Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-04
Fable of Peace-Time
Stacker and Patriot
IBy Ruth Storry.l

Once upon a time there was con-
SO cntious objcctor.
lie didn't belong 10 the army Tor he
was too old but he proved that he was
a conscientious obJector because nc
criticized all the government cam
paigns for war funds, AID he gave
lrudGingly.
Then when the arm'9tice came aud
war ccarcd. he was urged to continue
his thrift practice and to keep on Duy-
ing thrift and war savings stamps
At first he grumb'ed more tnan
over, declared wGr was over and ne
didn't want to do any more II that
way. But he didn't quito dare refuse
because he was n prominent man and
his fellow club members and profess
sional associates oil believed in thirty
and they would have DIS pproNod OF
| him If he had not co-opcrated with tfe
! war savings.
We'll one day he was driving his ms
car thru the city and turncd into a side
street when he found the main thor
oughfare closed. He found himself IN
the Italian quarter and then he saw
familiar face smiling ct him, He
| drew UP his car to learn w'.om he
could know here. and saw that 1t was
| the Italian jun!tress of his office build
| ing.
DO you live here" he inquired
kindly. She said yes and waved he'
| hand toward n tumhle-dOwn little
! shack in the rear of the lot. lie was
about to step on the gas" when some
thing caught his eye and he got out
and walked toward the house.
| The something" had been a w. s.
s. card on the window, reading "This
is war savings society horne" It
was on the upper pane, because the
lower pane of glass had been broken
out. .. '..-'. s.-.
! The house needed painting, and two
steps to the front door had rotted
away Inside was q bare room, with
| quilts on the floor instead of beds
only one room with a tiny. crooked
legged stove and a rickety table.
! There were no screens and flies gath
cred over the tables despite the fact
that 1t bore no food, and that the cup
board near by held only a half loaf of
bread and a sack Of beans.
The conscientious objector looked at
the broken window again. Liberty loan
! cards thanked the w. S. s. card and all
' pore silent WlInCSS t1idJ tHiS Moii'ii
| had done her bit out of fund so
/ meager as to approach restitution.
A child's doll-a doll without a head
and with one arm gone-attracted his
attention.
you have children" he demanded.
! "Three. sir
Did you subscribe to all these" and
he pointed to the cards.
| Eyes. sir. And l buy thrift stamps
now We are slammed not to do more,
but thrift stamps are all we can man
| age sir. You see, I do the janitor
work and take in washing at nights.
But it's about all I can do to send the
three little ones to school, sir / just
get them clothes and that's about all.
We eat nothing only beans and yes
terday the settlement house gave. me
some bread"
And you still buy stamps?" His
voice showed establishment.
Yes, sir. What would you have?
Our great country goes to war and
our men lay down their lives? And
what would they think-those when
who died over there-if we didn't do
our share of the war? 1t amt done yet.
this war business, sir. The country's
got lot to pay-and me and my little
ones can do it somehow. sir. We just
! cut out breakfast, sir, and that saves