New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-11

wasn't = soldier at all. He'd lost
his arm In an explosion.
And that ex-soidier In Roxbury-
his wife had him arrested for nom
support. He claimed to have lost
his memory. and when she faced
him In court with their child. he
said he had never seen either OF
them before. But the judge wouldn't
believe him. and sent him to Jail.
There were lots Of stories. Am
nesia, like charity. covered = multi
tude OF sins But John - John
wouldn't tell such lies. Why should
he? He loved her. didn't he? OF
course he had wanted to come home
to her.
ITS very strange" he murmured.
And in dumb anguish she inclined
ner head. 1T WAS. Very strange.
1.-THE baby-is it yours
She nodded.
They said you were dead. At
first | wouldn't believe 1t. l waited
and waited. But you never came.
was married two and half years
ago. My-my husband Is dead"
John Lawrence groaned.
God in hea,en,"
He struggled TO his feet, explor-
ing his pockets nervously. On his
outstrctched palm he extended a
small white boz
"Iook-its a wedding ring.
bought it this morning. The banns
we're published isst Sunday. Oh,
my God ssbil. What are we foins
He put his hands over his face
and she kissed his fingers timidly
John, look 1t ME, dear. It's 81
long SO long ago. DO We care
; dear. stiil?'
She pried his fingers from his
hair. and he took her hands. and
kissed them wildly.
Then she was in his arms-strug
CLING. protesting. entreating.
Deaf to her pleas. he caressed
her. Kissed her. lips and her eyes
and her poor pale face. and her
white throat. Until. spent with
ardor, they saIk on the diNan, like
tired children. and her head fen
Imply in the hollow of his shoul
der.
Tell me-" she whispered, and hcl
voice was small and weary. 'Begir
at the beginning"
Truth, they say. is stranger Il al
fiction. Here then is the story JOIN
Lawrence told Sybil.
The war played strange tricks or
men. And for exquisite cruelt,
psychosis turned the screws-tha
dread affliction that spared thu
body asd scourged the soul.
He told his story disjointedly
They were marching In squad
columns. The objective - oh. MT
matter. Earth and trees sprouted
up like geysers. There were weird
lights In the skv and shells screech.
ing like hell let loose. He was
scared. No use lying. Knees shak'
ing.
There was an explosion. Worse
than the rest. A shell, you know
Right in the middle Of the squad
I never tried to talk about 1t before
Blood and mud. . . . Fellows
blown to pieces arms and legs
-and-an1 things. Sybil
hold my hand. All. sweetheart
! No Mans Land. they caliet
He was sobbing. Crying like I
baby - her soldier back from TN
"Oh. John - my dear. NJ,
dear :"
He had lain there 1t seemed
ys-nights-nobody knew. Once
he found little pool. crawling tt
It through the slime. And when hi
put his lips to. 1t, and drank. It wa!
sweet and sticky. Blood. He't
wiped it off with his sleeve. j
was all over his face.
by and by he dug hole-witl
his hands. To bury some poor fel
lows head. 1t lay there. you see
staring up at the moon. Awful
The teeth showed.
There was a chap he knew. Al
he could see was his hand. Stick
ing out Of some awful muck heap
J Recognized the ring. A big. blacl
stone. The chaps mother had givel
] II to him on his twenty first birth
day. He told John so. Someone t.
talk to. Oh. God, don't let him b
. dead. He reached for the hand
Touched it--icy cold.
. Come on. old man--out OF tina