American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-06-13
HER PRIVATE
BY ESTHER n. HARRINGTON.

Edna Sheridan turned away from
the ticket window with a frown on her
usually sunny face. mo Pullman
seats-and a nve-hour ride" she sigh
ed as she directed her steps toward
the waiting train. ITS tlresome
enough riding, but to be In an ordinary
day coach, probably so crowded that
Ill have to sit beside a 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.
Edna slipped out of her heavy coat,
procured a current magazine from h
suitcase Mt her feet and was settling
herself to read when a pleasant mas
| cullne voice inquired, rs this seat
taken?" Edna glanced up into the
tanned face of a soldier, evidently a
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
tlced his face suddenly whiten and a
look of pain pass across 1t, replaced
Immediately by a grin, as the grip fell
into place.
~ guess you must have been a lit
tie too close to Fritzle at some time or
other?" she ventured, smiling at her
companion.
The soldier turned with a look of
surprise, and hes apparently compre-
hending-"Oh. did I look hurt?" Then,
with an amused grin, mo, Fritz didn't
do lt-1ust a bump"
"But," persisted the girl, 'you have
been s~crapplng with him, haven't
your"
Rather" grlmly replied the soldier
lad. "Tll say so ut 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.
Many questions asked by Edna
DIOuBDl lpIll llltiilktih $500
finally the soldier exclaimed why,
ri talk you to pieces, I'm afraid. But
you see, you are the very first person
that I've had a chance to sit down and
Talk with since l reached this side
of the water, and 1t just seems as II l
must get some of IL out Of me-"
~ don't believe you could bore me
-. xuA.. S.,.A sbIrU xuo haun haan
riding nearly three hours and IL
doesn't seem three minutes. But you
! haven't told how or why you obtained
the wound stripe on your sleeve. did
you get a bullet In your armr"
mo, Mr.. Boche gave me a taste OF q
bullet In my leg which laid ms rp for
a while, but the fact that my arm
hurts-weil, really. really now, I'm no
a bit proud OF that bump. Why, l
could have fallen out Of q Grocors
truck right at home and broken my
arm, but to continue; after recovering
from my wound l was one day riding
along In a motortruck, sitting at the
rear with my feet lacked up in front
of me. Suddenly the car went over 9
good-sixed stone and / was thrown out
Striking on a sharp rock caused the
fracture of my right arm. And al
though It's pretty well fixed up now
once In a while | twist II so that II
bothers a bit. Now that isn't half as
heroic as-why, gracious, girl, whal
are you looking at me like that forT
"Why-I know who you are. You're
Private Paul Crane-aren't your
"That's me, all right"
"You are the soldier who received
my Christmas package and letter SEN
l through the Red Cross In 1917. anC
we've been corresponding ever since
For positive proof l can quote you
lust letter; I'm writing this with my
left hand, as fell from the rear of
motortruck and broke my right arm
This is too much like work. so dom
worry IL you fail to receive a lettel
from me for a little while One OF
two of your other stories sounded yer!
. familiar, but I couldn't exactly place
) them"
And you're Edna Sheridan !" ex
D claimed the soldier, almost too sur
, prised to speak.
Suddenly. without warning, bot
young people began to laugh as II
I were a huge joke.
"what-what are you laughing atr
gasped Edna, tears standing In he
twinkling eyes.
Paul composed himself long eaougl
TO say Nov that I think OF ii. be
cause In ycur last letter you refuse
10 accept my invitation to iet me cal
on 700 when l returned, and here I an
sitting right beside you Do yoa stl
stand by your statementf~
Soberly Edna said T tell you tn
truth. after l wrote that letter | wa
sorry, because when found out wher
you lived. | write to my anntie In tn
same town. where ! am on my way {
visit now, and she said she knew you
mother very well and had seen a pi'
ture OF you. which-oh, well. she sal
- -4.s.u. N~rxatnIp fNAEaH xyalI "a