Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-08-22
THE LITTLE LADY
BY JACK LAYTON.
Copyright. 1918. By Western Newspaper unisa.

choice of their village as q place OF
habltation. With some. the words had
an affectionnte sound. but there were
others who omitted the ''llttie" and
spoke Of her with sarcasm.
The appropriateness Of the title,
however. could not be disputed.
Little lady" was the new inmate of
the old Parsons place.
Farmsdale young people were accus-
toned to labor in homes and factory,
theirs the problem of living. But the
great old Parsons place was opened,
muslin curtains showing behind glenn
Ing windows. The tangled garden was
coaSed into order. the town boy
scouts spending their spare time in
the effort. Happily the little lady
directed them and repaid their labors.
whats she here for anyway" they
said, and "How is she going to spend
her time?"
But the little Indy only hummed her
tunes, bending idly over the sundial.
young officer home from camp was
tempted to turn In Mt the gateway to
ask for drink from the fountain;
the day was hot.
"One does not realize in this peace
full setting" he said. the suffering, the
privation that others are enduring
across the water. War seems very I'M
real and far away, yet it is there"
The eyes of the little lady were SYM
pathetic. "Yes," she agreed, but she
stopped as she spoke, to train rose
about the sun1ial.
The official frowned as he went on
his way. She had been much, too
much, in his thoughts, since they had
pointed her out to him, the beautiful
stranger who had leased the old Par
sons place. Why should he sit In judy
ment upon her. If she chose to re-
main carefree in times Of seriousness
and self-denial, what was that to him?
A girl stood inst outside the en-
trance looking into the garden; she
was one of the girls from lie factory
and her face looked wan and tired.
II was waitin' for you," she told the
soldier; II wanted to ask about Jim.
When do you go over to France?"
"That we cannot tell, JOSIE" the Of
ficer replied. "But your brother is
feeling fine. You are brave girl to
spare him for your country"
1.-THE doctor thought wouldn't be
strong enough to keep on at the fac
tory through the summer" the girl
said. ''but l reckon l wouldn't try to
hold Jim back cause of that"
She motioned wearily toward the
whitehead figure by the fountain.
''Pretty soft, to be like her" said
Josie.
And as the soldier went on down
the path he paused to greet a pale
woman in wheel chair. Her tall hus-
band propelled the chair and his tense
face frightened eagerly at sight of the
soldiers uniform.
"When IRE you going back to
camp?" he asked, and when upon some
pretense the wife had sent her hus.
band away she raised patient eyes to
the officers face.
''It's SO hard for him not to be able
to co." she said. If 1t hadn't been for
the accident to my hip he might have
gone with the rest. l think Bert feels
tied to this chair With ball and chain
But If am better, as the doctor prom.
ises. next year"
"You are the kind. Nell!" the soldie,
exclaimed, and he pressed her hand
YpS cho u,0e Htho l.{nd,s
Old Henry was glad to see him. He
asked, as he made way on the porch
stone. If Jed's boat had got over safe
Jed hadn't written yet. "And II
'twa'n't for Matte here" he went on
reckoning IN old neighbor from the
next cottage, "her boy Ben would
a-been in the fight too. Mattie's lame
ness held Ben back" ''If could only
get along Alone" said the old woman
regretfully. "But I can't" she added
and sighed.
Yes. there were those in this fall
country also. who realized the neces
sity of sacrifice. AS the officer strobe
on his way he thought about these
familiar people of his boyhood, anxiou.
in the time Of need to do their best
Across his memory flashed vision
of the little lady, but be banished the
picture with firm-pressed lips. There
would be one more visit to the towr
before sailing; when he came agar
he would avoid the road which lee
past the great house, 80 he told him
self; but that was the very road which
he chose. The grounds had been cult
waited wonderfully he noticed, and II
the background worked a mans BEN
figure; "she" was not lingering neal
the fountain. The fact brought unac
countable disappointment. But toward
him. down winding pathway came
Josie-Josie, brown, radiant, wheeling
an invalid chair and In the chair wa!
Bert's wife.
The color came and went in hel
face when she saw the soldier "Coml
In" she called, "and let us tell 70,
about It."
"The little lady has befriended u.
ALL" she answered his questioning
gaze. "It was what she had planned
she says, to make It possible, perhaps
| for one or two men to serve theiI