weeks before Brad shaw called at, the Criterion office and when he did he walked up to the desk and, laying down $2, said:
 I am man of my word I bought bonds, for I considered them a good investment. One does not lose any thing by such an investment, and ht has the satisfaction of helping his government"
 This was said in a very patriotic way but Miss Ames, who was sharr Of tongue and not at all particular about peoples feelings, said: "Bill Bradshaw, bet they pulled a yellow card on you"
 | don't know what color the pesky thing was," admitted Bill. But ii one of them cards would go to Uncle Sam, with them questions filled out like Mac wanted to, I'd be arrested for pro-German. The whole trouble is Mac Knows to cent just how much money l have, and there's no gettin' round it."
 Bill remained and was unmercifull7 roasted by the sharp-tongued young woman, but for all that Bill Bradshaw was the only man in Cedarville who had yellow card pulled on him.
 After he left Miss Ames turned upon her boss.
 MT. Rich, did you tell McNarnara to go after Btadshaw?"
 "No told McNamara what he said about not buying bonds, and that had bet with him on the result, but no stakes were up-it was just yer, pal bet-but a yellow card would prihg hlm quicker than anything"
 And so 1t came about that Bill braoshaw displays in his window a Flag of Honor" and tells all his nelghbors what a good investment he considers Liberty Bonds.