Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-05-25

had the whole show! But now, since
she's just the same as called any stu
dent a murderer if he enlists to fight
for his country and fiag-well, now
she hasn't got anything at all, and II
she keeps on she'll have even less!'
He paused in his walking to and fro
and came to halt behind his friends
chair, looking down compassionately
upon the back of Ramsey's motionless
head. His tone changed. II guess 1t
isn't just the ticket-me to be talking
this way to you, is 2" he said, with
trace of huskiness.
"Oh-it's all right" Ramsey muir
INJURED, not altering his position.
II can't help blowing up" Fred went
on. 81 want to say, though. I know
I'm not very considerate to blow up
about her to you this way. I've been
playing horse with you about her ever
since freshman year, but-well, you
must have understood, Ram, never
meant anything that would really both
er you much, and I thought-well, /
really thought it was a good thing,
you-your-well, I mean about her,
you know. I'm on, all right. I know
it's pretty serious with YOU" He
paused.
"Its-it's kind of tough luck!'' his
friend contrived to say; and he began
to pace the floor again.
"Oh-well-" said
"See here, ole stick-in-t he-mud,"
Fred broke out abruptly. after her
saying what she did Well, it's none
O. my business, but-but-"
"Well, what?" Ramsey murmured.
II don't care what you say, If you
want to say anything"
"Well, I got to say it." Fred half
groaned and half blurted "After she
said that-and she meant it-why, If
I were in your place I'd be darned If
I'd be seen out walking with her
again."
"I'm not going to be-" Ramsey said,
quietly.
"By George!' And now Fred halted
in front of him, both being huskily
solemn. II think I understand a little
of what that means to you, old Ram
sey; I think I do. 1 think I know
something of what it costs you to
make that resolution for your coun-
try's sake" Impulsively he extended
his hand. otis pretty big thing for
you to do. Will you shake hands?"
But Ramsey shook his head. II
didn't do it. I wouldn't ever have done
anything just on account of her talk
in that way. She shut the door on
me-it was good while ago."
'"She did! What for?"
'Well, I'm not much of talker, you
know, Fred" said Ramsey, staring at
the pen he played with. "1'm not much
Of anything, for that matter, prob'ly,
, but I-well-I-"
"You what?"
"Well, I had to tell her 1 didn't feel
about things the way she did. She'd
thought had, all along I guess. Any
way, it made her hate me or some
i thing, I guess; and she called 1t all
! of. I expect there wasn't much to call
! off, so far as she was concerned, any
how" He laughed feebly. "She told
me I better go and enlist"
pheasant of her" Fred muttered.
Especially as we know what she
thinks enlisting means" He raised his
voice cheerfully. "Well, that's settled;
and, thank God, old Mr.. Bernstorff's on
his way to his sweet little vine-clad
cottage home They're getting guns
on the ships, and the big shows liable
to commence any day. We can hold
up our heads now, and we're going to
see some great times, old Ramsey boy
It's hard on the home folks-Gosh! l
don't like to think Of that! And |
guess it's going to be hard on lot OF
boys that haven't understood what it's
all about, and hard on some that their
family affairs, and business, and so on,
have got 'em tied up so it's hard to 70
and Of course there's plenty that just
can't, and some that aren't husky
enough-but the rest Of us are going
to have the big time in our lives. We
got an awful lot to learn 1t scares me
to think of what / don't know about
being any sort Of a rear-rank pri-
vate. Why, it's regular profession.
like practicing law, or selling for a
drug house on the road.
"Golly! Do you remember how we
talked about that, way back in fresh
man year, what we were going to 90
when we got out of college? You were
going to be practicing law, for In
stance, and well, FIR instance, re-
member Colburn; be was going TO De
a doctor. and he did go to some medi-
cal school for one year. Now he's In
the Red Cross, somewhere In. Persia.
Golly !" A ~
He paused, then chartered briskly
on. swell, there's one good old boy
was with our class for while, back
in freshman year; 4 bet we won't see
him In any good old army! Old rough
neck Linski that you put the knob on