The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-11-07

Helen n Il. Tor Beatrice. Perhaps
Patrick Henry Madison had seldom re-
ceived editorial letters 30 encouraging.
perhaps he read between the lines-at
all events he wrote q letter Of con
siderable length sending In his next
nonmllitnry story-the hero this time
was q South Sea island planter, with
out a suspicion Of khaki--and Of 30
friendly a character that H. h. Shan
ley was constrained to write an
equally friendly letter in reply. Again
that editor congratulated him on his
rare dlscernment In keeping his he
roes out Of the war game. "Unless you
can tell your story like a genius and
have On entirely new twist, any war
story now would be deadwood. They
have all been written except the really
great ones" The correspondence con
tinued for several months and tho
stories appeared at close intervals.
| Then "Patrick Henry" asked permits
sion to meet II. b. Stanley and the
Interview was carefully arranged to
take place In the Purple Book editorial
| office on the afternoon In the week
when Mr.. Truman played golf. He
had quite set himself at ease on the
matter Of enlisting now. SO sure was
he Of Helen's attitude on that score.
and II vas only because he had not
definitely decided whether when he
did ask this colleague Of his to be-
come Mrs. Truman he should ~stipulate
that she should continue her post In
the oHice-he dreaded the presence Of
anyone else-or whether he should
arrange to have her do the house
keeping in some conveniently arranged
little fiat, that he had not as yet taken
her into his full confidence rs to his
Intentions. He was planning to set
tie this question for himself that after
noon on the golf course. Perhaps the
next day he would make his declnra.
ton. ~
But the next day he was In no
hurry. Helen was In Il wonderfully
Joyous mood and this seemed decided.
~ suspicious. 1t would be time enough
at Ave o'clock to ask her.
patrick Henry turned out to be
of the feminine gender. ] dare sayr'
he asked, as he glanced over proofs on
his desk Of that writer's latest con
tribution. H
miss nothing" laughed Helen, land
the funny thing was he"
$50 II was a man after ALI" Mr.
Truman felt an irritation that he could
not account for.
at was so funny. He IL really per
fectly wonderful. I hadn't told you
but we had got very well acquainted
with each other through the letter.
we have written. knew I liked
him. but I imagined he was going to b.
some quiet. studious little man o.
about your build"
"Wellf" Mr.. Truman was distinct,
irritated at that remark.
swell he wasn't at all. You see HI
had discovered in the third letter tina
I wasn't. q man. and-well, I dom
know how It happened. but we got aw
fully fond Of each other, and-well
he asked me to marry him. and l sale
I couldn't say yes till I'd seen him
And he said there was something abou
him that I might dislike very much
He thought I would, he said, from
something I said In one Of my frs
letters. You see I told him / wa
glad his heroes didn't have broa'
shoulders, W sonething like that, an,
well. you see nc has, and he turne,
out to be Capt. Patrick Henry Madison
Isn't that wonderful. Explained. o
course, that what ! said about storie
had nothing to do with the way I felt a
u girl. SO I just said yes right away
and I thought I'd tell you hrst be
cause you and I have always been sucl
good chums, and-Patrick and I will
be married in q week or SC. though
you ought to have time to And som
one else to MI this chair"
Mr.. Truman wns signing letter
with IN DIR Of considerable preoccu
patton. He gently stroked his bal,
patch and Strengthened his blue serg
shoulders.
Its very funny that a man In tn
service would be content to leave al
patriotic fiaver U Of his stories.
should think he would be so enthusiast
tic he would want to-" Mr.. Trumal
had definitely decided he wouldn't liz
Captain Patrick.
"Oh. he's enthusiastic, all right, an
he's going to write n great big thrill
Ing war story. Hes just been wait
ing till he could write a really grea
one. You'll take II, won't you. Nj
Truman"
"Ycs-unless I'm not here elthes
You see. I've been thinking Of gettinI
into the war myself. There Is a might,
strong appeal about khaki and all tina
sort Of thing" and the associate edito
assured him that there was.