Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-01-10
Army Home
~
ID. HAZEL RnEM
c. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNU Service


MOST army end with
VI 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
car to Rodney's post in the South,
they stopped at the best hotel In
Baltimore and had jellied consom-
me, broiled blne-ish 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-
ton 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. Ii was n of a group
of implanted wooden shacks that
resembled squatters' huts n finds
on ash heaps outside large cities.
From their patched, tarred roofs
tin chimneys emitted pillows of
soft coal smoke.
The captain got out, pried open
a rusty, sagging screen door and
waved the bride and groom inside,
then left them with q 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'1l w do?"
Il 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. II he hadn't sug-
gested 1t, she probably would have.
But she stayed. She would let Rod
ney see little Rodney, then leave
forever.
Winter descended upon them, a
chill. rainy winter that spread a
vasf duck pond about their little
low shack. Sally Ann shut off one
room of the house and tried to keep
1t warm with the p0t-bellled stove
which, with its sister, the kitchen
range, comprised the heating sys-
tenn 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 wenf
, back to his little lonely shack.
Lying In the pleasant, yellow
I walled hospital, Sally Ann was
q more determined than ever to leavs
s Rodney and his dreadful little hut
0 She simply couldn't let her BABY
grow up there, to play on those
damp floors and perhaps get holt
r of the deadly white insect powdei
they were always compelled t.
have about.
AT her fathers home there woult
| be a sunny nursery with warm
| rugged floors and steam heat
sizzling against the frosty windows
When they at last took Sally Ami
back TO the shack, she resolves
that the next time she went out o
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 Gov
cred with yellow wall paper. Var
GUS pillows of clashing cretonn
were carefully plopped on all tn
chairs. On the wavy floor, newt
coated with orange sheIlac, was
tan rug that was not half bad.
Rodney grinned.
do you like til" he asked, proud
ly. ~ did II all myself. This Is
real home now, isn't 1t. kiddie?"
Sudden tears scalded Sally Ann
eyes. Yes, this was home-thl
funny. terrible little shack that tn
government had provided and tha