New Britain herald., 1926-12-28

before he leaves he discovers that ! one of the twins loves him and he in turn loves her. He tells his mother, but does not tell which one. because he wants her 10 love both Of them the same in the event he does not return.
 Two months later he sails for France and is wounded in his first battle.
 NOW BEGIN THE STORY When Jim woke ID an army doc tor was dressing the wound on his leg.
 "Oh,' said the doctor. a young man with frcckled face and a shock of fiery red hair, 'so you want 10 know what it's all about. Well. you got a nice little nick in the shoulder, and hunk of shrapnel raised a little hob with your leg. You're lucly--lost lot of blood but you'll get that back"
 Jim Elwell grinned. Did you save the shrapnrl? I'd like to keep it as a souvenir"
 The doctor laughed Jim still had the shrapncl, he said. It was still embedded in his leg. wen dig it out for you at the hospital"
 And so it came to pass that Jim got a nice little rest in a hospital at NauX.
 When he looked around him he realized how lucky he really was. Other mon with hjdcous bandages, about whom the nurses lowered with anxious expressions, and that solemn wheeled table that went back and forth bearing men still as death from an operating room.
 Jim had what the English called a couple of "blighty wounds" Only, being separated from blighty by the Atlantic instead of the English Channel. he remained at NauX for convalescence instead of going homo.
 And back in the little Elwell home in Camdenville tho folks got a nice long letter from Jim. telling of his companys and his first big engage ment in the war.
 Incidentally he mentioned, too. that he had been unused up a triflc and was recuperating for while in the hospital. Nothing serious-just a machine gun bullet in the shoul- der and a little scratch in the leg. Expected-or hoped, at least--to be back in action inside a month or two.
 "Oh, I'm so sorry" burst from Rusty as Prof Elwoll finished read ing the letter. "Why couldn't he have been hurt enough to keep him in the hospital until the nasty old war was over? It won't be much longer now till it's all over since the Americans have started to fight"
 Betty added her quota to Rusty's statement with vehement and blood curdling utteranc".
 'J wish he'd got both legs hrok- cn," She paused. And his trigger finger shot off and q sword cut across his cheek that would leave q nice scar. Then he'd have to bc-- what do you call it"-tnralided back home That would have been glory enough for me-
 MolIic was shocked. "The way you girls talk" she exclaimed, Isn't Jim hurt enough "'
 But, the twins argued. they dldnt want him to be discharged from in" hospital only to go back again and run the risk of being injured all over again and maybe killed.
 Nevertheless. when Prof and Mol lie had left the girls alone. Rusty and Betty had good cry over Jim's wounds
 Inasmuch as the twins viewpoints regarding the fortunes Of war "l- ready have been explained, It VIII be seen why the information con taincd in Jim Elwell's next letter which reached the house on Septcm- Der 10. was digest"d by Betty and Rusty with some worry but worry well seasoned with the essence ol youthful philosophy;
 "WcN, he might better be sick with the flu, so long as it doesn't kill him, than to be shot full of | cannon balls and blown up by gas bombs. Maybe now well get to sec him again with all his legs and his