The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-04-15
The
MAN
uith a
COUNTRY

petition, and want you to head my
list"
Wrath was in the color that stole
above Corwin's collar and suffused
his face; a deeper wrath was in his
heart. For an instant he meditated
a sharp declination of the girls invi.
tation. Then, knowing he was fairly
caught. he said, shortly:
Put me down for a hundred"
"A hundred -thousand" Queried
Molly.
Corwin detected the humorous NAL
ice in the girls voice; but he did not
look at her, to see the knowing, toll.
Grant smile on her face.
Zone hundred dollars!" he snapped.
"Oh. Mr.. Corwin-a hundred! Do
make 1t more-won't you? You see. |
haven't so many prospects in view,
and l shall have to ask each Of them
to subscribe rather heavily. was
counting on you for ten thousand, at
least"
Look here!" he said, facing her;
ARE you doing this for Dillon?"
Dillon? Oh, no. I haven't seen
Mr.. Dillon. am doing it for my
country, Mr. Corwin-and yours.
am doing IL for Ben-and for the other
boys who will go to France presently,
10 fight for us and for World freedom.
Why" she went on, deep note in
her voice; II have subscribed for two
hundred, myself. And ! shall take
more-just as fast as can pay
for them. I feel that am not doing
anything for my country in buying
bonds. For 1t really isn't giving, you
know-only' lending It really isn't
even that; it is taking your money
from one place and putting 1t into an.
other place-just like transferring II
from one hand to another. 1t seems
to me that the boys who 90 overseas
to Highland perhaps to die-are the
only ones who are really going to give
the country anything. And even they
are not giving more than they have
received from the country. Oh, Mr..
Corwin. isn't 1t great to be an Ameri.
CAM"
WELL" said Corwin, 81 take thou
sand"
When he had signed his name on
one Of the blanks Molly bent over him
and stuck Liberty Loan button On
the lapel of his coat.
Whether it was because Molly, In
attaching the button, had been forced
to come very close to him, or whether
his surrender to her opportunities had
brought him a fleeting sensation Of
satisfaction. he did not know. But
somehow, after Molly left, and he
looked down at the button. he felt less
guilty. But he knew he had not sub.
scribed through patriotic motives, or
because he had felt it was a duty he
owed to his country; he had merely
bought the bonds because Molly had
seemed to insist-because there had
seemed to be no way of denying her.
His convictions were the same-they
would not change.
Corwin was not bothered again un.
til the last day Of the campaign. Then
Dillon sent representative to see
him.
The town was going to fail, the rep.
resentative said; It would not sub
scribe its quota. Not very much more
than half the amount had been sub
scribed, and today was the last day.
Falltown would be disgraced. 1t was
upon such men as Corwin that the
committee depended to save Falltown
from the disgrace Of failure.
That's up to the Committee" said
Corwin, evenly. IT have done all l
can, and shant subscribe another
dollar"
The mans persistence angered him
brought a reckless wrath into his
heart
"This campaign was doomed to fail
ure from the beginning" he declared.
Its fool war. and is being con-
Quoted by a lot of incompetent min
compoops! II they wanted the thing
to succeed, why didn't they appoint a
live wire instead Of DiIlon?"
Dillon isn't as energetic as he
might be-" gravely admitted the man;
but we are not doing this thing for
Dillon. Mr.. Corwin; we are working
for the interests Of the brave boys that
are going overseas-we are doing It
for humanity"
Corwfn felt Like telling the man that
the whole idea Of war was wrung: he
longed to express his opinion Of the
President and the war cabinet and Of
the heads Of all departments clear
down to the members of the district.
county and township committees. But
somehow, he had feeling that to
have expressed himself thus would
seem puerile-if his words would not
create In the mans mind an impress
sion Of absolute disloyalty. Those bit
ter. savage and resentful thoughts
that seethed through Corwin's mind
would not sound well when expressed
verbally. They we're stealthy, trea-
sonable and venomous thoughts-and
they had almost wrecked the slight
structure Of patriotism which Corwin
had erected that day when leaning
against the corner column Of the Mer-
chants Bank he had made the mental
Night 10 Europe.
He dismissed the representative