Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-02-26

your saerifiee or the spirit in which yOu
But you are yearning for his last word.
Tor some voice which VIII seem 70 you
now almost . voice ont OF the grave. ana
am happy 20 be able to bring you that
word IL was something moe shap chance
that guided me that night-ss IL is ever
night
We we're well behind the lire OF actual
I fighting. but / had become detached from
my party In moving to another station.
lost. II yOu Ike. yet not lost. never have
| gone 50 directly TO so great destination
| While trying To get my location. l became
| aware OF a presence. IL will sound strange
] 70 you. but | became intensely aware OF
/ your presence or course I knew il could
not be you. in the flesh. bat you il seemed
to be. nevertheless. / moved as though
/ led by an invisible hama. and presently I
| found a bit Of shattered wall In the
\ gloom ! could just discern the form of a
man lying in the shelter OF the WALTZ
YOU could call it shelter-it rose scarce a
/ foot above the ground.
knelt beside him and turned my torch
/ on his face. It was pale even through the
| brown skin; the ewes were closed: the hair
was wet and plastered on the forehead;
there were smears of blood on it and on
his cheeks. AS my light fell on his lips
they framed a smile.
"Reenie." lie said. lit was good of you
to come. / knew you would come"
Il am here, Dave" 1 answered. and I
think you will forgive the impersonation.
Now let me find out where you are hurt
and wen fix you up, and get you moved
presently"
He opened his eyes and looked at me
with the strange look of a man whose
thread of consciousness is half unraveled.
'Oh, it's you, Edith" he said, when he
had taken me in. Funny, 1 thought it
was Irene. / must have been dreaming"
I i'm m n
and began feeling his hair IT'S not
there" he said. Guess l got it all over
my hands. They got me this time. Don't |
waste time on me. Some other fellow
may have a chance"
found, with a little examination, that |
the case was as bad as he supposed. For |
tunately, the wound had induced a local
paralysis and he was not suffering to any |
great degree I placed my hand in his |
and felt his grip tighten on it,
Tim going to stay till it's over. Dave.
Wen see it out together"
That's decent" he answered, and then |
was still for quite time.
I've often wondered what was on the
other side" he said, at length. Il shall
know presently"
You are not afraid?" whispered.
mo. Only sort of-curious. Andrew.
erent | guess it's reyerent You
know l haven't been much on religion.
Never seemed to get the formula. What
is the formula? l mean the key-the
thing that gives it all in one word?"
in one word-sacrifce. He that loseth
his life shall find it, l quoted.
He did not answer, but I could see his
lips smiling again. His breath was more
labored. few drops of rain fell, and
some Of them spattered on his face.
Presently he chuckled 1t was an eery
out on that broad plain of
death. alone by the side of this man who I
ali dy Fur inf ba chad To 1aa |
him chuckle.
THAT splash of WATERFOWL remember
It made me think of the time we pulled s
the old car into the stream, and the har- !
ness broke or something, and l had to
carry you. You remember that. Reenie?"
could only say Yes" and press his {
hand. His mind was back on the old old |
rails
He became suddenly sober "And when
Brownie was killed." he went on, II said [
I was the innocent thing that got caught.
Perhaps | was right. But perhaps it's best
o get caught. Not for the getting caught, !
tut for the-the compensations It's the
innocent men that are getting killed. And
y 9ss its best Perhaps there are CONF
ting Gus WSrth wAtles''s ~ 4s s
,.-.aA.ts3lce was weaker. and Ishad. u lean
lose to catch his words. ..f.
I'm going-out," he said kiss me, 2
1eenie'' v
And then kissed him-for you. T
Suddenly he sat up. 1.-THE mountains"
e exclaimed and his voice was athrill
With the pride of his old hills. See the v
1oonlight-on the mountains." n
Then his strength, which seemed to
ave gathered itself for this one last u
ision Of the place of his boyhood, gave ii
'ay. and he fell back, and he did not n
peak any more
And what can add? Dear, it is not II
efeat 1t is promise. 1t is hope. Fl
hon
len we shall go on. 1t is woman's bit ~
} carry on. But not in dependency, not u
bitterness, not in anger or despair He p
dn't go out that way. He was reverent W
and little curious and he went out
fth smile. And we shall go on, and %
arry his smile and his confidence through OF
le valley of our sacrifice. What am l =,
)ing. speaking of our sacrifice?
salute you. sister in the Order of Suf- fe
ring-and of hope dl
EDITH DUNCAN. l.,
IF time I had no words, "Won't you d.
t me tell the story?" I said at OF
myth. 'The world is full of sorrow, &C
I'd it needs voices to give that sorrow il
ords, and perhaps turn it into hope tn
! this letter does" hi
She hesitated, and realized then how
UGH l had asked. "It is the story
my life-my SOUL" she said. "Yet,
IL would help" Ri
without Names" I fastened to ex-
ain. without real names of places
people" sa
SO
And so. in that little whtewashed an
me, whore the brown hills rise
Ound and the placid mountains look pr
wn from the distance, and a tongue 20
spruce trees beyond the stream no
nds sentinel against the open prairie, IN
2 is carrying on, not in dependency bi
d bitterness, but in service and in
pc. And so her sisters, all this world
ar, must carry on. until their sweet Una
ss and their sacrifice shall fill up and ite
ID over all the valleys of hate.
And if you should chance that
Y, and if you should win the con-
ence of young Three-year-old, he
y stand for you and say, with his
ce filed with the honor and the