Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1922-03-24

how. or nj what moment understand.
Ing reached her. She begun 10 under
stand that her country, threatened to
the life, had flung Its line those thou
sands Of miles across the sea to stand
and hold lllndenburg md Ludcndorff
and nll their knIscrs KINGS dukes and
crown princes, their Krupp and ShOda
monstrous engines, ana their mons.
trOus other engines of men made into
armies, Through the long haze OF
mlsted sen.mlles and the smoke OF
land'mles she perceived that brown
line Of ours, and knew It stood there
that Freedom, and the Nation Itself,
might not perish from the earth
And so, n week later, she went home
and came nervously to Ramscy's moth.
or and found how to direct the letter
she wanted to write. lie was In France.
AS the old phrase went, she poured
out her heart. 1t seems to apply to her
letter.
She wrote.
Don't misunderstood me. felt That
my bitter speech to You had driven you
to take the step you did. felt that |
had sent you to be killed, and that |
ought to be killed for doing 1t, but !
knew that you had other motives, too.
| knew, Of course that you thought of
the country more than you did of me,
or Of any mad thing could say--but
J. thought that what said might have
been the prompting thing, the word
that threw you into 1t so hastily and
before you We're ready, perhaps. |
dreaded to bear that terrible responsi.
bllIty, | hope you understand.
"My great mistake has bccn-I
thought was so 'logical'-it's been
in my starting everything with n
thought I'd never proven: that war is
the worst thing, and all other evils
were lesser. | was wrong. was
wrong, because war isn't the worst
evil. Slavery Is worse evil, and now
want to tell you have come to seq
that you are making war on those that
make slavery. Yes you are fighting
those that make both war and slavery,
and you are right, and humbly rev.
erence and honor all Of you who are
in this right war. have come home
to work In the Red Cross here: work
there all day, and all day | keep say
ing to myself-but l really mean to you
Its what | pray, and OH how pray
1t: God be with you and grant you
the victoryH For you must win and
you will win.
"Forgive me, oh, please-and If you
will, could you write to me? | know
you have things to do more important
than 'girls'-but oh, couldn't you,
peaseW
This letter, which she had taken
care not to dampen, as she wrote, went
In slow course to the american ES-
peditionary Forces IN France" and
finally found him whom 1t patiently
sought. He delayed not long to answer,
and In time she held in shaking hand
the penciled mlssive he had sent her
"You forget all that comic talk about
me enlisting because Of your telling
me to. I'd written my father was
going at the first chance month and
half before that day when you said
1t. My mind wns made up the first
time there was any talk of war, and
you had about as much responsibility
for my going MS some little sparrow or
something. OF course don't mean I
didn't pay any attention to the differ
ent things you said, because ! always
did, and | used to worry over 1t be-
cause l was afraid some day 1t would
get you into trouble, and I'm mighty
glad you've cut it out. That's right
you be a regular girl now. You always
were one, and knew that all right
I'm not rs scared to write to you us
was to talk to you, so guess you know
was mighty tickled to get your letter
1t sounded blue, but l was glad to get
it. You bet I'll write to you! | don't
suppose you could have any idea how
glad was to get your letter. | could
sit here and write to you all day II
they'd let me- but I'm corporal now
When you answer this, l wish you'd
say how the old town looks and If the
grass In the front yards is as green as
1t usually is, and everything. And tell
me some more about everything you
think Of when you are working down
at the Red Cross like you said. guess
I've read your letter FIVE million times
and that part ten million. | mean
where you underlined that you anC
what you said to yourself at the Red
Cross Oh, murder, but | was glad tc
read that Don't forget about writing
anything else you think of like that,
"Well, | was interrupted then and
this is the next day. OF course can't
tell you where we are because that
darned censor will read this letter, but
guess he will let this much by. Who
do You think ran across in Il village
yesterday? Two boys from the old
school days, and we certainly did
shake hands a few tines 1t was that
old foolish Dutch Krusemeyer and Al
bert Paxton, both of them lieutenants
| heard Fred Mitchell is still training
in the States and about crazy because
they won't send him over yet.
IF you have any idea how glad
4. .