Oxford eagle., 1918-10-17

say when che would be back / took
her 10 an early train. Everybody on
tie station platform was wearing some
sort OF a Liberty Bond decoration
took my button of after / left the sta
ton There was nothing to do but
stay in the office all day. Not nu,
man being came near Il The nan
who has been cleaning the Windows
itelephoned that he wouldn't be around
he added I've bought a 500 LIB.
cry Bond" The restaurant man
stopped me today as I started in q,
me door and told me that he had much
ra,her ] went somewhere else for Nv
luncheon. The man at the cigar
counter muttered something about
slackers' when ] bought a stogie
spurned by Fellows.
Oct :. Until noon today not sin.
gle human being spoke TO me whe-a
speaking could be avoided I might a.
wen have been in the wilderness. 2ap-
PIE were all about me as ! went 20 the
postoifice- as ! went along the street
"s i stood on the corner. I had known
many OF them since they were little
children Some Of them had been nv
friends for years had known nearly
every man, woman and child for a long
time. They passed M as though !
Were not on earth. They lowered their
voices OF were silent as they passed
ne | might as wei have been a leper
al the "Leper's Gate" I didn't know
/ never understood that people were
SO desperately in earnest about This
var began 10 notice, too. the serv.
ice Tags in the windows and the serv.
ice pins on coats and gowns. 1t seemed
that everywhere ] looked there was
something 10 remind me Of the war
lhere were Liberty Loan poster
every way looked. There were Food
Administration cards and signs every.
where. and J vas surprised to see The
number Of flaEs that were flying ID.
town
knew the boys and young men had
been going away 10 The war. but today
seemed TO miss them al for the first
time. There seemed 10 be more md.
cle-ased and old sen than ! remem.
eered before And ! SAW. too. that
most OF the women were Carving
knitting bags. ard ] recalled a lot Of
things about the work they had been
doing And several boys that hardly
knew were out Of the grammar school
passed NE in Uniform But they al
passed me in silence had never felt
SO lonely. SO absolutely alone. in all
rs life. and yei was on the streets oi
lie town that eall my home and
where know about every body there is
Sees the Light at Last
went 10 the office and sat there
l. vas quiet as = grave. There nas
been no one in 10 see me Tor a ccuple
oI days thought about it 4 long
Nme The people J had known had
turned against me vas in public
disgrace. The town crunkard WAs
more respected than vas al that mo
r-eul The crap-shooters hauled a.
before The justice Of the peace we're
.Ees4E4e4 a. re- .BectAble citizens xheu
ccuparec Win me
ARR al. there Was bu1 one hing 4
D done. ! Hlsh ] had done Il IN ths
beginning went over to the hAns
and demanded a Liberty Loan sub
scriptou blank ! filed il or for the
amount had been foid was demanded
of ne. Then ] tore il up and asked
for another blank and ] raised the
f2mount that time. ] guess u is Just
as wei For II The Kaiser and his
sang get over here NJ money -hEt IA
llaned won't he worth much 10 me.
And ] ana not forgetting thar III Tint.
- States government bono IL lasi
about The best investment on his
s,arth and il Is pretty good country
after all
Z didn't ask for . button. remem-
Der thai did when took that $50
pledge from the litle Boy Scout
When ] came out 81 The bAnk ! don't
remember noticing the people. II
didn't matter much whether they saw
me- or ulL had deserved al I got
from them. ! guess. and Is has been q
bitter lesson. Nexf time. the next loan,
wil be on hand with the pledge on
The first day. am going 10 ny 10 be
a regular American.