The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-08-27
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
A Poem and a Sequel.
BY poRh NOLAN.
copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)


w ,HEN Elsie Duane felt anything
w very deeply she invariably
w wrote a poem-and sold 1t.
Her verses appeared infrequently IN
certain popular weekly Always they
attracted notice and oftimes she was
asked the inevitable question. Why
didn't she devote all her time to verse?
II she could write like that, her path
10 at least moderate success was as
sured; and surely It must be less la
borious than photography. 10 this
question Elise made the same answer:
'But / can't write that way except
ghen / feel thing intensely and 1
ion't-often."
Back at the beginning Of the war,
when the first contingent, a battalion
81 national guard troops, left her home
town for camp, Mrs. Duane, accom-
panied by her small daughter Alice,
was wedged in the wildly enthusiastic.
oade them godspeed.
A few weeks later a poem. signed
with her name, was published in the
periodical which had printed all her
verses and which had national circu-
ation. 1t was simple lament that
she had none near and dear" to offer
to her country.
Mrs. Duane received many lstters
mostly from women who wished to
thank the author of the poem for
putting into words thoughts which
hey had not the gift to define. One,
however, was from q man.
He did not praise the poem-simply
stated he had read it, and in plain
phraseology offered himself as sub
stitute for near and dear" one. II
have a premonition," the man wrote,
that never will come back, and am
firm believer in lunches have
. no family to represent. My name Is an
honorable one and have kept 1t clean.
II you will take it, madam, and will
allow me to make over to you my in
surance / ask nothing in return but
that be not the only one left out when
the mail arrives from Gods country.
We start East next week" 1t was
signed Private John B. Pendleton."
Mrs. Duane pondered many hours
over the simple, Straightforward letter
before she answered. Fisslly she wrote
that she could not accept the name of
a man who was an utter stranger to
her Neither would she feel that she
had any right to his insurance, If the
premonition should come true.
However, If Mr.. Pendleton would
permit, she and her small daughter
would adopt him as their special charge
during the war. If he could obtain
leave before his regiment left for oven
hA nj
She signed the letter ELSIE and Alice
Duane"
The next letter that Mrs. Duane re-
ceived from Private Pendlcton was
dated at nearby training camp. He
would have a7few hours leave the fol-
lowing Saturday. Might he come and
see them then?
Alice, aged twelve, was delighted
when she heard that their soldier was
coming to them Saturday.
Saturday noon he came. The little
Duane flat was in immaculate order.
Alice had helped make 1t so and from
her post by the window called. Here
he comes, mother!" She ran headlong
down the stairs at the sound OF the
bell and reappeared holding by the
hand tall soldier.
John Pendleton was not handsome,
Elsie decided at the first glance, but
his face was one to be trusted. Some
how, she did not feel at all embar-
rassed, as she had expected to. After
lunch they sat and talked, considera-
bly, about his past, but more about the
future. And the time passed quickly.
When Pendleton left he stopped and
kissed Alice, then shaking hands with
her mother and looking straight into
her eyes, told her that he had spent the
most enjoyable hours of his life. "I
surely will have one more leave, and
I'm coming again-may II"
And Elsie answered, "Of course"
Two days later Elsie Duane received
another letter from Private -Pendleton.
He had made his life insurance over to
Alice. Surely she could not object to
that. Then, too, he had tiny income.
II wasn't much, but 1t might help OFT
In the days to come, when her busi-
ness would be sure to suffer
He had arranged that 1t be paid to
her during his absence, for Mrs Duane
was to remember that even II she re-
fused to bear his name they were still
his adopted family, and, in view OF
the premonition, he would feel more
comfortable about leaving them. The
following Saturday, the letter stated,
he was coming again-ard 1t wolid
probably be good-by
And over this letter Elsie pondered
during the intervening days Had she
any right to take this big-hearted
mans ppney? No; not for herself,
surely. But for Alice? Even a tiny
income would smooth their pathway.
And in the event his forebcding proved
to be justified-but here, rather 70
her own surprise, found herself in
tears.
That big, fine-natured nan would
have no one of his own name in the
whole world to mourn hin,-no one
who had a right to hang service flag
In the window in his honor!
Perhaps 1t was Alice's remark when
her mother told her their soldier was
coming to say farewell-"Oh, mother,
like him so! wish he could be my
really daddy!"-that brought Mrs.
Duane to her decision; for it trans
PRED that on that last visit she lis
tened to the soldiers plea and became
Mrs. John Pendleton.
Immediately after the ceremony the
big soldier babe his really" family
good-by, and this time he kissed them