French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1919-06-12
UhR TaHt
Orrat mar
t. r. BARROWS

resting close to the road bore a dis
couraged look, the nearby and ran
shackIe old barn leaning towards if i
a friendly sort of a way. A thin lin
of golden rod %fringing the narrov
path dropped in the August heai
while a service flag hung listlessl
from the dwellings, porch. In an aG
joining field two women loaded hay
resting on their forks for a moment a,
they watched a passing, motor car.
ct seems a long time, mother, since
we heard from him. Do you sup,
pose"
Don't go worrying about thai
now" cane rather sharply from the
taller of the laborers. Goodness
knows there's enough other things.
And we've, got to get this hay in the
barn before night, too. Feels like
rain, to me-"
She looked at the western sky
where the low hung sun was hidden
by a gray cloud bank edged with
Scarlet and gold. Another hour and it
would be on It's Way to another land,
where the hearts of the women al
ready were. With a half-suppressed
sigh she returned to her task, pitch
ing the hay high on the loaded wagon
where the younger woman spread it
skilfully. Soon the last forkful was
off the ground and with a hearty Gid
ap, there" to the waiting mare the
perfumed load was taken to the we'll
ventilated barn.
Again choosing the harder task as
her own, the elder of the two women
began pitching the hay into the COB
webby loft. the while her mind work
ing actively, She very we'll remem-
bered the day her boy left home and
Henderson county for the war. "A
war for Justice came the half-formed
thought. His going left her and his
sister with a mans work to do on the
mountain farm affording them a scant
living, but the duty had been taken
up without complaint. Perhaps the
midsummer days were long and
WEAKNESS their portion when the stars
| came. but the night wind had ever as
| it's song refrain-"Justice, justice and
right"
From earliest childhood, she remem-
bered, had she instilled in her boys
heart a sense and a habit of justice,
much as all mothers teach their sons
habits of truthfulness and cleanliness,
Even in play had she insisted he act
Justly towards his little mates, taking
! not what was theirs and inficting up
on them no needless pain. The tasB
had not been an easy one, requiring
patience loving and tireless, but she
thanked her Maker she had succeeded
The seed sown, it developed as he de.
veloped, reaching it's rich maturity as
he reached mans estate, making him
quickly sense the wrong committed
across the sea and inspiring his going
to France. She wondered if mothers
of other boys understood the vastly
important part they played in the
Fighting of this same wrong. For she
knew she was not alone in what she
had taught and done, realizing thai
the regeneration of the world, born in
the mother heart, was being accom-
plished by the greatest sacrifice any
mother may offer to her God of Jus,
tice. All this without thought of self.
praise and certainly without self.
pity.
Instinctively she felt this multitude
of American son was invincible in
war. and of the outcome she had never
a fear. Before it was all over per.
haps she, herself, would be called up
on to give what was most dear. The
thought caught at her throat and the
long days toll seemed to bring a new
and sudden sense of utter WEAKNESS
almost of despair. She paused bu;
an instant in her work, however,
when the fast lessening load was al
tackled with a new vigor.
If, she ruminated, this great army
armed with justice were invincible in
the field, what would it's representa-
tives be when gathered around the
| peace table, there to decide the future
dstinies of the world?. With a glow
in her heart she knew the sense of
justice planted in her son was but a
symbol, a sign and token of the spirit
that should preside all powerful at the
conference. Believing this she found