Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-07-31
The HOMEC0 DINING
~ oEonoET v. loyal &

ooDOoeooooo0 OO0000 1906
Seepyrisht. 1sls. ~ aacClurs Nswspspsr
II; 0yndicatsl 8
& n Do wish W would hear run Cafl.
0addylr Mira Barke said one morning
ut the breakfast table. 8
Ever since the schildren had been
small; Mrs. Barke had always address
ed her husband BY the name Of .sllad-
d." The family had not heard from
Carl. the oldest one, for over four
weeks, and the mystery asto his where
shouts was stlll unsolyei.
Cheer up, Betty r came the cheerful
response from Mr.. Barke. MAYBE
hen surprise rs by coming home him
self" Il + Z s d 81 z II.
Show tfue!" Mildred exclaimed.
.And won't 1t be GUST too good 4
treat to zee him In his uniforml' At.
this she jumped from her chair and
started to fox trot around the room.
Il simply cannot eat another bite!
1 am going upstairs to study before l
dress for church,
what . dear little giri Mildred Il,
daddy. II should lose her ia be Il
. loss what to do now, since Clayton
has gone.'
Mr.. Barke remained silent. He was
thinking. Clayton Is 10 unlike Carl"
Mrs. Barke went on. He likes soci-
ETY. and roaming around. Carl IL re-
served. / hope he comes to see MS be-
fore he goes across III he Isn't there
now"
-Oh, I don't think 80! / wouldn't
worry II were you. Bessl / think Carl
win come home before night. really
do =" unused Mr.. Barke.
''You dear! You're 80 encouraging,
dear! What! Half-paast nine! Inev-
er realized II was as late us that! Hur-
~ up. dad; wen be late for church,"
1t was Sunday. The sun shone bright
~ and strong wind WINS blowing
fiercely. IA
Mildred came tripping downstairs.
aren't you folks ready yeti" seeing
no one about. Mamma" she cried,
"I'm going along with Viola and
Diam. They're just coming out Of the
academy. All right. mamma Z" A soft.
Yes, dear" came from upstairs and
Mildred left the house.
Three hours later Mr.. Barke left to
call on the president OF the bank of
which he himself was cashier. Mildred
was entertaining one of her few hoy
friends whom she had known all her
young life. Soft strains OF music (Aiil-.
.dred loved the piano and played It
well) came from the parlor. In the.liv
ing room Mrs. Barke sat thinking.
Two years ago ut Christmas time her
SON Carl had come home from college
for the Christmas recess. How she
had enjoyed him In that short vaca-
toni He graduated that year and Inn
mediately entered an officers training
school. Carl frequently wrote home.
His letters were very encouraging. He,
loved his work and studies. He was
"honorbound." as he put It, TO make
good.
During the last month Mrs. Barke
had received no mail whatever from
her soldier boy. Even IL knew
where / was going, mother" he wrote,
Il would not be allowed to tell YOU
Since then, not q word.
Five O'Clock was striking by the big
grandfather" clock In the reception.
hall. Mildred had just dismissed her
caller and happened to look out Of the
window just after closing the door.
mammal Oh, mamma! Here comes
Carll' she cried. '.No" replied the
mother. disturbed In her reverie. aYesli
yesl Truly mammal Here's Carl!"
Mrs. Barke hurried to the parlor win
dow and, true enough, there was her
big Carl coming up the walk.
Without even pausing to throw q
wrap over the thin georgette crepe
waist which she wore, Mrs. Barke ran
out Of the house. While the wind
played havoc with her carefully ar
ranged hair. she threw her arms about
her boys shoulders and kissed him
time and again.
Realizing the cold his mother endan.
gered out in the wind, he gently led her
into the house. All this time Mildred
had been 30 moved by the beautiful
picture her mother and brother made,
she couldn't leave the window. When
they entered the hall Mildred chung to
her brother fully a minute before she
could utter word.
In the meantime Mira. Barke tele-
phoned her husband. Daddy, . sha
said, .Carl's homel Yes!-Yesi-
Yesi About two minutes agol Pad.
die quick r.
As the mother returned, Carl, with
his arms about his young sister. was
saying. very modestly. Il received my
commission az lieutenant week ago,
I have been In Kansas; all these weeks
and 20 couldn't write to you. spent
two days In Washington ON my way
home. I tried to get a train ont when
Isnrrived Ii Boston this morning, but
Il has been cancelled"
Wasn't there q train INT II You had
but autographed, Dad would have met
you at the station r. cried hfs mother.