New Britain herald., 1927-01-08

l What is 1t. dear?" asked Jim l Elwcll's mother, trying to look as if 1 she had heard and seen nothing, Ind { failed lamentably. Has my boy been naughty again. Nellie?" i Two red spots burned for brief moment in the creeks of Nellie Downing But in the steady gray eyes that looked straight into hers. 1, Moilie Elwell saw no flicker of em- barassment, no hint of self-con- sciousness.
 "No. Mollie," came the answer in low, even tones. After all, Nellie Downing was thinking. she had done nothing of which she was ashamed or had reason to be asfam- cd. If she cared for Jim Elwel!, she had committed no treason in betraying it.
 Nc" she went on, Jim has been remarkably good. I am the culprit this time. have just been telling him how he was kissed by proxy in France by the girl he had known and loved in Indiana"
 It was AIollie's cheeks now that eyes, too, were unwavering. She, too, had come from stock that could give and take and not ask for quar-
 .I'm afraid" she said with a wan little smile. that the girl he knew and loved in Indiana is a girl that he will never know again." As she spoke there flashed across the mental vision of Mollie iGlwell picture. It was that of two young girls in lavender frocks as she had seen them on a night in June more than two years before, and she seemed to hear one of them say ing:
 "Oh, sister, dear. won't you sing When Other Tongues and Other Hearts?' My heart is going to break anyhow, and it might as well break tonight!'
 She looked down into the vacant eyes of the wreck the war had given back to her and as she looked there came drifting across to them on the salt breeze the sobbing tones of a violin with what sounded like harp accompaniment A moment later a contralto voice broke into a song that has touched the hearts of mill lions-"Oh Promise Me-"
 It was too much for the mother of Jim Elweli. She dropped down on her knees in front of her boy with a little agonized cry and threw her arms around his neck.
 "Oh, Jim," she cried sobbingly, "are you never going to know me again? Shall I never hear you call me Mollie as you used to do in the old. happy days? Oh, God, give me back my boy again!"
 Nellie Downing turned her head to shut out the sight. Mollie Elwell was not the only one who was broken-heart today. The profess sonal mind of the nurse was trying to express itself over the emotions of the Nellie Downing who was in love with Jim Elwell. She listened to Molie Elwel's broken voice and then watched the strange manifesto tions that the music had wrought in the war-broken soldier.
 Tears had filled his eyes and little whimpering sounds broke in his throat, like the whimperings an anil nal sometimes makes when har- monic chord strikes on it's ear.
 fohi hi,,rr ;y,1 his mothers arms, and he was kiss- ing her.,
 The nurse knelt down and put an arm around Mollie Elwell's waist.
 Bear up, Mollie," she said softly. a world of tender sympathy in her voice. Remember what Prof said the other day: As long as life lasts Jim has 0 chance,
 "We never can tell what time will bring forth. A year from now, or a month, perhaps, may find Jim his old self again. Take heart, Mollie dear; there's rainbow in the sky, maybe, somewhere"
 Mollie lifted her head. "1'm so ashamed" she said to Nellie Dow ming. Please don't mind me. I'm just an old woman. can't help it."
 Dear" said the nurse, "come n with me and let me bathe your eyes. Jim will be all right out here alone for a few minutes"
 Mollie strajr'r ~>d up after mo- ment and loaGcs ehe young wo- man with m-C. ls.
 Ut was the music - that song" she cried. That's what made me | break down like that. One of the girls, Betty, used to sing 1t and it was a favorite of Jim's.'
 She was silent for 0 moment and then she went on:
 'I think I will let you bathe my | head if you will It aches so."
 She reached down with her hand kerchief and wiped away the tears from Jim's checks just as she had wiped them away so many times when he was a little boy.
 Be good. dear. she said to him, and stay here till Nellie and Mother get back. We won't be long"
 She talked to Jim just as though he had been a little child. The war, seemingly, had taken her big boy away and brOucnt a hoby Ina rlS ai