Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-01-02

He had much to live for, While I'm
one Of the lonely soldiers you. read
about. John has spoken of you to
me and know you're the kind of girl
that would want me to take the sweat
er you made for John. need 1T
badly and know he would want me to
have it, The package came just after
John fell. I read the letter and
shafed the cigarettes and chocolate
with the rest of the boys. If you
have moment for lonely soldier
please write me as you would have
John"
She wrote back a long letter and
sent more cigarettes and chocolate as
well as wristlets and. helmet. She
made minute inquiry as to any spe-
cial requirements he had and thanked
him for the plots he had sent.
While letters and messages were
crossing the wide ocean Lucinda wrote.
story that brought her in the biggest
check she had received from any
magazine. The vivid bits of life that
David Mcleod, the seventh soldier,
had sent her had added a strong touch
Of reality to her work.
She wrote him of the success of the
story and told him that she was put
ting half the check in little bank.
when you come over to America
after the war" she wrote, I'VE will
spend all your half Of the, check maxi
Ing you forget the tragedy of war. l
am Spending mine all on soldiersd do
Ing Just the little things that I can"
Lucinda and David continued their
strange correspondence and found
much pleasure in 1t. Her stories Inn
psoved wonderfully and the small
bank for the returning soldier became
bulgy with checks.
But the day came when Lucinda
waited u vain for an answer to her
letters.
| After long days Of depression, when
she had quite given up hope that
David was one Of the living heroes. she
had letter from hospital in France.
They almost got me-" he wrote,
sbut I'm pulling through like a team
,.of American mules. Guess it takes
more than a bunch Of Boches to kill
this globe trotter. I'm coming over
/; to your country when my wounds are
/, sufaciently healed to let me travel
| Lucinda put down her head again
and cried. The tears were happy and
might have sent tiny flowers spring.
Ing up had they fallen on earthly gar
dsns. q
81 {nD vApArA n mt <S31 1n Il.
/ now-the endings more complete. In
the little bank a considerable sum
awaited David. Lucinda realized that
1t would take lot Of going to spend
Ill that on making David forget.
He had told her to look for a one
legged man when 1t came near time
for his arrival, and when he stood out
side her studio door Lucinda gasped
with Joy at his nearness. David had
told her the exact date. His crutches
for the second tore at her heart, for 1t
meant that he had suffered and suf-
fered dreadfully.
"Here. here" he said brusquely,
wanting to hide his emotions. I'm q
| soldier with a grand medal-not a
baby doll" This was when Lucinda
fiuttered about doing the thousand and
one things an ultra-feminine woman
must do for soldier who has fought.
She blushed holly but continued, for
10 David's eyes she read the hunger
Tor mothering and home. She felt in
sunctively that her seventh soldier
needed her more than any Of the 9TH
ers. In fact. Lucinda felt many things
among them that her own need OF
David was going to be great. She had
written Of SO many fine men, but David
embodied the finest of them all. She
hoped desperately that he would fall
In love with her.
Wen write plays together and now
els and do all sorts Of big things,' he
said. voicing her very thoughts: "And
some day, when you've used up all
the plots we will globe-trot for more.
You see, he added tenderly, "a lonely
soldier gets great chance when Q
Knitted sweater arrives"