The Coolidge examiner., 1934-01-12
Army Home
~
By HAZEL ARDEN
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNU Service

A'A a newspaper account OF the
bridal couple emerging from an
arch of crossed swords, but this
particular romance Of young Lieu
tenant and Mrs. Rodney Ashurst
goes on.
The first night, on their way by
cgr to ROdneys post in the South,
they stopped at the best hotel in
Baltimore and had jellied consom-
me, broiled blue-fish and peach
melba, which they didn't eat. The
second night, they stopped at an
exclusive hotel in Roanoke and had
cantaloupe, fried chicken and blue
berry pie, some of which they ate.
The third night, after a consulta-
tion over the honeymoon pocket
book, they stopped at the second
best hotel in Greenville and had a
dollar blue plate, almost all of
which they ate.
On the fourth day they reached
their destination, the army post to
which Rodney had been assigned
after his graduation from West
Point that June.
A stout captain In the quarter
master corps met them at head
quarters and ushered them to their
new home. 1t was one of group
of unpainted wooden shacks that
resembled squatters' huts one finds
on ash heaps outside large cities.
From their patched, tarred roofs
tin chimneys emitted pillows of
soft coal smoke.
The captain got out, prled open
a rusty. sagging screen door and
waved the bride and groom inside,
then left them with a CHEEKY smile.
He was so used to showing hard
ened army folk into dlngy quarters
that he didn't stop to sympathiZe
with these young newcomers.
Sally Ann buried her head in
Rodney's shoulder and wept heart
breakingly.
I'm sorry. kiddie," he groaned.
"What'll we do?"
81 know what I'm going to do"
announced Sally Ann, Historically
but firmly. I'm going home"
But she decided to stay for two
months, for after all, they were
still on their honeymoon. But when
the day came for her to go she
didn't feel the least bit like trav-
cling.
When they realized what was the
matter, Rodney was terrified and
begged her to go. If he hadn't sug
gested it, she probably would have.
But she stayed. She would let Rod
ney see little Rodney, then leave
| forever.
Winter descended upon them,
chill. rainy winter that spread a
vast duck pond about their little
low shack. Sally Ann shut off one
room of the house and tried to keep
1t warm with the pot-bellied stove
which. with it's sister. the kitchen
range, comprised the heating sys-
TEN of the house.
At last, one spring day, the great
event took place. Sally Ann spent
an afternoon walking on the hot
roof garden of the army hospital
with Rodney pacing desperately at
her side. Then the nurses brought
her in and told Rodney to stay out.
After a long while they told him
he could go in.
"You have a cute little daugh-
ter" they said, land girls are just
as nice as boys"
He merely glanced at the bundle
on its way out to the nursery, cried
for a few moments over Sally
AIMS placid white face and went
back to his little lonely shack.
Lying in the pleasant, yellow
walled hospital, Sally Ann was
more determined than ever to leave
Rodney and his dreadful little hut.
She simply couldn't let her baby
grow up there, to play on those
damp floors and perhaps get hold
of the deadly white insect powder
they were always compelled to
have about.
At her fathers home there would
be a sunny nursery with warm,
rugged floors and steam heat,
sizzling against the frosty windows.
When they at last took Sally Ann
back to the shack, she resolved
that the next time she went out of
1t would be the last. Rodney gent
ly deposited her on the quarter
master settee and she looked about.
A medley Of colors met her gaze.
The rough ugly boards were COW
cred with yellow wall paper. Vari-
Gus pillows of clashing cretonne
were carefully plopped on all the
chairs. On the wavy floor. newly
coated with orange shellac, was
tan rug that was not half bad.
Rodney grinned.
do you like it," he asked, proud
ly. 81 did it all myself. This is a
real home now, isn't it. kiddie?"
Sudden tears scalded Sally AIMS
eyes. Yes, this was home-this
funny, terrible little shack that the
government had provided and that