Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01
His Promise

Manning was seated on tho ycr,nd,
and a fun moon shed It's siivery RAYS
and lighted up tho littin portico with
soft radiance. Mrs. Manninc's hcad
was bowed and sh. was THINKING Of
her boy still in Franc" Peace had
como. but her boy had not returned
yet.
As, As she Sa, musing hcr thoughts
CD without her knowledge and being
under age had advanced II ono year
ana sdr. ,hsn Of his hoyish, pleading Tor
ana sent HIM away with - smile. al
'h"mrh her hear, was nigh To bursting
nan snr heard from him since hr had
sent the hastily scrawicd card am
nounclns tina, he was 10 sail As she
sat lost IN Thought shc had no, heard
the gate ciick softly and the sound Of
footsteps advancing slowly mp the
saying. Mother little moihcr." ouickiy
she raised h"r hcad "oh. my SON
again she said, after The first greet
s nFs T'T hov over M9W LEI me see my
Tor YOU know YOU came in on ms. so
suddenly, vas thinking Of YOU" she
yer. there he stood before her %"I All al
and brave. Tic had gone away a boy
S Mns nad o, Gene hack nan nr' mere
coat sleeve hung a, his side.
y son caught, IN hcr. throat and her
cNc1 wcra blinded with hot tears IN,
she hastily brushed them away No.
he should not see her weep. She must
hrarely bear her part. Tho sacrifice
was Infinitely harder for him All mis-
dreams and ambitions shattered i'm a
nom"n' ana ic had born" his cross
Dent over and kissed her. Brave little
no, her' he Whispered, for he under
Sow 81 down and tell mo nov YOU
n2:S!hIN, GOT her" a, this tim" Of The
night. II seems as thourh YOU ,ropped
rom 'i.aNSn shc said hut 1t was
voice
= expect did scare you mother"
no sa,d lamshnEly. as n" ga, down
S.Sl the tempiat "a como 10 sec
YOU Whcn was 20 near and 70, 50
nccr. 10 zran' me a few hours tnr-
lonSh ~ Toast. and he put me off tho
train here"
'W. arrived in Hoboken, y J..
non. Ia" boNs wcr" scut back To ,.snp
"a nust"r them out.
u hay" 10 be back ionnrrou 60
I'LL ieaNe on IN" carly morning train"
They talked far into III" nirhl abou,
rs cAperi"nc"s N France Eu, 'hcy
totS '-''n y"un OH ne ,.,mhJeG,. vital 70
a. though they hoth avoided il.
had grown very late and Mrs
MA. Mahnins nag risen TO retire, but her
Mo'her" nc said 81 have some
,nlns W"ni Ia tell You" and re IN
sleeve. sac drew nearer 70 MIN ana
ms b.S hand rested IN hers
MRS "o@n was detailed 70
IN Ola farm house behind Tho lines"
l' VS. a very DARK night and ny
ia. and mad volunteered To CARY
q hcs
these two points. The rain wa. pour-
ine n torrents and wc Mere forced 10
~ .e ",ihont i.snis, because or dan
We mad gotten abou. hair wa
"hea sEddenly. out o. tae darkness,
realized Then that spies had been
among US and The Germans were max
nS an effort 20 secure inst message
20 ! Cared the MESSAGE Ny friend
t-ancd over and whisnrrcd as ne
pusn"d me out ~ the mud. CO, away,
rIh'r" wss an old sheil-,orn tree
~AerH ! was J could see the Light ot
SAGE i6sj csr i,tn Ar,er 'ae f MI,
Nthich they gave IN and began queS-
o'rnS ny "a noon' INC papers, bat
suits heard the Officer say MS lie
Whs DANCE Z u" did no, reveal
III "A
nlun until saw him draw MS sun
and count the minutes for him to de-
eide IN. but his lips were sealed
=, rushed OUT. bui / was 700 late
INC Germans had firod and gone I
ncnt over my pa! and he whispered
1 n.ahn'"S you nom am dying aysnss my
ne gave gasp and lay back-dead
NrmolheT one OF my friends had gone
Mother. | swore that night I world
aVfnss his death. and I d.d Nv wish
was granted when in the battle Of
u-Thierry. was one "a 20 ova~
the TOP. ! Tough; Ike q demon. and
This" no touched a D!stinruish. !
Service Media! on his coat. was given
ne Tor bravery In action. but they
90 not know what KEEP, my courage
up, Il was his death" he stoned
I.ars We're rolling down Mrs Man
have never once resrctted II
Good might. little mother" he said
as ne kissed her and was gone
Years had passed and an old world
"ar veteran Sis N this same little
'Heacc and prosperity again reign ami
me merry laugh OF children is again
card in once devastated France LITTLE
'hI!dren sa,ht" around The old vetc-
ran 10 near him tel them stories but
~" story that they like best is how
ne lost mis- arm in tho ha'tle OF cha.
tHau-Ihlrry that they study about in
history. Rut he never tells them abou,
"ha, prompted II all. 1t IS TOO sacred
,DrIcinalb
EtGENlA WOODNII.i.E
4 BRAVE DEED.