Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-04-02


And you've been right on the spot
where tha fighting is? Pretty lively
up there. isnt 1t? Something stirring
most all the timer
II imagine So" The other mans
accent was amazingly diffident, and
Harmon peered at him, incredulous.
Good Lord. don't you know2'
'Not great deal. l happened to
get hit the first day / was in the
trenches"
"But you got In 1t again afterward.
I suppose7 I'll bet you did"
"No."
what You never got back at all7
Just one day. and you're through?1
"Yes. After / was discharged from
hospital I was discharged from the
army too. Permanently unfit"
English army?"
"No-French."
"Well. that's some record = said
Harmon approximately. "That GER
tainly Is some record Not to say
tough luck-the toughest kind. Going
back home. I take it?"
Looks that way. doesn't it7"
Harmon ignored the sarcasm.
Back 70 work. eh7 What did you
say your line is?"
II didn't say. l haven't any just
now"
Harmon pondered a second.
"Ohl Gentleman Of ielsurel Sol
der of fortune, EN-? Well, / wouldn't
worry II were you. You're disap-
pointed: that's natural hut the
world hasn't come to an end vet. OF
course 1t Is something of a come-down
to leave the army and get into harness
again, but after all there's plenty of
excitement right IN the United States.
Big work to be done. son. Big money
TO make And 1t helps the war along.
too. ] tell you there never was big
ger opportunity TO make money than
there Is right this minute The hard
Job isn't to find the scheme: It's to find
the men to run 1t. Don't you worry
you'r land something right off
the hat!"
Thanks for the compliment
"oh. it's no compliment Anybody
can make money these days. It's n
plain statement of fact Say,
let's go in and have something. Come
In and be sociable What you wants
a drink. Am l right or am l wrong?'
"Weli-"
"And that's what the doctor or
deredi Come onl It's on me-"
The other man hesitated. and at
last succumbed, out of sheer uncon-
Germ, to a companionship he realized
In advance would be distasteful.
"Ali right" he consented briefly
and together, arm in arm. they STUN
bled and tackled across the treacnerous
deck, and presently crossed the thresh-
old into the hazy light Of the smoking
room. Harmon, smiling broadly, wiped
the brine from his smarting eyes.
Now. then" he said. what particu.
lar brand Of poison do you" And
broke off short and stared fascinated,
at the extraordinary young man in
front of him.
He was anywhere from twenty-five
to forty. this American from the dis
tant trenches. and his age was as hard
to guess as q clever woman's: there
was something about him peculiar to
youth, and vet when his face was in
repose. he might easily have claimed
two score OF years and gone undis-
puted. IL was face which suggested
both the FIRE of immaturity and the
drain Of experience: there was breath
taking gravity about II, a hint of the
hence. 1t was slightly thin face,
SCARED by heavy line or two. and
indelibly stamped with the evidence
of intense thought and inward suffer
Ing: but 1t lacked the hollows which,
at the first glance. should have sup
ported the evidence. II was thin and
oval face, with a mouth of large and
sympathetic sweetness. a forehead
white and high. prominent, delicate
nose, and irises of clear, lum nous
gray. Ii wasn't altogether an Anglo
Saxon type of countenance. nor was
1t definitely European; 1t seemed
rather to have taken all the better
qualities from several races. II was
face to inspire immediate trust and
confidence and respect, ard Harmon.
despite his lack Of practice In Ell three
of these reactions, was evidently at
tracted BY It.
"yichy-Celestins for me-" said the
old-young man indifferently.
'T'll I guess I'll have vfchy
too" said Harmon, relaxing. eff IL
wasn't for something l can't just de-
scribe I'd say well. never
r1ind. FIR what business have
You been In, by the way7"
The younger mans reply was tardy
and net particularly gracious.
"why, the longest time 1 ever put
In at any one business was selling In
surance. The last thing did was TO
all hands Whv7"