Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-13

y
10 your country during the time She
was at war; and perhaps you haveI
thought you had reached your limit. III
you did, think once more, and if your
sacrifice has approXimared that of theI
New Mexico rauchmah with tie shat
tered leg and the broken heart then
you have right to thing of quitting,
but not until them. His name cannot
be mentioned but the story Is trCe and
here it is.
Did Your Sacrifice Approximate His?
He lay very still, very flat on his
back. with only his head visible above
the particularly smooth white eovellet
drawn close up under his chin |. was
the way this strapping New MeNico
ranchman with his powerful frame,
boyish face and wistful brown eyes,
had lain most of the time since the
battle of Verdun.
Before the battle he had laughed
the heartiest, shouted the widest and
been mixed up in more reckless es-
capades than any man of MS squad.
Then came the zero hour when he went
over the top-and got no further. HIS
name he knew, had been listed
among the missing Perhaps the folks
at home believed him dead. He would
hate to have his mother think that.
Even if one leg should remain stiff
or mis-shapen he could still manage
a ranch. so he continued TO lie still
and dream.
Days came and went, nut the OK
pected letter from home did not come
a dull fOrboding descended upon the
boy. The white threads around his
temples doubled and trebled. Yet the
sweet mouth and smiling eyes never
faltered, though they emerged from
under the smooth COyerlet and wrote
out a telegram.
please send it," he said softly, Il
must hear from home" ana again he
lay very STILL waiting, watching, smil-
ing.
Then the answer came. y conva-
descent hero on messenge" duty,
brought it in, calling the boys name
as he strobe through the ward. The
dark eyes of the young ranc Imam
kindled with joy.
It's the answer to the one | sent
Yesterday" he exclaimed with more
enthusiasm than he had shown since
the day he went into the fray at Yer
dun. In his excitement he raised him
self slightly on one elbow ard hastily
the moment the boy with the telegram
in his Land was forgotten. He was as
much alone as when he rushed for
ward to receive the enemy's blow in
battle And the blow he received now
was quite as merciless. With a quick
gasp he sank back upon the low soft
pillow. one hand, with the sinister
message clutched between thumb and
finger, outstretched over the side of
the bed, and the other arm flung
across his face.
"Oh, what news" he gasped, chok-
ingly. What news to send me just
as I've got to go through another OPP
eratiOnl'
The full red lips tremb!ed, the
broad shoulders shook with convulstve
sobs, Even the shielding arm was no
protection against the tears which
forced their way over the pale checks.
On the opposite side of the ward a
boy sat hastily up in bed.
What is it?" he asked, anxiously.
What is the matter?"
My mother -" he murmured
brokenly to one who came to his side.
You can read the message. She died
last October. They never-told me.
And 1--we been writing to her all
this time" Great sobs choked him. II
don't want TO go home now, he ef
claimed after an interval. 81 don't
think I'll ever want to go home aga ~.
My mother was the one ] wanted to
see. If mother isn't there / don't want
to 20 home--I don't want to go home
Il know she worried about me-" he
continued sorrowfully. II can see her
yet as she sat hy the window, watch
ing me-vwhen | went away-that day
| looked back when ! got to the cor
ner of the road-for we were far out
in the country-and ! could see her
still sitting there. l never was a very
bad boy, but-all these months I've
been lying here thinling-day after
day-if / ever got back home, how
good I'd be to her Oh, you don't
know how much I've wanted to SEQ
my mother"
Then the nurse came and the cover
let was made smooth again and a boy
-