The Washington times., 1920-03-31

TIVE days that followed. drag
ging their slow hours into
weeks, did much for the Kan
tor family, as they did for thousands
OF other families. They brought
them. through a community OF In
terest, to sympsthize with the
parents OF all soldiers. TO help
others where they could and TO view
the world in a little more Utopisn
spirit than even they would have
thought possible before the war.
Now and again they received a
postal from Leon always telling
that he was well, and lamenting
that he and bis fellows did not see
any immediate prospect OF getting
TO grips with the enemy.
Mama Kantor sighed a sigh or
relief. every time she received one
of those missives and then came a
long silence. No more postals. no
letters, no word. Once in a while a
telephone message from Gina ask
ing IL the family had received any
word and always the same negative
answer.
The stories OF boys killed at the
front and the wounded filled col
umns In the papers, and then there
began to come names. what an
agony TO follow down the lines.
Abrahm aged in those months and
his wife, trying TO bear UP, found 1t
difficult to smile her genial smile
when her heart seemed likely TO
break. rr-. ...
But there broke unexpected news
they were sitting one evening
reading and working on sweaters
WI % the maid announced a name
they never had heard before.
- fri~rI OF Mr.. Icons from the
front" They were all on their feet
In n moment. anxiety In their eyes,
waiting for him 10 enter.
He appeared In his soldiers uni
form. and, advancing. held out his
hand, y young man, little pale,
but straight ana slender.
~ ou'ye come from Leon :" Ab-a-
hsu1 Hammered.
IL he snight?" Mamma Kantor
tailored
ne II right," said Icons Bud
dy. II was gassea "a little ana sert
home. When 7 left 30 was 1ur. I
told him "a lynk you u2,"
A ThoG~Hrj Questions.
They ushered aim to a cha, ask
ed him a thousand qucstions tres
to supply him with food aaS drink
enough for a regiment-anc when
he went they insisted on sending
him to his train in the car.
PLENTY money!" whispered Abra-
ham as the two went to the door.
The young soldier smiled and
nodded.
.If you ever need anything you
write"
'sure; well here's hoping"
Abraham returned to the library
s. to join in the animated talk let
loose by the Information from
Icons Buddy. 1t was like a breath
from the boy himself. They would
have kept him all night IL he would
have consented to stay. As IT was,
in an hour he had furnished them
with enough, anecdotes i,to keep
them in .conversation for month.
Mama {Kantor called up Gina Berg
to tell her. It was an act of good
will made possible by her own suf-
fering. The girl showed her appre-
citation by sending a huge offering
of magnificent roses and Mama Kan
tor understood.
Before they knew II arrived.
those days of the onrush OF the
German armies toWaru tHc eouth'
their sudden check, the heroic feats
OF the American doughboys in the
Ardennes, the master stroke OF
Foch, and like a thundcrclap the
armistice.
Such q day-no sleep for the Kan
tors that night-they felt that Leon
was safe-must be safe-and they
wept with the rest of the fathers
and mothers, and waited.
A letter from Leon himself, strug-
Cling through, seemed to bear the
great news that he still lived
alas IL was many weeks old-and
contained nothing new-yet IL lay
under his mothers pillow, and like
a talisman.
ImPatience got them at last, and
the father and mother went to