The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-11-11
"ON, VICTORY OR DEATH"
Oeona Ryan. B. A. '23)

|
March on, march on All hearts
| resolved On Victory or death" The
| singers voice sank into silence and
Ruqolph Morrison. sitting alone in the
death" the phrase burned itself into
/ his BRAIN Shivering. he drew his coat
closer about him. Perhaps it was
| really cold on Lake Fairton's shore.
| but the other people strolling about
| did not seem to notice it. "On victory
| or DEATH" His heart leaped to meet
| the refrain,
Then his Thoughts changed with the
music. Softly the strains of the Home
| Sweet Home waltz came to him and
he was back in the home town. a
carefree boy again, with the old crowd,
the "ole" swimming hole, the same
hated books, the loving mother, the
cookie jar standing in it's usual place.
while the sawmill hummed wheeZingly
all day. and beyond, the trout brook
beckoned enticingly. A reminiscent
smile turned into a half sneer and the
dark, handsome man, dressed in the
height of fashion, sprang UP and DASH
ed over the rose bordered walk and
stepped through the French window
An another moment he was dreamily
guiding the belle of the BAH in that
goodnight waltz. Try as best he could
to forget it,, that dream of childhood
days haunted him. Perhaps-he hated
himself for the thought-perhaps he
had better go back home. He struggled
against 1t, he thrust the thought back,
slowly on toward it's destination.
Ruuolph thought more more. Yes, he
greed, he had been a quitter. But the |
thought of it cold wave swept |
over him as he thought of death and a |
nameless grave in No Mans Land
Rudolph Morrison, thirty-five. tall. |
straight, sternly handsome, with not a |
days sickness to his discredit. had fed |
the draft, Others had stayed and fac
ed it; others had volunteered and were |
already under the fire of German guns,
but-he had fed Some of his boyhood
companions, some of the "ole crowd"
were dead; died in No Mans Land with
shells shrieljng and bombs bursting.
while others were in the trenches,
flirting with death, horror, destruction
and living a life worse than death in
any form. He, Ruddy Morrison, leader
of that gang, was lying back on the
cushions of his Pullman and reading
of their valor. He turned "a page
hastily-more war news Then his
eye rested on those immortal words
"They shall not Pass" With a groan
he flung the paper from him and sat
flashing past became more and more
but when at last the train
pulled in at Chester, his home town, ,
Rudolph stirred not. He was going on
10 enlist "On, Victory or Death" the |
rails seemed to scream and Morrison
smiled. No more did that cold dread I
haunt him. He was burning with inn I
Iatience, with the passion to kill, with I
ierce revengeful thoughts and under
III a vague, wistful longing for the
I'D crowds respect. Ruddy couldn't
lave explained it himself. He could a
lot tell you where the old dread and ,
old feeling had gone, for he did not
,now that it had. He did not stop to e
nalyze his feelings. he only knew, a
that he could fight the whole h
ierman army, alone, and was longing :
or the chance.
Ruddy did not go home. He was
months of weary training, during which :
ime the fires of fury often burned low, Z
e was sent across-"Over There" >
where the Buddies We're already show e
ng Yankee grit and daring bravery.
Ruddy was in the flying corps and
vent earnestly to work, for he intend =
d to do his share, no uatter what the {
ost. "On, Victory or Death r'-his n
cart throbbed 1t, his engine hummed 7
{ md the bursting shells screamed it.. .
Then one day. when the battle was c
hickest, Ruddy's plane crashed to n
arth and when they picked him up.
7st charge at the Huns-he had all
MT gone West
When Ruddy regained consciousness.
weeks later, a gentle, familiar voice n
poke to him; tender. mother arms en- "
ircled him and Rudolph Morrison was h
ONE. Home-hut he would never see Fl
again. Rudolph was blind. "On, +,
worse than death. and years after the o
.rmistice was signed and the last gun G.
ilenced. Ruddy Morrison was cropping :,
or victory over a world of darkness. u
Miss Helen f Worthley entertained
party Of 10 friends Friday evening.
Whist was played and delicious re- .
reshments were served at the close
{ a very pleasant evening. NJ
At a special communication Of Mt. n
.ebanon Chapter No 13 Royal Arch c
lasons held on Monday evening in y
Iasonic Hall, the Royal Arch degree 4
-as conferred on Dean Wesley Gochev, el