South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-02

Carroll Deane left the shabby
boarding house where she rented a
small hall bedroom a fun half hour
before the store opened so that she
would have an opportunity 10 walk
slowly through the park where roses
and honeysuckle Haunted themselves
in the riotous splendor Of fragrant
June. She always walked through
the park as she went 10 work in the
mornings. Then she felt eager. alive
and capable of enjoying the be2uty
OF the flowers and birds and risky
little squirrels that ran nimbly up
and down the big trees. In the ev-
enings. she felt tired and somehow.
very old, although she was only %.
Every morning meant an opportu-
nifty for adventure. something Won
derful that might happen 20 any girl
but every night meant rhe same
thing, the vegetable scented board
ing house and the loud raucous
voices Of vulgar people whose COM
partnership she would not accept
even il poverty had tossed her among
them for a time
She was refreshed and almost
happy and her eyes held "A CLINT Of
the old dreams that had one day
warmed her heart when she walked
slowly into Anderson & Co. where
she was employed in the ribbon de-
partment. There were some pictures
in one OF The show windewsf She
paused 10 look idlv at them There
were scenes made during a very re-
cent liberty loan drive i'm the city.
Carroll recognized many OF her pleas
ant customers i'm the group Of Red
Cross workers. Then she saw an
other picture and something seemed
10 clutch at her heart There was
Charley in khaki and Mrs. Benner-
man Merritt shown as she dropped
"A wreath OF flowers over his head.
a long line Of soldiers stretched
away down the street behind Charley
but Carroll looked only at him.
Something i'm his gray smile chal-
lenged her and she smiled a little
TOO. He had the same clean open
look she had loved when they were
married three years before. old
dearms Of happiness came crowding
upon her. In one brief moment she
saw with Kaleidoscope switness the
utter JOY she had known with him
before whisky took his manhood and
made him a beast 20 her.
So Charley was "A solder, The
thought stayed with her all day as
4
bags. bows and furbelows. Charley
was going 10 fight for his country.
for her, The idea sent a little thrill
down into her starved heart At
lunch time she slipped out and look
cd at the picture for so long that she
only had time for sandwich and a
glass Of milk AT a drug store on the
nearby corner before her hour was
over Charley was all right again,
She could tell by the look in his
eyes. Why hadn't he written to her?
Could he have forgotten?
Then she remembered that she
had travelled as far away from him
as her money would permit her TO
20. lie did not even know where
she was. And wasn't il a trick OF
fate that his picture should be placed
IN the window or the big department
store where she earned a meagre
Iiving2
Charley-perhaps he was on his
way 10 France, All the boys were
going. She planned TO find out the
name OF his company SO that she
could send him a sweater or "A pair
OF socks All OF the girls were knit
ting for somebody they loved. Well.
Their had never never been anybody
but Charley for her. even if he had
forgotten. She decided TO knit a
warm sweater. What fun it would be
to do something like that in the Ions.
lonely evenings, knowing as the
-Lg,fvr poed1aa .IfoLed in and ont