Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-05-01

Corwin saw the tears that she could
not check slowly trickling down her
cheeks.
Ben was In uniform. He was big,
strong--a magnetic figure; a force
that could never more move without
direction, but nevertheless a force.
Instinctively. Ben dominated. His
presence seemed to fill the room--the
atmosphere grew formal, military.
Unconsciously Roberts and Miller
straightened; Corwin' felt as though
some power within him was urging
him to salute Something about Ben
his erect carriage. his squared shoul-
ders, the set of his head, the uniform
he wore-everything about him COM
manded interest and attention. Ben
brought a breath OF far-off France into
the room with him--a suggestion of
force, of battle and Of death. He sym.
bolized indomitability. cohesive power
he was a visible unit embodying an
atom of national spirit; he was a part
Of that great arm Of government
which expresses itself in force
! And unconsciously, involuntarily,
the three men in the room with him
paid tribute--the tribute of silence. Of
attention and respect.
Corwin peered intently at Ben,
searching his face for signs, for indi.
against his Government for the loss
of his sight. He watched closely for
the slightest expression which would
tell him that Ben regretted his expe-
rience. But he saw no such signs.
Ben's face. despite the sightless eyes,
had undergone a transformation. On
the night Corwin had seen him fight
| ing the agitators there had been in
the mans face something malignant
and savage and passionate. He had
been fighting animal. enraged and
yearning to punish the defamers Of
his country.
There was different expression on
his face now. HIS smile was serene,
complacent, ineffably gentle = as
though reminiscent of a soul-fire out
of which he had come unscathed, fine.
ly te,npered ana impervious to base
ness was the face of man who
has /. ked death straight in the eyes
and mas no fear of tit was the face
of trained soldier who has held COM
munion with the spirit of his country.
Looking hard at Ben, Corwin was GER
tain that Ben had no regrets.
81 don't know why Molly brought
me here" said Ben. 81 wanted to go
straigh. home--just to see how things
look"
Corwin saw Molly cover her eyes
with her free hand; he saw Roberts
and Miller stiffen; and he felt queer
construction in his own throat as the
muscles tightened oddly. When Molly
removed the hand from her eyes and
looked ait Corwin. she saw that his
face was dead white.
well. suppose l won't see the old
place any more" said Ben, seeming to
comprehend the significance of the 81.
lence that had followed his words.
"That's a figure OF speech with me.
now But l shall be able to iceland
that will be plenty" He laughed, and
i there was a flavor of scorn in the
sound. af cf
That's more than some people do
isn't it?" he went on. Some men
don't seem 10 know how to feel. When
| landed. and they told me that Fall
town had failed i'll all four of the Lib
erty Loan campaigns, tell you it
/ made me feel. There were times when
was on the point of denying that
came from Falltown. And when
heard Mr. Miller say that he had
bought fifty thou; and dollars worth
! II the Victory Loan l was so tickled
that had % say something. 1t
seemed to me that Molly had brought
} me hnre purDosely-where she knew
would hear some good news"
Molly did not look at Corwin; but
he thought he knew why she hao
brought her brother to his Office.
Rchrrta knew. also. His face was Grim