Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-08
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
HER PRIVATE CORRE-
SPONDENT

By Esther r. Harrington

ENDNA SHERIDAN turned away from
IL the ticket window with a frown on
her usually sunny face mo Pullman
seats-and a fve-hour ride" she sighed
as she directed her steps toward the watt
ing train.
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, stow
ing away baggage and removing wraps.
Edna slipped out OF her heavy coat.
suitcase at her feet and was settling
herself to read when a pleasant mas
culine voice inquired. "Is this seat
taken" Edna glanced up into the tan
ned face of a soldier, evidently a recent
arrival from across the water. Upon
Edna's statement in the negative. the
young man started to place his grip in
the rack above. Edna noticed his face
suddenly whiten and a look of pain pass
across 1t, replaced Immediately by a
Now It was not written in Edna's
book of etiquette to speak TO unknown
soldiers. but her own. youth craving
companionship, the curious wondering of
also--as the French say-"C'est la
guerre' which undoubtedly has changed
many a nice young lady's book of eti-
quite. cause Edna to speak.
Il guess YOU must have been a little
too close to Fritzie at some time or
other?' she ventured, smiling at her
companion.
The soldier turned with n look of sur
prise, and then apparently comprehend
ing-"oh, did l look hurt?" Then. with
an amused grin. mo, Fritz didn't do II
just bump"
But" persisted the girl "you have
been scrapping with him, haven't your"
Rather grimly replied the soldier
back in July, when" and he started
in to relate an adventure bringing him
within close range of the barbarous
Hun.
Many questions asked by Edna
brought forth intelligent storieS until
finally the soldier exclaimed, NWhy.
I'll 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 / reached this side of
must get some of it out of me.
az don't believe you could bore me,
at all. Why. just think. We have been
riding nearly three hours and it doesn't
told how or why you obtained the
wound stripe on your sleeve. Did you
get bullet in your arm?'
"No, Mr.. Boche gave me a taste OF a
a while. but the fact that my arm
hurts--well. really. really now, I'm not
a bit proud of that bump. why l
could have fallen out of our grocer's
truck right at home and broken my arm,
but to continue: after recovering from
my wound was one day riding along
In motortruck sitting at the rear with
my feet lacked up in front of me-. Sud
denly the car went over a good-sized
stone and / was thrown out. Striking
on a sharp rock caused the fracture OF
my right arm. And although it's pretty
we'll fixed up now once in a while 1
twist 1t so that it bothers a bit. Now
that isn't half as heroic as--why, gra-
cious girl, what are you looking at me
like that for?"
"Why-I know who you are. You're
Private Paul Crane-arent you?"
That's me. all right"
You are the soldier who received my
Christmas package and letter sent
through the Red Cross in 1917, and
we've been corresponding ever since. For
positive proof / can quote your last
letter.
"And you're Edna Sheridan !" ex-
claimed the soldier. almost too surprised
to speak.
Suddenly. without warning. both young
people began to laugh az IL it were a
huge joke.
Paul composed himself long enough to
say-"Now that l think of it. because
In your last letter you refused to accept
my invitation to let mo call on you when
returned, and here I am sitting right
beside you: Do you still stand by your
statement"
The next complete noveiette-shams.