The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-03-04
Medals and Things
By MARTHA N. WILLIAMS


growth to meet the Trevors. Aunt
Bah had halted them there to see the
choice late roses and chrysanthemums
she was busy hooding and shrouding
against the Strengthening cold. "Icould
cut them, to be sure" Aunt Bah ex-
planned "But it is shame not to let
them die happy in the sun on their
own stalks"
i "HOw l wish humanity ran in fam
lilies |" Archy Trevor laughed, taking
Mrs. Hubert's hand. IF it debut
therel won't speculate on the inn
possible. Instead, here are thanks for
what l may or may not be about to
receive"
"Viyian, dear-please snub him
hard" Anna Trevor entreated with
plaintive accent. "He has been in
sufferable now for three days over
he won't tell what. Say right off you
won't listen, no matter what it may be.
Then he will run away to sulk-and
we can have beautiful gossip"
"About me, of c0urse-I am-fxed-
dS lllc laws VI MtueS anu Z CISldAo,
Archy interrupted.
"Good boy!" Aunt Bah murmured,
patting his arm.
He kissed her hand, saying with
twinkling eyes: DO your worst, ladies
I'm ready for anything to have
you set the cats on me"
you'd like that, no doubt-now that
you have grown a cat fancier," Mrs.
Hubert said silkenly.
Archy smiled, not quite easily. an
swering: There are cats-and cats.
am not fond of-everything that has
claws"
"Stop fussing and be human" Aunt
Bah commanded. "When you are as
old as / am, you'll feel how wicked it
is to waste life getting grouchy about
great secret, Archy-whether it's about
money, marbles, or matrimony."
1T might concern all three-only it
doesn't" Archy answered, struggling.
''It's only-all these came in a BUNCH"
pulling from a deep pocket huddle
of ribbons, crosses and medals. "Near-
affidavit along with them, saying
they're all due me. can't quite be-
lieve it"
"Archy! You darling!" Anna cried,
hugging him close. Aunt Bah did the
same as soon as he was free. Mrs.
Hubert looked on with humid eyes,
her whole being fluid. Archy had been
so silent as to what had befallen in
those months overseas-he had come
back without scratch, and had
seemed to avoid comradely gatherings,
though he had chung to his buddy
oe-George Green by manchester
than to a real brother. They had had
many laughs together about something
they would not name. When joe
George went on to California, his last
shouted good-by had been: ''Lordy, old
son-they'll git you yet. Don't wish
could stay and see the funl" Even
after that Archy had held his tongue.
And Vivian Hubert, whom he had
loved and lost as Vivian Dane, had,
been hurt and chilled-there must be
cence-nothing could make her believe
Archy had played the coward-but
there were so many, many other ways
wherein he might have tripped and
fallen she had been far from happy.
Then he had begun dangling after
the Francis wOman-who affected the
intense in everything. Just now she
owned a humanitarian craze-went
about doing good according to her
own notion, to animals that she might
better have left alone. Cats were her
latest specialty-hence Vivian's thrust
at ,Archy-he had actually carried
home for the Francis person a litter
of blind kittens rescued from drown
ing, which she insisted were entitled
to an easier death. Vivian had
laughed easily over the story-there-
by confounding the gossip who had
told it. But she had cried Silly, half
the night after-she had so hoped
Archy would understand her marriage
had been hardly of her own making,
but yielding to what her elders in
tACt1 WicuOlu AAdu dCNlCCu. 10y CyA
cal jest of fate, death had freed her
six months after the Wedding day. Now
the freedom was Dead sea fruit, turn
ing 10 ashes on her lips.
But she had rallied as women will,
yelled her heart by playing with other
suitors, telling herself the while she
would never marry anybody. She was
striving to hold fast to that mental
attitude--even with Archy proven a
rare hero they were friends only. He
stood tossing the decorations lightly
from hand to hand. his sister and
Aunt Bah trying hard to snatch them
away. Cupping the hands, he held
them out to Vivian, saying with his
most whimsical smile: Hold fast
what give you. Remember, WV,
how many times we played that
gamer
several million, l think" Vivian