The Raymer enterprise., 1919-10-09
D1e
Canteen Angel
By JACK LAYTON
By JACK LAYTON

flled with the horror Of war, and to-
ward the American canteen khaki-clad
soldiers turned their weary faces with
slI the eagerness Of homecoming
There they would find cheer and rest
and warm refrsshment, greater per
haps than these, the dear familiar wei.
come Of an American girls smile.
Over the seas they had come, these
Dright-faced girls, into the very realm
Of danger in order that they might
serve In willing helpfulneSs the brave
boys who would sacrifice all. Like
children were these lonely fellows with
their condolences. their hunger for
sympathy-which Angela was always
ready to give.
Back In her own fortunate land the
favored girl had known no lack Of COM
fort or luxury; her friends had mar
yeled at her remuneration as she babe
them smilingly good-by; and here In
France Angela had learned what It
meant to be worn with labor. cold too,
In these mornings Of early rising. but
she had not lost the smile which
charmed many.
Now the smile was different, some
way, with q sort of tenderness In
place Of Its coquetry. The line Of
hungry waiting men singled her out
from the helpers, seeming to feel In
stinctively her kindly understanding.
Many stories Of tragedy and pathos
Angela learned from men whose out.
ward lives were all bravado. SO,
among themselves, they came to call
her "The Angel" "The Cantsen Angel"
and Angela hearing Of II, smiled again.
Tonight her blue eyes sought wist.
fully for Bob's coming. Bob had won
also the interest Of the secretary.
Something besides anxiety Of war
Is fretting that man." she said.
Yet he alone, Of all her big proteges,
had brought to her no condolences. A
hopeless, patient expression seemed to
be stamping itself upon his formerly
joyous countenance. The change
grleved Angela more than she could
tell-shs must find a way to help him.
Now she turned her head as he
came slowly through the doorway, and
dancing tendril Of shining hair
slipped Just below her ear. 1t was
q pretty little curl, but then Angela
was pretty altogether.
A big soldier before her grlnned de.
lightedly.
After you bring the chocolate.
Angel" he said. "pvs some photos
from home to show you"
From home" smiled Angela, show
nice"
When Bob reached her side the room
was almost empty. She motioned him
to q chair near by.
"When anything troubles me-" sug-
gested Angela. and the kindness of her
gaze belied her merry tone, ut helps
me wonderfully to talk It over with a
friend"
Are you q frlend2" Bob asked alb
ruptly.
Angela nodded.
That" she answered quietly, 'is
why / am here"
MY own trouble" Bob said bitterly
''is merely an experience which comes.
| dare say, to many. Only" he
laughed shortly, this was rather a
hard time to rub the experience In
Goes by an old-fashioned name, ! be.
iieve of-being disappointed In love-"
Yes prompted Angela, the usual
gay thrill In her voice was lacking.
Girl l was engaged to before l came
over has broken the thing or" said
Bob. Broken 1t of rather definitely,
for she has married my best friend.
Some minor affiictlon made him ex.
empt from service. II will all be more
Standardization a time / suppose
The difficult thing now seems to be to
get used to the idea.
She's been jollying me along all the
time, you see, with letters-the kind Of
letters girl writes when you're the
only one. And Jim, well, he hasn't let
lifelong friendship deter him from
using the advantage Of my absence.
It's sort of double blow. When the
first shock wears off"
"Why, you must not take our woes
80 to heart" he said. "YOu are as
white as paper. I'm sorry told you"
I'm not" Angela replied. "A girl
as faithless as that Is not worth
even remembering. DO you know what
l am going to do?" her eyes challenged
him-"Im going to try to help you for
get her."
With her audaclous little laugh the
pretty color came flooding back to her
cheeks.
you must come here as often as
you can. All my amusing incidents
] shall save for your entertainment.
We will have songs In our spare mo-
ments, we will all be cheerful. We
must not let the memory Of one fool
ish, selfish sorrow interfere with our
great present. For II Is great" In.
sisted Angela.
"You and I and the rest of us here
are making history, Bob-world his
tory"