The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-02-13
Observation-Disclosures
HOW II HAPPENED
Copyright. 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)
BY RUBY x. MARTINI.

A(OpyEIAnkt 1918, Dy MCCluIe NSWspapSi
Syndicate.)
A cloud had hung over Lloyd Ken
sons going. The kind shut their lips
when his drafting and futile claims to
exemption were mentioned; the unkind
Danburyites whispered Stacker" when
the fearful neighbor went his way to
the training camp. jamie Cushman, be-
ing of the kind in a company of the
unkindly, denounced the group hotly
for their attitude for no reason but her
owu sense of justice. And 1t was quite
by the accidental irony of fate that
stockings bearing her card were sent
to him.
jamie would never have known about
the stockings but for the letter from
Lloyd which thanked her for them,
letter with longing for Danbury news
glaring between the lines of gratitude
"rhat ends right here" said JAMIE
to the letter sheet burning on the EN-
bers of her open fire. "If that stoop-
shouldered, blue-hacded clerk thinks
I'm going to write back he's got an
other guess coming"
But the longing between the lines
did haunt her. jamie too was lonely,
for she seemed to herself the only
person In all Danbury without kin OF
blood or love away at the fight. In the
big white homestead she knitted and
knitted. but all the socks and sweaters
were for no one in particular.
And so jamie Cushman compromised
with her determination by sending
Lloyd store-prepared box of food
and answered his thanks with stiff,
prim note and a box Of homemade
cookies. From that was born a more
kindly letter and parcel of local pa
pers. And by that time she was launch
ed on the sea Of kindness with her
hands clasped over the personal pos
session of friend in active service.
When letters from the camps were
talked of jamie held her peace about
Lloyd; when picture post cards from
the boys were passed in company she
had a happy thought remembering
those In her desk at home; when knit
ting was talked of she bent lower over
the khaki sweater she was faShioning.
The sweater was nearly done when
word came that no more mail was to
be sent to Lloyd at the camp where he
had been training. His regiment was
to move very soon. II was easy enough
to guess that move was the first step
toward the front.
"And the sweater was going to be
ready to go In this nights mail"
thought jamie, wistfully.
At first she thought to put the sweat
err by for later finishing. But In jamie
there was the spirit of fighting in the
last ditch. The stuff that heroes are
made of was in her heart, and she de-
termined the sweater should be ready
if q chance should happen for Lloyd to
get 1t. But a tear did fall on the khaki
yarn that jamie did not understand.
The night was warm for spring.
Across the field back of the big Cush-
man house was a railroad embank-
ment A freight train rumbled slowly
north. A train going south stopped,
with its dark outline silhouetted
against the blur of lightness from q
distant city. JAMIE, watching idly from
her dark window, saw the flagman's
red lantern bobbing back along the
track and little group with fash
lights lowered by the steaming engine.
A song from the mems throats floated
across the field:
"'Where do we go from here.
boysr"
Then she saw tall shadow loom on
the grass plot below her open window.
"Hellol" she hailed, boldly.
"Jan!"
Lloyd I'll come down."
How'd | get here? That's my train
The engine has a hot box and | can
get back as soon as the flagman when
he's called in. / knew where we were.
IL guess that hot box is sort of an
swer to my prayer because | wanted
to thank you by word of mouth for all
the shlngs. The kindness they stand
for has helped me to get hold of my
courage"
jamie had brought out the sweater
and she thrust it into his hands.
at must be an answer to my prayer,
too, Lloyd. And your letting me do
the things has been kindness, too !"
The moonlight was full on his face.
jamie could see his brown eyes were
clear and his skin bronzed; he looked
inches taller and the clerky fear-stoop
was gone from his shoulders. The
hand that grasped the sweater had
iron sinews and on his khaki sleeve
was a corporars chevron. 1t was as
If he had been transformed.
"YOu mean that?' he cried. "Oh,
Jan, haven't I got to make good some
more and wait to know yon love me?''
"Walt? I don't think there is need
of waiting for me to tell you that T.
she whispered.
Twice the engine whistle cut shrllly
through the night. Lloyd held jamie
close before he turned and FASTENED
back across the field. The red light OF
the flagman sgnaled from the rear
and the train pulled slowly away. And
for a long while JAMIE stood as he had
left her, sad enough for the parting
but glad, too, that she had helped
make manly the man she had learned
to love.