The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-07-16
HER / PRIVATE r
BY ESTHER r. HARRINGTON.

\; Edna Sheridan turned away from
the ticket window with frown on her
usually sunny face. mo Pullman
seats-and a3five-hour ride She sigh
ed as she directed her steps toward
the waiting train. "1t's tiresome
enough riding, but to be in an ordinary
/ day coach, probably so crowded that
I'll have to sit beside lady with two
wailing youngsters" but here she
broke off her reflections to smile at
this alarming situation.
Fortunately, she was early enough
| to secure a seat by herself. The train
filed up rapidly and at the last minute
people were hurriedly looking for
seats, slowing away baggage and re-
moving wraps. -.-.st ", T.
Edna slipped out of her heavy coat,
procured a current ma azine from the
suitcase. at her feet and was settling
! herself to read when pleasant mas
& culine voice inquired, is this seat
+ taken?" Edna glanced up into the
tanned face of soldier, evidently q
recent arrival from across the water.
Upon Edna's statement in the mega
tive, the young man started to place
his grip in the rack above. Edna no
! ticed his face suddenly. whiten and a
look. Of pain pass across It, replaced
Immediately by, grin, as the grip fell
into place. ~ r
ss II guess you must have been lit
Tile too close to Fritzie at some time or
other e.. she ventured, smiling at her
companion. M -,
I The soldier turned with a look OF
surprise, and then apparently compre-
hending- Oh, did / look hurt7" Then,
Nith an. amused grin. mo, Fritz didn't
do it-just a bump" sod. y I
NJ .nBut," persisted the girl, "you have
! been scrapping with him. haven't
you?'' ~
Rather" grimly replied the soldier
I lad. ''I'll say so at any, rate. why,
back in July, when" and he started
/ In to relate an adventure bringing him
/. within close range Of the barbarous
Hun. The girl at his side was en-
crossed at once. ~ 50 gS.ts "a.
u Many questions asked by Edna
brought forth intelligent stories until
finally the soldier exclaimed: "Why,
ri talk you to pieces, I'm afraid. But
I you see, you are the very first person
that I've had chance to sit down and
talk with since reached this side
liof the water, and 1t, just seems rs II
must get some Of it out Of me-"
Il II don't believe you; could bore me
at.all. Why, just think, we have been
riding nearly three hours and It
i doesn't seem three minutes. But you
haven't told how or why you obtained
1.-THE wound stripe on your sleeve. DID
i you get q bullet IN your arm?
4 mo, Mr.. Boche gave me q taste OF
bullet in my leg which laid me up for
Ia while, but the fact that my arm
hurts well, really, really now, I'm not
Fa bit proud Of that bump. Why, /
could have fallen out Of our grocer's
truck right at home and broken my
Farm, but to continue; after recovering
4 from my wound was one day riding
SsalOng in q motortruclz, sitting at the
rear with my feet lacked up IN front
Of me. Suddenly the car went over
! good-sized stone and was thrown out.
! Striking on sharp rock caused the
fracture of my right arm. and al
though it's pretty well fixed up now,
! once in a while twist it so that 1t
l bothers bit. Now that isn't half as
heroic as-why, gracious, girl, what
,Nare you looking at me like. that for?"
"'Why-I know who you are. You're
y Private Paul Crane aren't your
4 "That's me, all right" ..
"You are the soldier who received
my Christmas package and letter sent
Through the Red Cross in 1917, and
sEwe've been corresponding ever since.
EEor positive proof I can quote your
Hast letter: I'm writing this with my
theft hand, as I fell from the rear of a
SsInOtortruck and broke my right arm
This is too much like work, so don't
tr.Worry If you fail to receive a letter
from ME for a little while.' One OF
astwo of your other stories sounded very
but couldn't exactly place
/ them" ..
} Rr ''And you're Edna ,Sheridan!'' ex'
claimed the soldier, almost too sur
Il prised to speak. .. ......
Suddenly, without warning, both
/ young people began to laugh, as II II
were a huge joke. =
a "What--what are YOU laughing atT
4 gasped Edna, tears standing In her
.stwinkling eyes.
Paul composed himself long enough
to say: "Now that think OF 1t, be-
cause in your last letter you refused
to accept my invitation to let me call
4 on you when returned, and, here am
sitting right beside you. DO you Still
i stand by your statement"
Il Soberly Edna said: ITO tell you the
A truth. after wrote that letter ! was
sorry, because, when I found out where
\ You lived, I write to my auntie in the
h same town, where I am on my way to
EEyisit now, and she said she knew your
simotheri very well and had seen pic
" ;nh-