The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-11-07
Sunnering
in Texas
By LINCOLN ToTHBLUM
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)

ualtieS, she was shocked in a very per-
functOry manner. She felt~as if such
things ought to horrify her, and ac-
cOrdingly would raise her hands, palms
outward, in an attitude of dismay, and
with Il pretty shudder beg you to de-
sist. 1t was awful, just awful 1t took
her mothers unexpected message,
"BObby'S enlisted" to make the war
a vital thing to her. For, although
Bobby himself never knew what place
/ ne held in his sweetheart'S affections
Betty had no doubts that Bobby ranked
ace high.
"BObby's enlisted?" repeated Betty,
incredulOusly. "In what branch?"
/ Mrs. Wilson advanced toward her
daughter. Betty had not taken her
own brothers enlistment so to heart.
in the cavalry" she answered rs
it not wonderful that he was accept
edo"
There was moments silence and
| then Betty was crying. But, my
DEAR" Mrs. Wilson comforted gently,
! whatever is the matter? Are you not
proud to hear it?"
ooh, yes, yes" came in a choked
voice, muffled in the folds of hand
kerchief hiding eyes already sadly red,
"but the cavalry is the most danger
Gus thing in the world. He can get
killed most any time"
A ring at the bell interrupted the
fearful grievance AS Mrs. Wilson
opened the door she whispered hasty
word to the broad-shOuldered visitor.
where's Betty?" he called out in a
husky voice as he entered the living
room and pretended not to see her.
Perhaps it was because of the whis-
pered warning that Bobby was not
totally unprepared for the onslaught,
for with a cry of "Oh, Bobby, oh, Bob
byw Betty flung the tiny daintiness
of her person into his arms.
1t required but a short conference
between the two, consummated by the
approval of Mrs. Wilson, to decide the
trip to the leading jeweler in town.
And a slightly longer conference placed
upon the rosy-tipped finger Of Betty's
! left hand the warning solitaire.
And Betty sent him AWAY smiling,
She had always felt that if her moth
! er had not been so fOOlishly prejudiCed
she would have made an illustriOus
actress. Here her heart was crying
and breaking but her eyes were dry
and there was a smile on her lips.
And the train letter she had given him
was happy, jolly letter, full of good
cheer, but she hoped he could see
where the tears had fallen on the
pages.
At the camp post Office it was not
! long before the soldier detailed to sort
! the mail knew to what troop Robert
Denton" belonged without further ref
erence to the address, for letters and
! parcels, penned in a very feminine
script, came with such regularity and
quantity that he often was compelled
to remark to the fortunate lad, Il
Wish you had to sort your own mail.
! You get mOren the whole regiment
put together" At which Bobby would
smile and, tucking a box of candy I'M
der one arm and box of Smokes"
under the other, would stride off read
ing a whopper of letter, as he loved
to dub the voluminOus manuscripts
which Betty spent numberless hours
to compose.
| 1t was the middle of July-a very
hot and dry July. Formerly Betty
had been the first to suggest vacation,
and early June as a rule found her at
plussed.
"Where are you planning to go this
season. she asked. II thought of
Nanton Hook, Maine. The breezes are
so cool there"
Betty shook her head with a decided
negative. perhaps you may be 60
ing to NantOn Hook, Maine. But l
am going to Ell PasO, Texas.
Mrs. Wilson stared. Texas for va
cation! Texas in the summer! Was
her daughter in sober earnestf And
then she remembered-and remember
ing, she smiled. For close to Ell PasO
was Fort Bliss. And at Fort Bliss
well, at Fort Bliss was Bobby.
AS the hours flew by when the train
crossed the boundary line into Texas,
Betty kept wondering if there were
any end to the Lone Star state. With
in short periods the scenery changed
with unbelievable rapidity. At early
morning she was travelling through a
mountainous region-huge, stately hills
rising majestically from the ground
Noon saw vast stretches of arid desert
land with its network of irrigation
canals and bitches. Now it was Il
! plateau unrelieved save for the stub
, bles of cactus plants and then deep
ravine from which the water had van
lshed cons ago. Night of the third
day brought the travellers to the city
of Ell PaSo, picturesque because of
its constant competition in architeC-
ture, language and population for
American or Mexican supremacy.
''HOtel Paso del Norte," Betty di-
rected the taxi driver, and was very
proud that he understood her Per
haps she would have hesitated before
cOmplimentlng herself upon her skill
! full use of the Spanish tongue had she
known the chauffeur was quite accus-
toned to understanding the language