Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-05-29

Trust me and forgive me- You'll hear
from me later. BILL"
His grandmother cried and cried TIL
I guess there were no more tears TO
shed. And as for me. confess I was
little disappointed In Bill. hadn't
calculated Bin would run away.
Then the gossips began to talk In
earnest.
"Gone to avoid the draft" said
some: pleaded exemption on account
Of his grandparents. and then, ashamed
to face his neighbors, has ned." said
others.
Some said M how they had seen him
In camp on the border. Others were
sure they had seen him working on
farm In a distant state. And all the
time his grandmother and not hear
Ing word from him.
Joel" said his grandmother 10 me.
how'll we stand ~" And put my
arms around her and said:
Emily. I was just about Bills age
when the war with the South came.
Just about ms sunny-hearted, and A.
laughing and a-singIng as he was.
When the force OF the horribleness Of
the thing struck me fell to brooding
like Bill dld.
"'war Ia awful told myself.
didn't want 10 leave peaceful meadows
20 kill men. You see. my views were
selfish, Emily. I wasn't thinking about
the other fellow nj all.
"And then one night, still brooding.
I fell into deep sleep. And In that
sleep came a vision.
II saw battlefield red with blood.
I heard the cries Of the dying. And In
the midst OF this chaos, this horror,
stood man.
"a tall. gnunt man. He looked at me.
the sorrowful eyes full Of pleading.
and held out his hands entreatingly.
"'will you conner he said. And.
Emily, II seemed as II the scales fell
from my eyes. A fragment Of song
they we're singing then came exuitant-
ly into my soul.
yes answered him, were COM
ing. we're coming. Father Abraham,
three hundred thousand strong
80, you see. dear" told her, I'VE
don't know how Bill felt about this
war question, and we've just got to
live through II till we find out. that's
ALL"
After the War Was over.
Well, one night bout three months
after the war was over, there was ter
rible excitement In the village. A big
ovation to the returned heroes.
"Pears like we'd better go. Joel, 80
as folks won't say we'rs ASHAMED to-
said Emily.
Never did see town hall look 80
splendid. All flags and bunting. and
big band APPLYING war songs.
The mayor stepped forward to In
troduce the speaker Of the evening.
can remember Emilys face. how
CHASTITY white II grew. For the speak
or, young and khaki-ciad. with n medal
or two on his breast, was smiling right
into our very eyes And above the
crowds approving cheers. Emily cried:
"Bnlr
with a trembling finger I touched
her wondering lips.
Hush, dearr" whispered And
then the boy spoke:
when the war clouds broke, the
horror Of IL struck me to the heart.
Night and day brooded. and ques-
toned why men should leave peaceful
homes TO murder their fellow men.
zone night a vision came 10 me.
saw the battlefelds Of France. the an
guish OF stricken Belgium. And In the
midst Of these scenes stood n man. a
tall. gaunt man. with pleading eyes and
outstretched hands.
"'will you conner he seemed 10 say.
And II seemed as II things were clear
to me. must think Of the other fell
low. that was the answer to my prob
lem.
"And into my heart came a bit OF
song my grandfather used 10 sing. IL
would serve as nm answer 10 thu sor-
rowfui man:
yes I said, we're coming, we're
coming. Father Abra'am. three hundred
thousand strong"
And there sat Emily and l. crying
like two children. but no one heard Us.
for the people were cheering. and the
band was playing:
"wc're coming. Father Abrn'am.