The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-09
My Brother
Tom
BY ELlNOR MARSH
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.l

fortune. l was then a little girl of ton
When the worlds war broke out Tom
enlisted in an Ambulance corps and
went to France without my seeing him.
had not seen him since he had left
home eight years before. Then news
came that he had been grievously
wounded, and was to be discharged
from military service, and sent home.
Meanwhile, father had died, mother
was very feeble, and there was no one
to meet Tom when he should arrive at
the port of New York but myself. The
news that he had of Tom was that he
Dined to get home and the surgeons had
decided TO send him without waiting
for him to fully recover.
| could not get definite news as to
when Tom would arrive, 50 l went TO
New York and waited. One morning
| learned that q ship was at quaran-
| tin and would be at the dock in few
hours. | Immediately went to the
landing place, and in due time the ship
was locked ! went aboard, and on
/ deck, on stretcher lay soldier,
! waiting to he carried ashore.
"Are YOU Tom?" 1 asked, kneeling
/ beside the stretcher.
Yes" he said, looking at me inouir-
ingly.
| gave him a kiss and piled him with
! questions rs to his condition, but did
| not give him time to answer any of
| them. As soon as | came to a pause
| he said:
when do you suppose I'm to be TAX
en- ashore?"
Don't trouble yourself about any
thing; I'm here to look after YOU"
said. and. seeing an officer of the ship
not far frc.l me. l ran to him and
| begged him TO send some men to carry
my brother ashore, The officer at
once ordered four men to take up the
stretcher and carry il 10 the dock. |
walked beside Tom, and on reaching
the shore, asked him If l should get
an ambulance for him.
Not on your life" he replied. "rve
seen all of the ambulances / care to
see. | got Knocked out driving one
of them. I'm strong enough to sit IN
In an auto"
There were taxicabs about. and
called one of them, and the men who
had carried Tom ashore helped him
into 1t. | told the chauffeur where TO
drive us and he moved away.
Where are you going to take meF'
asked Tom.
I'm stopping with Aunt Mary; We'll
go there" @ .-..-,
"She won't fake me in, will She ~
Said Tom douhtfully.
Certainly; she'll be only too glad
to do 50. Gou can lean on me" And
drew him toward me and his head
sank on my shoulder.
| could not get much information
from him about himself, he was so
weak. lie left everything to me, ask
ing no questions and manifesting no
interest in anything till | said: We'll
be at Aunt Mary'S in a few minutes.
and You will soon be comfortable in
bed" Then he said that he must 90
to hospital. His wound was healed.
but it would be safer for him to 90
where he could have doctors atten-
ton at a moments notice.
| was disappointed at this, for I
had hoped to take him home with me
the same day.
drove him TO a hospital and en-
gagged room for him. After seeing
him comfortably in bed | gave him Il
KISS and, promising to come back in
lew hours, took my departure for
my aunts. At parting he looked I'D
az me with an expression of deep APP
probation and gratitude, saying:
Il don't know what | should have
done if YOU hadn't met me and taken
All this trouble in my behalf" I
kissed him again and told him that
my service had only just begun.
Having telegraphed mother that
Tom had arrived and was doing well
that the doctor said it would be safe
for him to go home in about a week
returned TO him. | nurSed him af
fectionately, spending every day with
nm. At the end of three DAYS the
doctor said that it would be perfectly
safe for him to travel. but Tom said
he was too weak to stand the Journey.
Three more days passed One after
noon when | was sitting by his bed
holding his hand in mine. the door
opened and young man entered. He
looked ut us with an amused express
sion and said:
"Well, I'll be iinged."
; Tom Withdrew his hand from mine
instantly.
The stranger took me in his arms
and kissed me, then said TO Tom:
What the dickens does this mean.
you. old humbug You have evidently
: been passing yourself off for me"
Il haven't. Tom. honor bright: your
sister met me, and tool1 pity oli.me. |
! hadn't the resolution to tlisahuse her
of her mistake. You know | haven't n
near relative in the world. Your sis,
ter took me in charge. and 1t was well
for was, not able to take care of my
T self" y
: We'll, well. old man. I'm glad she's