The Washington times., 1931-03-07
NOv Go On With the Story

perhaps forced, him to this de-
cision, but the means didn't
matter, it was the end which
counted. If only he could win
back his normal interest in
other people, regain his one
time spontaneous boyish gener-
osity. AS a boy he had been
the most generous being she had
ever known. Even aT a child,
a baby, almost, he had been al
flicted, in his small way, by the
woes of the world, by the sor-
rows of less fortunate child
hoods than his own.
Later, alone with Mary Lou.
she reminded her, anxiously:
But I intend to go to the
Veterans Hospital. L didn't
know whether to tell him or
not"
Don't" advised Mary Lou,
slowly, until you are ready to
go. I had forgotten that plan.
think it might do him an
enormous amount Of good. But
he'd better not be permitted to
brood over it ahead Of time"
So, a few days before Christ
mas Day, the three Of them set
out early from Westwood House.
the big closed car packed with
boxes and bundles and baskets,
and were driven into town and
to the various addresses which
Mrs, Lorriner kept from year
to year, addresses in the most
miserable sections of the city.
Light Into Darkness
Mary Lou and Mrs. Lorrimer
carried little bundles when
their destinations were reached,
the chauffeur and Lorrimer
struggling under those Of bulk
ier size and weight. They went
into a dozen wretched rooms,
dark, cramped and hideous
with poverty and despair. And
into those rooms they brought,
not only material things, but
light and hope and the frag-
rance of friendliness without
patronage.
Lorrimer said very little but
Mary Lou could sense his un-
easiness. It wouldn't, she
thought, hurt him. And 1t
might help.
The last address on the list
reached and taken care OF,
Lorrimer, glancing at his moth
er's notebook, indicated the con-
siderable remainder Of the
packages and asked:
where are these going?"
"To. the Veterans Hospital"
she answered, quietly, and gave
the address to the chauffeur.
Lorrimer said nothing for a
minute. Then he muttered:
"No-not there 1-cant
"You needn't come in, Lorry.
said Mary Leu, you can wait
outside with Rodgers"
Her voice was perfectly
friendly but a little cool. Lor-
riner did not reply. On the
long ride uptown he was silent,
struggling with himself. Black
memories thronged him. He
couldn't. It wasn't in him.
It was inhuman to ask it OF
him! He'd tried to forget =.
tried. Yet he must, he had TO
do it, whether he could or
not. Out of sheer stubborn
pride. to show her that he
wasn't quite the weakling she
thought him. Not quite.
So he went into the place
with them, the bare echoing
place with it's smell of disin-
fectant, it's speechless story OF
patience and suffering, its sill
ent record of failure and sue
cess.
In the Ward
He walked through the ward
to which Mrs. Lorimer. fol-
lowed by Mary Lou and Rodg-
ers,. made her way. Walked
through it, not looking to right
or left. Just - remembering.
And suddenly he heard a voice
Lieutenant. .Lorrimer!"
A husky voice, broken. e. a
shattered voice. For this was
the tubercular ward, from
which transfers were made to
the upstate sanitariums.
Lorrimer started, turned. -.
and halted beside bed.
"surel Gosh,, where've you
been? I've tried to get in
touch with you but guess the
address was wrong. Gee, you
look great; Gosh! What a
lucky break"
He was thin and very dark,
the shadow of a man, with the
most eager eyes in the world,
the most whimsical and the
most gallant smile.
Mother" said Lorrimer, an
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