The Red Cloud chief., 1922-08-03

to do to ours. SO we're going to at
tend to them. or course that's why
I'm here. 1t wasn't you.
Don't forget to write pretty soon,
Dora. You say In your letter. cer-
talnly was glad to get that letter.
well, you say have things to do more
important than girls Dora, think
you probably know without my saying
so that Of course while have got i'm
portant things to do, just as every
man over here has, and everybody Mt
home, for that matter, well, the thing
that Is most important In the world to
me, next to helping win this war, It's
reading the next letter from you.
"Doh't forget how glad I'll be to get
1t, and don't forget you didn't have
anything to do with my being over
| here. That vast was something
else. And you bet, whatever happens
I'm glad l camel Don't ever forget
that |"
Dora knew 1t was something else"
| Her memory went back to her first rec
| objection of him In school: from that
time on he had been just an ordinary
everyday boy, flounderlng somehow
through his lessons In school and
through his sweethearting with Milla,
as the millions Of other boys floun-
dered along with their own lessons
and their own Millas. She saw him
swinging his books and romping home
ward from the schoolhouse, or going
whistllng by her fathers front yard,
rattling stick on the fence us he
went, care-free and masterful, but shy
as deer IL strangers looked at him,
and always mot much of a talker."
She had always felt so superior to
him; she shuddered as she thought Of
1t. His quiet had been so much better
than her talk. His intelligence was
proven now, when 1t came to the great
test, to be Of stronger sort than hers.
He was wise and good and gentle.
and n fighting man! 1--WE know what
they've done to this country and what
they mean to do to ours. So we're
going to attend to them" She read
this over, and she knew that Ramsey,
wise and gentle and good, would fight
like an unclaimed devil, and that he
and his comrades would indeed and
indeed do what they "came for"
ut wasn't YOU" he said. She nod.
ded gently. agreeing, and knew what
II was that sent him. Yet Ramsey
had his own secret here, and did not
tell 1t. Sometimes there rose, faint In
his memory, whimsical picture, yet
one that had always meant much to
him. He would see an old man sitting
with little boy upon rustic bench
under walnut tree to watch the Dec
grafton Day Parade" go by-and RAM
sey would see a shoot Of sunshine that
had somehow got through the walnut
tree and make bedazzlement of
glintlng fine lines over a spot about
the size of saucer, upon the old
mans thick white hair. And in RAM
sey's memory, the little boy, sitting
beside the veteran, would half close
his eyes, drowsily, playing that this
sunshine spot was a white birds-nest,
until he had momentary dream of a
: gittering little bird that dwelt there
and wore blue soldier cap on Its
head. And Ramsey would bring out of
his memory thoughts that the old man
had got into the child's head that day
1--WE knew that armies fighting for the
Freedom Of Man had to win, In the
: long run. We were on the side OF
, Gods Plan. Long ago we began
: to see hints of His Plan. Mar
] has to win his freedom from himself
men In the light have to fight agains,
j men In the dark :. That light is the
e answer We had the light that
g made us never doubt"
=
+ A long while Dora sat with the let
1 ter In her hand before she answered 4
: and took It upon her heart to wear
v That was the place for IT, since 1t wa!
I already within her heart, where h,
Y would find It when he came hom,
j. again. And she beheld the revelation
/ sent to her. This ordinary life OF Ram
O sey's was but the outward glinting o
a high and splendid spirit, as high ant
Z splendid as earth can show. And ye
It 1t was only the life Of an everyda.
o American boy. The streets Of tn
Il town were full, now, of boys like Ram
= sey.
It At first they were Just boys in uni
q form; then one saw that they wer
e boys no more.
II | They were soldiers.