Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-06-26
A Scrap Of
Paper
By CENEVIEVE ULMAR
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper Union.)

nome Town as ne returned 10 IL dlIcT
an absence of year. He had been
abroad on business-the business Of
demolishing autocracy and full well
had he done his duty. Placed at once
in active service, a bit of shrapnel
had lodged in his chest, placing him
on the hospital list for month. Near
Verdun, months later, rifle ball had
penetrated one knee. They invalided
him then, for it would be long time
before he could walk without limping.
He limped now and progressed slow
~ as he left the train, arriving at Clin-
ton five hours after the glorious news
Of victory and peace had reached the
little hamlet. At any other time he
might have become the center of at
traction, for he had many friends
in the town and reports of his bravery
and medal award at the front had been
duly noted in the local newspaper.
Just now, however, the place had gone
Wild
There was a reason for this. Just
before going into the service his love
for a certain young lady in the village,
named Wanda Bond, had inspired him
with mighty hope and longing. On the
eve of making his declaration, with or
ders for departure to service pend
ing, he was told by friend that Miss
Bond had become engaged to Ellis
ThurstOn. An overheard reiteratiOn
of the information on the part or
Thurston completely drove Roger
from the field as a rival. He was
glad to get away from the scene where
his fondest hopes had been so rudely
blasted. He had not heard from Wan
da since. Now, returned, he could not
repress the old interest and love in
girl who was the one and only ideal of
his dreams.
els it an omen?" abruptly Roger ques-
toned himself, and drew back into
sheltering doorway. Coming down the
street in an automobile was the man
who had robbed him Of his love-Ellis
Thurston. The latter was flushed and
riotous of manner and voice. He was
showering confetti on the crowds and
uttering jubilant yells, the sham pa
triot he had ever been, for he had TAX
en- an advantage of a technicality to
eyade going into war service.
Clinton was soon ablaZe with enthu-
siasm, copying metropolitan manners
celebrant on a minor scale. Whistles
shrieked, bells jingled, automobiles
dashed along with strings of tin cans
trailing behind. From office windows
great masses of tOrn-up paper were
cast adrift, filling the air and littering
the street, and all the time, cOOped up
at home, just commissioning from an at
tack of the measles and therefore I'M
able to join the rowing groups down
town, little Mile and Esther, nieces of
Wanda Bond, set about having jubi-
latiOn of their OWL on homemade
scale. but destined to solve the fate of
two loving hearts that otherwise might
have drifted apart forever.
Left alone with a servant they
trimmed the porch with flags and bunt-
ing. They were forbidden to leave the
yard, but fully enjoyed the infection
of patriotic duty. A sight of whirling
scraps of paper down the street sug-
gested an idea. "Oh!" exclaimed Is
Their, why can't we make a snow
storm, tOO!''
1--WE can, we must" acquiesced Mil
lie excitedly, and very soon they had
gathered up all the old newspapers in
the house, got up on the fence posts
and shouted with glee as the brisk
breeze added their quota to the litter
that notified the rOadWays.
81 know where there's a heap OF old
paper" declared Mile, as their initial
supply was exhausted.
"Where-where," demanded her
partner in mischief eagerly.
"In the attic. Aunt Wanda put
box of stuff from her desk up there
yesterday" and thus it was in their
needless gIee the two eXiles from the
public celebration made up for the
deprivation by recklessly scattering to
the winds the contents of a waste
basket speedily pounced upon
Roger Melville had meantime felt an
Irresistible impulse to stroll past the
house of his beloved one. Twice he
was buffeted with the sheets and par
ticles of paper sent adrift by reckless
hands. An open four-page letter
caught against his coat. His eye fall
ing upon it, he looked with interest at
a letter addressed to "Dear Friend
Wanda" and it was signed by Estelle
Mason, her closest friend.
1t was Of recent date and palpably
one of regular correspondence. His
eyes glowed as he perused it. All
thoughts of the prOpriety of reading
the letter were as naught for the mo-
ment, as his thirsting soul drank in a
rapture complete.
II am glad you have given Ellis
Thurston his quietus," it read. BE
tween a Stacker and hero there is
no choice Why don't you forget maid
emily modesty and all that, and cheer
up the man you love, fighting for his
native country and very likely think
ing of you as constantly as you of him?