The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1929-01-11

and talked to her of "deathless
glory and heritage" He gave
her a bit of verse of Alfred Noyes'
that he had clipped from an Eng
lish paper in Paris, and Sybil car
ried it in her purse until it
crumbled to pieces.
But all the time she knew it was
a Grand Pretense. The world was
full of noble words and fine
phrases. People thought they
meant them, but they didn't really.
They could tell her John died
for humanity till they we're black
in their faces. She knew he didn't
want to die for humanity, or glory,
or anything else. He wanted to
live-for her. 1t wasn't fair. All
the talk about Sacred trusts"
couldn't really mean it, or they
wouldn't forget so soon. Nothing
seemed to make much difference,
except having a good time. Every
body wanted a good time.
Even Tad. He looked so hand
some in uniform, with his swag-
ger English cap and his silver
shoulder bars. Tad had come
home a captain, Croix de Guerre
and two wound stripes. His moth
er was tremendously proud of him,
and wanted him to go everywhere
with her. She hated to have him
get back to civies, but the second
day home he went to his tailor
for some new clothes.
"If you knew how I hate the
sight of the damn thingsi" he said
of his beautiful whipcord breaches
and his gorgeous blouse.
Sybil wanted to wear mourning
for John, but the family had dis
5uaded her.
Since your engagement was
never announced, dear" coaxed
her mother, 81 really think it
would be rather poor taste. No !
body really knows. you see, that
were actually planning to be ',
married." !
"But l want them to-" cried l
'ybil." Tm sc proud of having been
lis sweetheart. I WANT every .
'ody to know. And 'taste!' What :
% I "a about ~tastei'" !.
She took Johns picture and :
rossed two little flags above it, i
nd kept it on her dressing table '
nth flowers in front Of it. She :
cad his letters constantly, and U
bandoned herself to a frenzy of
xtravagant grief. =.
Cant you try to snap out of
!, Sis?" begged Tad. "It isn't =
Ding John any good, you know. :.
lie wouldn't want you to take on =
Ike this. And it's pretty tough
4 Mother. You're too darn smart
], go dragging round like an old
oman. It's a good old world,
tier all. And we're only young
nee"
He brought men to the house,
Id urged her to make up parties.
'We're a girl short, Sybil," he
;ed to say. Dicks girl went
lck on him. Won't you fill in
1e a good sport? Dick Wright
ou know. He's a prince of a
How"
Of course, she saw through Tad,
It to please him, she went some
mes.
The Eighteenth Amendment had
passed, and drinking was be-
ming lamentably smart. Flasks
d come in; and a really daring
esent for a man to give a girl
rs an enameled f1aconette for
T bag. Girls had begun to
Joke, too. Men were saying you
yer knew whether a girl would
insulted if you offered her a
,aret or offended if you didn't.
Soldiers everywhere had been
lstered out of service, and wo-
IN were still feting them.
,ughboys walked where angels
lred to tread, and gobs were
usehold pets. 1t was eminently
;pectable for mice" girls to
ape acquaintance with men in
The marines had be-
ne social lions. Everywhere the
service man was sitting pretty.
less, of course, he happened to