Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-07-31
IN WAR TINE
BY LIZZIE M. PEABODY
copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure ~
per Syndicatel ''"Spa

chievous black eyes, cheeks olo,, ms
through tan, and her thick darl, bai s
cut short looked as nearly like aux I
healthy, handsome boy as q Girl CON-, q
look, as she planted and hoed on t ~"
sunny hillside of her fathers e..
Suddenly she threw down the boo ~ -
amined the blistered palms Of ~
hands, and then glanced at tho srn
It's near lunch time, she thought
Dropping to the ground. She nr,,,s
the wide, soft brim of her hat over ba-
face, shut her eyes and rolled swor
on her course toward the fragrant MY
pie lilac bush, which grew near ~,
open gateway by the quiet countrv
road.
Meanwhile the shade and bIooms
had tempted young Sergeant Amos
and he had just seated himself on +ho
old bench beneath the big bush whom
he espied the supposed boy rolling 70
ward him. That is how it hammered
that Miss Harriet arrived at the wool
flushed, breathless and smiling 70 Iook
into the twinkling blue eyes of a vounr
stranger in the khaki uniform of tho
U. S. A.
Her first thought was to apoIogizo
for her unladylike behavior; her ser.
ond to act as well as possible the nort
which she had assumed. "Rolling
| stones gather no moss, but rolling hovs
| gather lots of mud and grass stainsn
remarked the stranger; and Harriet
ashamed, angry and a bit enviOus. for
she envied the right of every man 10
wear soldiers uniform, copied her
brothers manner as she tartly replied.
81 suppose you've heard of the man
who once made fortune by Winding
his own business"
The sergeant laughed good natured-
ly as he said, ''You win, but are YOU
always so grouchy just before dinner
time? I'm hungry enough to be
grouchy myself" Harriet's answer was
to reach hastily for her lunch and di.
vide with him; and they grew very
friendly, as they ate, although she
talked very little, fearing to betray her
secret.
Sergeant Ames, liking the shy boy,
who proved to be such an attentive lis.
tener, talked freely. Tomorrow" he
said, 81 go back to camp. Soon after
that we shall be on our way to France,
and we shall be glad to go. Our men
are the equal of any in all the world if
not better than most.
Looking at his watch, he exclaimed,
''Well TITS time to go!" and rose from
the bench.
1t was then that Harriet, as she saw
him standing there looking ''every inch
soldier" suddenly discovered that
wherever this boy went her heart
would go with him. "Shall | writer
he asked, and she answered eagerly:
''If you will. 1 am Harry Wynne Of
Hillcrest." ST am Joe AmeS," he re-
turned "and will send my address"
Then he strobe away after saying
gOodby; and for Harriet, the long
waiting time began. After a seemingly
endless time the letter came. A brave
and cheerful letter; and among camp
happenings he wrote: 20 Boy OF the
Lilac Bush, you never can imagine
things as they are here, or the thrill
with which we think of the wonderful
things which may happen between
dawn and dusk, and dusk and dawn
but I'm glad to be here to do mans
part"
She wrote him CHEEKY, cOurage-lh-
spring letters as the dreary winter
passed, and then letter came from
a kindly nurse who wrote that ne was
In the hospital and wounded.
Harriet sat down to write immeui'
ately, hoping to catch the next man,
and wrote so hurriedly that she hau
no time to read what she had WrltIen'
but she had not heard from him since.
She was thinking of him as She S"t
knitting on the vine-shaded' Ao"''
scented porch one beautiful AFTERNOON
and looked up quickly as a man
stepped up onto the porch floor ouu.
denly her face went white, as WIN
TASTY, panied glance she noIeu ~,
empty sleeve; and she rose qulchIy,
and with a sob threw her arms arounU
his neck. -h;+o
The pretty girl in the FUZZY "lnIo
dress had entirely forgotten her ro'9
as bow, but when the newly pronlotso
Lieutenant Ames, rising nobly 10 .n9
occasion, placed his right arm a[ oSalr
her and gently drawing her to a cnai d
sat down beside her, she reInelnD .T1od
and blushing deeply, whispered n ,",
Won guessed?" "Not until your la,
letter" he replied, softly, "althoug 5 al
your letters puzzled me. "onu viso
how a mere boy could write sucn wv
helpful, hopeful letters. In the la ,1sre
think you forgot the part you 4s az
playing, and wrote your thousns@ 5ood
thew came to you. Wnen l and
this: Every day my hea[' ororv
thoughts go out to you, anu ~
day 1 pray for your safe reI thn III.
stonned to review in my nllu INV I'D