The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-03-17
better open Il tlrst, and then Ten &c


better open 1t first, and then tell heI
what's in it,
.'No-I want 1t myself, please"
Mary and Sol turned quickly.
Blanche was standing on the tiny
winding staircase, holding out her
hand. She, too, had heard the
knocker.
1--WE been-been expecting II ever
since Philip was home for his fur
Tough. Take Sol in where it's warm.
Mary, and give him some coffee II
was ayfully kind of you, Sol, to bring
1t yourself"
I'D a-rather ben licked than to
a-brung it,"
Il know-please.
She, opened it slowly, almost care
fully. 1t was from one Of the doc
tors, and 1t was rather long. Philip
had been stricken. very suddenly, with
pneumonia. The entire illness had
been a matter of only thirty-six hours.
The doctor was obliged, with the deep
est regret. to inform her !. IL she
would telegraph her wishes. they
would of course, be complied with in
solar as possible
The yellow sheet cracked In her
hand. For moment she shut her
eyes, swaying. and Mary started
towards her but she put out her hand
as II to keep her back. Not even
Mary could help her through this mo-
ment; she wanted to meet It alone.
Then she came slowly down the stairs.
and going to the window where the
service flag hung, she took It down
and stood for long time with II in.
her arms, her lips quivering. AT last
she gathered it up, and crossing the
room with 1t, she hung it, as If it had
been an emblem of victory, over the
portrait of the little French countess.
Then she faced her cousin and her old
| friend.
"Ill have a new one. with gold
star, in the window" she said quietly,
"but that one belongs there. Can you
have the express stopped at Ham.
stead for me. Sol?-You'll go with me.
Mary, of course? Please tell mother
and Cousin Jane. I'd like to be alone
a little while, think But I'll be
ready to start in an hour"
There was no time to waste In
breaking the news gently" Mary
found the two older women together
and, without single unnecessary
word, told them what had happened.
Violet, horribly stunned and shocked.
broke into angry and rebellious grief
which Frustrated her completely. But
when Jane had done all she could to
relieve her and the Trailer woman had
recovered somewhat and they had
taken the necessary steps to send
| Blanche and Mary to bring Philip
home and to prepare Hamstead for its
| first military funeral, Jane went alone
| to her room and sat long time. the
tears rolling down her grim. plain
| face, the old candy box tied with red
ribbons which Philip had given her
long before and which she had kept
ever since on her bedside table near
her Bible, clasped in her hands.
THAT nice, pleasant. happy boy"
she said repeatedly. and added invol-
| UNFAIRLY. land he was real Chris
tan, too, same as Mary said from the
! first"
Violet. when she had discarded her
mourning for her husband. had laid 1t
away in her attic with her usual ex.
quiste neatness. and Mary. unlocking
| the trunk, brought down the things
that Blanche needed and helped her
| put them on, just as she had helped
her dress for her wedding, year and
half before.
''If had let him go when, he wanted
to, this wouldn't have happened"
That was the only complaint she
made, the only grief which, so far she
seemed able to voice. But she said
it over and over again, after she and
Mary were on the train. and the door
| of the pullman drawing room had
been closed. leaving them quiet and
alone together.
FLUSH, dearl He might have been
killed in battle"
| "There'd have been some meaning
| some compensation-a glory OF
| achievement in that! This was just
waste! Hundreds of boys are dying
like that-when IT coVd perfectly well
have been avoided. They've been al
most freezing TO death in the camps
| all over the country"
81 know. see how you feel. But
1 don't believe that anything Philip
| ever did was wasted. just the same"
"If Paul dies, at least it won't be
this way"
"No."
"Oh. Mary, how could you let him
go the way you did? Supposing he
never comes back. either-do you ever
think of that?"
| Did she ever think of it Not long
| before, Mrs. Weston had handed her
letter that had just come from
Rosalie King. She had married her
| fioOrwoll,ar IN a .'hurrv call" and they