Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-05-09
BILL BRADSHAW BUYS
THIRD LIBERTY BONDS
BY ANNA STOKES.


not wealthy, Just an ordinary 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 a smile. He did
not intend to buy Liberty Bonds. That
$4,000 lying 80 snugly in the bank
should not be disturbed. He guessed
he was loyal enough without buying
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,
they. Bill?"
mot me; I won't invest a dollar"
BET you 81 that you buy at least
one bond before this sale is over" SAID
the editor. rubbing a grimy finger re
f~lectively over his long nose.
take the bet!" snapped Bill.
Bill left the office. and Mr.. Rich. the
editor, got in communication with Nc
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
1t was well on into the third week
when Mr.. Rich met Mr.. Mcnamara
coming to his office.
"Hello, Mac! Any news from friend
Bill"
"Yes and no. Fact is l called on
him last night, and l told him l un
derstood that he had repeatedly re
fused to buy bonds. Now l was re
quired by the government to fill on,
this card. Then I pulled my yellow
card on him and began to ask ques
| TONS"
Mcnamara paused. Rich waited
then asked: what them"
Ills wife said: Bill, you'd better
buy bonds than to let that go to the
government"
did he?" asked Rich.
mo. not then. but he asked me moi
to send the card until tonight, which
of course, I agreed to. I think he'll
see the light"
Mcnamara went down the street
while Rich went into his office with g
smile IN. Late that afternoon, Of
Rich went by the bank to the post
office. Mr.. Mcnamara called him In
bill bought a thousand dollars
| worth of bonds" he said with a broad
grin.
Scared, was he7" asked Rich.
pretty badly ratified"
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 50, said:
Il am a man Of my word. I bought
bonds, for l considered them a good
investment. One does not lose any
thing by such an investment, and HI
has the satisfaction Of helping hi
government"
This was said in a very patriotic
way. but Miss Ames, who was SHARP
of tongue and not at all particular
about peoples feelings. said: Bill
Bradshaw, I bet they pulled a yellow
card on you"
II 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 fol
a pro-German. The whole trouble Ia
Mac knows to a cent Just how much
money I have, and there's no gettin'
round It."
Bill remained and was numerically
roasted by the sharp.tongued young
woman, but for all that Bill Bradshaw
was the only man in Cedarville who
had q yellow card pulled on him.
After he left Miss Ames turned
upon her boss.
"Mr. Rich. did you tell McNamara
to go after Bradshaw"
mo; I told MCNAMARA what he said
about not buying bonds. and that !
had a bet with him on the result, but
no stakes were up-it was Just a YER
bal bet-but q yellow card would
bring him quicker than anything"
And 80 It came about that Bill
Bradshaw displays in his window q
Flag Of Honor" and tells all his
neighbors what a good investment he