The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-10-17
The
Dear Somebody
By A. MARIA CRAWFORD
tight. 1919, by the Mcclure Ne,
paper Syndicate.)

Copyright 1919, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
Isabella Guilford looked up and
down the long rows of tables stretch
ing for one block on Market street.
Twenty-Five hundred returning sol.
diers, her townsmen, were to eat there
that day. A profusion of early sum-
mer flowers, like gorgeous rainbow
In the tropics. spanned the snowy
tables.
Over thousand fried chickens, hun
dreds of delicately frosted cakes, the
pride of many a housewife; sand
witches, pies, everything dear to the
doughboy's heart, had been prepared
for the feast.
With an ardor born of loneliness 1Sa-
bella wished that the eyes of one
khaki-clad man would brighten at the
sight of her, that a dear somebody
would hasten to find her, unhappy If
she were not there. But she realized
all too well that the only soldiers she
knew would smile, grasp her hand in
differently and pass on to some girl
for whom they really cared.
Isabella was thirty, and for some in
applicable reason she had never had a
lover. She had numbers of friends, so
many that not even the people with
whom she was intimate suspected the
embarrassing truth that none Of the
men who called on her and took her
about wanted to marry her. Many of
hnr inl No crrh
ject, inquiring in feigned sarcastic
fashion what she was waiting for,s a
prince or millionaire. Isabella had
always laughed at such questions, but
the laughter was forced.
Ever since the news that twenty-five
hundred local members of the great
Thirtieth division, which had done
some of the hardest fighting, were to
parade in their home city on their way
to the rehabilitation camp, she had
covertly hoped that she would be asked
to serve them. But the committee in
charge had decided that the very
youngest and prettiest girls should
serve the men, while the older ones,
like Isabella, could stay in the supply
rooms to cut cakes and pies and to
prepare the plates as they were needed.
She thought of the story of Mary
and Martha in the Bible, and reflected
somewhat bitterly that the role of
Martha would always fall to her.
From somewhere far off frenzied
shouts sounded. Torpedoes placed on
the tracks of the incoming trains ex-
ploded like the firing of salute. There
was the sound of martial music, and
then every whistle blew and every bell
in the city rang, adding to the human
din. 1t was like another armistice day.
The boys, their own home boys, had
come back to their loved ones at last.
Isabella's eyes grew bit misty and
she dabbed at them uncertainty as she
FASTENED to help the dozens Of other
workers prepare the feast. Many Of
the girls and young women, unable to
restrain themselves, yelled something
excitedly and rushed off toward Gay
street, the line of march. So Isabella
and the older women, most of them
married, generously piled the fried
chicken, the pickles and pies on the
papier mache plates. 49,
SIN glad that you're not man
crazy, Isabella" said one old lady.
gruff1y, indignant because her own
share of the work had been disorgan-
ized by the unexpected flight of her
young helpers.
"You are dependable, the kind of
woman who makes a good wife. Now
you can keep your head!" she ejacu-
lated crisply. She could keep her heart
as well as her head, thought Isabella
sadly, thinking of her lack of lovers.
Finally the vanguard swung into
view at the far end of Market street.
The girls were marching with them.
waving flags, shrieking their own joy.
At sight of the tables, loaded with
good things, lusty cheer broke from
the boys.
Isabella left the street and went into
the hot, smoky rooms which had been
fitted up as temporary kitchens. She
handed out plates, she cut cakes and
pies until her thumb was sore but still
the demand came for more supplies.
"Run outside. Isabella, and see If
anybody could have been overlooked "
said one matron.
Many of the soldiers called to her as
she passed along the tables, waving
their arms and shouting greetings, but
Isabella knew that she was not essen.
tiaI to the happiness of any Of them
A captain in the medical corps, q
stranger, stood little apart from the
others, and Isabella's heart gave f1ut
ter Of pleasure at sight of him. Per
haps she could entertain him, and sc
feel that she was not an outsider after
all. She went up to speak to him, hei
hand out, little wistful look Of long
ing to be real part in the joyful
celebration flushing her pretty face.
won't you have something else to
eat? I don't believe you went out
from here, did you? You must have
taken Captain Newman's command
when he was invaded home six
-aoHrN onasr rtn, W raare