The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-07-05
Helen's Gift
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By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

| bSOpSTlSul, 1919, by tne McSIuEe ANS"S-
paper Syndicate)
Helen realized when 1t was far too
late that she had been entirely to
blame in her quarrel with Hillary.
She had been small and selfish and al
together unworthy the great love she
had deliberately thrown away.
When Hillary had first signitied his
Intentions of joining up with the Brit
lsh forces before his own country had
gone in TO fight, Helen had not even
taken him seriously. Sitting back sur
rounded by every luxury and comfort
that a human being could want, it was
| difficult Cor Helen to appreciate the
fact that thousands Of men were Civ
ing their lives that women such as she
might live. 1t was all SO far away
and would soon be over. There was
no reason on earth why her Hilary
should go over and fling his life away
for some other country when he was
engaged to her and she loved him.
But Hillary was not the kind of man
who could sit back while brother men
were bleeding and dying and suffering
for civilization and not offer to help
them. Neither was he the kind Of man
to be guided by the whims Of any
woman, even though he loved her with
all his great big heart
And the Helen whom she had SEEM
ed to be was well worth any mans
love. She was beautiful from her ex-
Quisitely poised head to the aristocrat-
ic arch of her dainty feet. Her shOul-
ders aud neck were famous for the ex-
Quisite texture Of the skin, and her
arms were Just the fairest example
Of the Great Sculptor. Helen In eve
ming dress was the envy Of all women
and the unbounded admiration of all
men. Hillary often told Helen that
he fell in love with her arms before
he even looked at her face.
And now that big love affair Of the
social year had been smashed into the
past. Hillary had sailed off to join
the British flying corps, free man to
the world, but knowing that so long as
he lived he would always love Helen
always want her.
All that had been two long years
ago. Much happened to the world and
great deal to one human atom that
was Helen Travis.
She had been stunned at first by the
loss Of Hillary, but had bravely faced
the situation and in way from the
very start blamed herself, although
feeling that she had been very much
abused.
She had told Hillary that there were
plenty of men to fight before he need
go and that life would mean nothing to
her when he was so far away. But
Hillary wanted to be among the first
and so he had gone with no word be-
hind him. The engagement was broken
and Helen had said finally that she
never wanted to see him again. The
smart had hurt-hurt terribly.
When the war came closer and
clawed at Americas gates, eating
deeper and deeper into the heart OF
the country and taking away the finest
Of the lads, and the finest of the wom-
en- were working with teeth set, Helen
began to see things in another light.
In her heart she knew she could not
have loved Hillary had he not gone,
even though he had Joined before
America entered. She knew now that
all men should have gone and that the
war would have been over the sooner
and that less homes would have been
robbed of their dearest treasures had
that nodded Hillary.
Helen had quickly prepared herself
for help among the wounded. She
wished with all her heart she had
taken a full course In nursing. She
had spent an idle, useless life and now
she could only sit by and watch other
women don uniforms and sail away to
fight beside the brave men.
However, Helen drove her own car
In aid of the hospitals and found much
to employ her ready hands. Fine and
strong she was and capable of unlim-
tied hours that did not bring her the
least atom of forgetfulnesS. There
were not many men who compared
with Hillary and Helen found out that
in her own heart there remained a
love far deeper than she ever dreamed
herself capable of.
But Hillary might have gone west"
with other brave men. She had heard
no word from him since the day they
parted. How often, how very, very
often, Helen blushed with shame at
the small part she had played and
how she longed to make reparation,
only she herself knew.
She hoped if he had made the great
sacrifice that he had forgiven her and
that he had not suffered. To think of
Hillary suffering, wracked by pain and
tortured by a crushed or mutilated
body, made life unbearable.
She tried by every means at her dis
posal to find out something about him.
It was difficult, since she knew little
or nothing about the royal flying corps
and had no idea even as to which
squadron he was attached.
1t was the saddest and perhaps one
of the happiest days Of her life when
Helen, through newspaper item, dis