The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-09-05
THE ROAD.
BY LOUISE OLIVER.


macadam through country gor-
ge0usly painted with the colors Of
early autumn. The fields, shorn of their
golden crops, were skirted on either
side by low hills, already reddening
| where the oaks were thickest, or yell
| lowing amongst the chestnuts and ma
| pies.
Suddenly the girl flung her arms
wide. ooh, jim, isn't this glorious
| just to be alive, just to exist, to
breathe and see everything, and feel
the sun and air! l could keep on like
| this forever and forever. I'm so hap
by, dear, it almost makes me sad"
She faced him, smiling radiantly, but
with 1t all tears stood in her eyes.
Jim took one hand off the wheel and
| slipped an arm tenderly around her
waist, drawing her to him and kiss
ing her passlonately.
"You dear," he exclaimed II was
just thinking the same thing. Well,
grille, there's no reason why we
shouldn't go rolling along through
life just like this, is there? We may
not always be in an automobile, and
perhaps the fields won't always be
green, nor the sun so bright, nor the
road so smooth, but as long as you're
you and I'm l. and we get married as
we intend to, 1 can't see why life
won't be a mighty sweet dream, can
you? Eth, girlieP
"No, Jimmie-unless." She ran her
hand tenderly up and down his arm.
"Unless what? There isn't going TO
be any unless, Helen.
"You don't understand, Jim. There
is such n thing as crying for pure joy.
Only 1t seems that when I'm happlest
I'm always saddest, too. Sad, l sup
pose, because other people aren't as
happy as l am"
Forget it. That's their funeral. 1t
would be great world, wouldn't it,
if we were responsible for other peo-
Pies trOuhles"
"That's true, l suppose" She sigh
ed. "But think If you had been draft
ed instead of Homer, wouldn't you
have liked little bit Of sympathy"
"Tf' again."
"Oh, jim, jim" Helen laughed In
spite of herself. "DO be serious. But
what If you had been drafted instead
of Homer?"
"Well, what?"
'Id just die that's ALL"
"Now, look here, grille, don't talk
that way. Anne didn't die, did she?
And she thinks as much of Homer as
you do of me-"
Helen was silent a minute. "But
that's different, dear. Anne's made of
Sterner stuff than l am. Why, / be-
lieve she'd take a gun and go out and
fight herself. / do believe, too, that If
Homer hadn't been drafted, she'd have
made him enlist, anyway"
you're right, Helen. l believe she
would. Moreover, If Homer hadn't
been drafted, he would have enlisted
without Anne telling him to. That's
the stuff he's made Of"
She turned and faced him squarely.
'Why, Jim Harlowe, what are you
talking this way for? l really believe
you're sorry we are engaged SO yOu
can't CO."
'Pm not sorry we're engaged, dear"
he denied quietly.
"Then what is it7 Do you want me
to be like Anne and tell you to go?"
"No, 1 wouldn't want to have to be
told, dear"
"Then what is It? You do act SO
queerly, and can't understand you at
all. l just thought there was some
thing wrong"
"You certainly have way of get
ting at things, Helen" he eyaded.
"Here we started out as happy as two
kittens on fence fine day, good road,
just two of us, and the whole world
before us. And you insisted on being
sad about something you don't know
thing about, and start to ask ques-
tons, and"
"Jim, tell me, what is it?" she de-
handed.
He hesitated just an instant. 1--WE
enlisted, little girl; that's ALL"
The car slid noiselessly over the
smooth road. Helen, still facing Jim,
did not answer instantly, as he ex-
pected, with a stormy protest and
flood Of tears.
Instead, Il wonderful, glorious smile
overspread her face and her eyes
shone LUMINOSITY. "Oh, Jim, jim"
she breathed almost too low for him
to hear. 'I'm so glad. IT didn't
think l could be so glad, but / am,
Pm so proud Why--I never thought
before / could bear It, but can, you
see. It's wonderful, Jim. I'm so
proud of you, dear. My Jim enllstlng
Really, think I've felt rather out of
1t because had no soldier boy"
The little car came to a standstill
under big maple, as Jim took Helen
in his arms.
you're the soldier, dear; the truest,
brayest little soldier that ever was
And I'm the coward, for was afraid
to tell you. I'll come back. / don't
think death itself could keep me-"
"And I'll wait for you, Jim--no mat
ter how long It Is. The road may not
always be smooth and we may not
travel side nv side hut II will he our