Evening star., 1924-08-10

Forward marchl Halt! Fl,
y bayonets" For moment
the leader of the gallant
company stood in thoughtful silence
. Hopelessly outnumbered, with certain
destruction awaiting his forces should
he lead them into the dreadful am
buscade, there was no thought OF
faltering in the multitude of his
mental processes. But a man who is
saying farewell to life may be par
doned if he Snatches one moment
from death to think upon his loved
ones at home. Thank Heaven that
he had had a furlough only month
ago, The knowledge that they wor-
SHIPPED him as a hero nerved him now
Then, too, there were his generals
words when he had sent the young
officer on this forlorn hope:
Capt Dory, the United States OF
America will always remember that
you volunteered like a hero to save
yonder ravine While they are kill
ing you We'll sneak up behind them
and will win the battle. They won't be
expecting us. And l give you my per-
sonal word, Capt. Dory. that you will
have the biggest funeral any Union
man has ever had"
We can forgive him that he brushed
away a tear as he thought of how
those serried Union ranks burst into
cheers as he stroke away at the head
of his little band of devoted followers.
We can forgive him the swagger OF his
shoulders as he turned toward the
waiting foemen and gave the order to
charge. In his baggy ZouaSe breeches,
with his hat pulled down over his eyes
and his sword aloft he was, he felt, an
inspiring figure, in his own personality
representing the great ideal OF freedom
that had founded this mighty nation.
To the group Of girls who came around
the corner he was just boy.
.-Oh, look at the soldier" said one
of them. She shrank close to her COM
panions and her voice was raised in
tremolo of fear Hes all bloody" she
cried. 81 bet he's killed million Rebels
already this afternoon.
She left the sheltering embrace OF
her giggling companions and walked
to the curbstone. She stretched out
her arms appealingly.
".Shoot If you must this old gray
head, but spare your country's flag,
she said.
The fictitious gore with which she
had smeared him could have made
the young warriors cheeks no red
der than they were now. His sword
arm dropped to his side and his
shoulders seemed to shrink together.
"Aw, you think you're smart, Eloise
Dennison."
stockings, the young girl now knelt
upon the sidewalk. She stretched her
arms wider and tossed her head back.
Have pity on a lone woman" she
cried.
Twelve is a sensitive age. Roderick
Dory could have endured mere in
suits and jibes from the black-haired
beauty who taunted him, and would
have been able to think up retorts
that soon would have reduced her to
tears and sent her away from the
field of battle in shameful defeat.
But this was a subtle form of insult
new to his experience, and he found
himself unable to cope with it. Il
wish you was my sister," was all he
could say.
The voice of Eloise became soft
and cooling. Il wish you was my lit
tie baby brother" she said. I'D get
you some nice doll soldiers and I'd
dress you up-oh, so pretty that all
the girls would want to kiss you"
I'D like to see 'em try" growled
Roderick.
Eloise, still kneeling, turned her
1issom body at the waist. In tones
that were now thrillingly deep she
spoke to her companions. He wants
us to kiss him." she said. Lets"
X X X X
r oDERICK looked over his shoul-
~ der. The imaginary company
which he had been about to lead to
slaughter no longer existed. He was
just a self-conscious little boy, who
had been reading of the landing Of
troops in Cuba, and who knew that
he really was too old to dress up
as a soldier. Twelve is on the border
line of manhood. He had thought
that this alley-way behind his house
was safe from the desecrating OBJ
servation of such fiendish persons as
Eloise Dennison. Had he been able
tn foresee her coming he would never
have dressed himself up in the
Zouave uniform which a doting aunt
had sent him on his recent birthday
Tempted by its romantic possibilities,
self to the humiliation which now
he endured. Il just wish you was
= boy" he cried.
Eloise's eyebrows lifted. why,
Roddy dear. if I was a boy I wouldn't t
play with babies"
The quickness and certainty of her
wit drove him to the verge Of mad
ness Because there are certain rude
nesses one can't be guilty of to a
girl, one must suffer. Impotent,
choking, fiery red, he stared at the
giggling group.
Spare me!' cried Eloise Once
again she faced him with her arms
spread. A group of women came
around the corner; they STOPPED and
burst into laughter at the scene Of
burlesque emotion which met their
eyes. Roddy looked at them; II there
had been real enemies lurking in a
real ravine he would have Ieaped
upon their bayonets with joy. For
these ladies were teachers in the
school which he and the girls at
tended. He knew that grownups could