The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-05-20
THE ROAD.
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

per SynulCdle1
| A luxurious road car, with two oc-
cupants, rolled over the smooth, white
macadam through a country gor-
geously painted with .the colors of
early autumn. The fields, shorn Of their
golden crops, were skirted on either
side by low hills, already reddening
where the oaks were thickest, or yell
lowing amongst the chestnuts and ma
pies.
Suddenly the girl flung her arms
wide. ooh, jim, isn't this glorious
just to be alive, just to exist, to
breathe and see everything, and feel
the sun and air / could keep on like
this forever and forever. I'm so hap
by, dear it almost makes me sad"
She faced him, smiling radlantly, but
with 1t all tears stood in her eyes.
Jim took one hand off the wheel and
slipped an arm tenderly around her
waist, drawing her TO him and kiss
ing her passlOnately.
"YOu dearw he exclaimed. II was
just thinking the same thing. Well,
grille there's no reason why we
shouldn't go rolling along through
life just like this, is there? We may
not always be in an automobile, and
perhaps the fields won't always be
green, nor the sun so bright, nor the
road so smooth, but as long as you're
you and Pm !, and we get married as
we intend to, l can't see why life
won't be mighty sweet dream, can
you? Eth, girlie?"
mo, Jlmmle-unless." She ran her
hand tenderly up and down his arm.
"Unless what? There isn't going TO
be any unless Helen.
"You don't understand, Jim. There
is such a thing as crying for pure JOY.
Only 1t seems that when I'm happlest
I'm always saddest, too. Sad, l sup
pose, because other people aren't as
happy as | am"
Forget it. That's their funeral. 1t
would be a great world, wouldn't it,
If we were responsible for other peo-
pies troublesT
"That's true, l suppose" She sigh
ed. "But think If you had been draft
ed instead of Homer, wouldn't you
have liked a little bit Of sympathy|
eff again"
ooh, Jim, jim" Helen laughed in
spite of herself. ado be serious. But
what If you had been drafted instead
Of Homerp
"Well whatY
"Td just die, that's ALL"
"Now, look here, grille, don't talk
that way. Anne didn't die, did she2
And she thinks as much Of Homer as
you do Of me-"
Helen was silent a minute. 'But
that's different, dear. Anne's made of
sterner stuff than l am. Why, be-
lleve she'd take a gun and go out and
fight herself. do believe, too, that If
Homer hadn't been drafted, she'd have
made him enlist, anyway"
you're right, Helen. / believe she
would. Moreover if Homer hadn't
been drafted, he would have enlisted
without Anne telling him to. That's
the stuff he's made Of"
She turned and faced him squarely.
"Why, Jim Harlowe, what are you
talking this way fOr2 I really believe
you're sorry we are engaged so you
can't CO."
I'm not sorry were engaged, DEAR"
he denied quietly.
"Then what Is IT? Do you want me
to be like Anne and tell you to goW
"No, l wouldn't want 60 have to be
told, dear"
"Then what Is it? You do act so
quecrly, and can't understand you at
all / just thought there was some
thing wrong"
"You certainly have way Of get
ting at things, Helen" he evaded.
"IEere we started out as happy as two
kittens on fence; fine day, good road,
Just two of us, and the whole world
before us. And you insisted on being
sad about something you don't know
a thing about, and start to ask ques-
lions, and"
"Jim, tell me, what is it?" she de-
handed
He hesitated just an instant. 'T've
enlisted, little girl; that's ALL"
The car slid nolselessly over the
smooth road. Helen, still facing Jim,
did not answer instantly, as he ex-
pcctcd, with stormy protest and
food Of tears.
Instead, a wonderful, glorious smile
overSprcad her face and her eyes
shone LUMINOSITY. "Oh, Jim, jim"
she breathed almost too low for him
to hear I'm so glad. II didn't
think l could be so glad, but / am.
I'm 50 proud WHY never thought
before | could bear It, but l can, you
see, It's wonderful, Jim. I'm so
proud of you, dear. My Jim enlstlng
Really, l think I've felt rather out Of
It because had no soldier boy"
The little ear came to a standstill
under n big maple, as Jim took Helen
In his arms.
you're the soldier, dear; the truest
braycst little soldier that ever was !!
And I'm the coward for / was afraid
to tell you. I'll come back. / don't
think death itself could keep me-"
"And I'll wait for you, Jim-no mat.
ter how long It Is. The road may not
always be smooth and we may not
travel side by side, but 1t will be our
road, for our hearts will be together"
Putting In His Time.