Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24

when she referred to the pet name stopped him
before he could start
He said 1T was Georgie-Porgie, ma'am," as
kindly rs he could.
You called him that-at the train window
And he told me about tt-sald It always gave
him big kick when you said It.
She wRs looking down at her fingers, clasping
and unclasping them in her black lap.
1T was all part Of the lousy trick played
on him In New York should have told you
that FIRST But you got me all bawled up
ma'am. I am yet. But I've got to tell you.
when picked up that dame ut Coney
IsIand-T1llie, meant gave her the old Army
lire. Said was q sergeant-but none Of as
non-cOms would get our stripese issued till we
went over. Told her 10 write me Sergt. George
Grayson, Company Z, and everything.
II thought 1t was q swell joke to be hitting
in high spots for the sarge while he was moon
ing around the "Y" I'm camp Gave her q rich
line about my old colonial home and the whole
works. It turned out to be the rottenest joke
in the world, maam."
"of course she was bound to believe you
were from the Southland. Your accent would
prove It, wouldn't it7"
'sThey believed anything in them days, ma'am.
Besides, she knew we was q Southern division.
And us fellows from New York thought it was
funny to say 'you-alr lot and down yonder.'
And she wasn't too bright
But she was pretty. She said she loved to
hear the way George told her so.'
"He never saw her Only her pictures. She
used to send me Q snap with every letter"
And George never went to New York
never went to Coney Island swimming. He was
Just making up things when he wrote me how
wonderfully and thrilling it was for q South
erner to see &c all for the first timer"
He might have, ma'am. But it would be
sightseeing bus. And he'd be In charge Of
detaiE-a bunch Of men. And there would be
~ man or somebody like that along. They
watched the Out-of-town men pretty close. We
New Yoriers could always say we was going
home"
Her lips were parted In . slight smile He
did not Ike It. It was not q nice smile.
your devotion is beautiful Mr. Harrigan.
He was fortunate In that"
mo, no. Mrs. GraySonl" he cried his voice
suddenly loud. You've GOT it al wrong!
George was the guy who was-who was all
right. He was always doing something for me
or somebody Got me promoted twice, but
always let him down and got busted. Stood
for bawling out from the top and the skipper
for cumming with buck. Made no difference
to him"
iE held out two fingers shaking but firmly
entwined. I'VE was like that! And you
should have seen the way he came through
when he got them letters from TiIlie-a stack
Of 'em-she'd written every day since we sailed.
Think of what he could have done to mel
But nO-not thingl Just laughed when
told him what It was all about, and called me a
fool. But he read the letters after me. Made
me give EN- back to him to keep.
Said they was good, had feeling in en.
Said he was going to use EN- In his writing
some day"
He saw the searching, the doubt and the
yearning come to her face as she fixed his eyes
with her own. Something was tumbling over
and over inside Of him.
oh, Dan, dear-n could only believed"
He barely heard her. But Ii was enough
Maam-Mrs. Graysonl-Youve got to!