The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-30
A SERVICE RECORD.
y Mary-Catherine McDonough.

I ,
| Copyright, 1921, by Wheeler Syn
| dictate, Inc.)
I She was a yeOmanette-an eff
| Cient wartime servant of Uncle
Sam. She was very lovely in her
! service uniform-perhaps because
/ she was not really the tailored type,
| but soft and rounded, with melting
! brown eyes that seemed to have
caught the suns shiningness; her
hair, too, held glints of gold in its
amber waves
All day the click of her typewrit-
er sounded lightninglike, all night
her needle flew, for there was n
hope chest, and, laden away with
laVender-SCented m b o d e es,
were prayerful hopes that he-a
lowly doughboy in France would
return to her, sound in body and
mind.
She grew horribly lonely at times.
Occasionally other girls, situated
like herself, would accept others,
invitations just to help ease away
the gnawing ache of loneliness. Not
Eileen, however.
One day Roy Robbins, first lieu
the harbor-dashing and already
with notable sea record, had oc-
casion to go over some records il
Eileen's department He thought
her different" and charming, and
found several reasons for return
ing. Often a dinner invitation died
on hislips through sheer hesitancy.
At last he ve1tured a luncheon in
vitation. 1t was courteously de-
clined; yet. the ice broken, he per-
sisted. At last, chagrined at her
refusals, he blurted:
Il suppose some busybody told
you l was married;I suppose you
think me the proverbial sailor with
a sweetheart in every port I'm
not. But l admit l have been mar
ried. However, there is a separa-
ton, which will undoubtedly end in
prompt divorce, though it was not
my wish. l would have told YOU all
had you given me the privilege"
Eileen's lovely face flushed. She
had the old-fashioned ideals of mar
rage, with all its sacredness. She
was shocked and offended that one
whose devotion belonged to an
other should presume to make love
to her. But understanding sympa-
tiny sometimes outrageously i'm
posed uponl for all who suffer was
infinitely more a part of her than
even her impulsive Indignation.
I'm SO sorry" she said, sincere
ly. Il refused you only because tho
man I love and am promised to is
in France, fighting. I'm keeping
loyal for just-him."
He's likely loyal to a fascinat-
ing demoiselle!" Robbins was too
human to refrain from that thrust
Il believe not" graveIy. Still.
TdS1ike to think some tender. wo-
manly heart comforted him some
times. He's been through so much
trenches and all. But tell me
about yourself"
So Lieutenant Robbins, Invested
of his graceful manners and Off
cial authority, was now Just an IN
happy, lonely man, telling his woes
to good woman.
It's absurd, and so easily
QUIT" Eileen ex-
claimed. I'm sure she still loves
you, and somehow feel that
through it all you'll always love
her. Wouldn't you try"
No use tanning the ashes of
dead love-" bitterly. 1.-The last
sparks expired"
Suddenly came his orders to sail.
Came, too. the call for volunteer
yeomen CD for Washington and |
the Great Lakes. Eileen Crashed |
the opportunity. Robbins home |
was in Washington. Perhaps She |
could manage to meet his wife: one
could not fortell what services she
might render.
Because she was SO lovely, 80
golden. SO all peaches-and-ereana, !