The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-29
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Continued From Page One
and she quickly laid her hand over
his mouth. Don't say it," she
begged. Don't think it,"
Il will!' he replied stubbornly.
Its got TO be said. We've evaded
1t long enough. If fail to come
back, you're ready to go on gamely.
That will be your duty. just as it's
mine to go out and die, if necessary,
to get this bloody war ended"
She replied in a muffled voice
from his arms. Your part is
easier than mine, George. I'd rather
go and fight than wait here. I'd
rather die in battle than be left
without my very heart"
4 know" he said SOOthingly. Il
know" To himself he was thinking:
War is hellish. Just three years ago
we found each other. 1t was in the
fall. like this I loved the way she
walked along picking up red leaves,
sticking them in her hat, in her
dress. / loved the way she laughed
and the way she sang, a little off
key, like happy child. I loved the
way she closed her eyes when she
kissed me. I still love these things
in her. I'd like to go on loving
them forever. Instead, I'm going off
to dizzy war that somebody else
started, and maybe have my CUTS
torn out with a cold steel bayonet-"
George" Eleanor said, you're
shivering. Are you cold?"
No he replied. YOU imagin-
ing things. What 1 started out to
say dear, is this. If l shouldn't come
back, you'll have Ruth 20 take care
of. It's not as if we had parents
and brothers and sisters to help
you. There's nobody you'll have
any real claim on. But there1l be
my insurance. My war risk insur-
ance, and $4,000 more, of the reg
ular kind. Ill show you the papers
tonight
Iheres no use in your urging me
to live on" she said, IF you don't
come back to me. 1 wouldn't. Il
couldn't. I would go to you. wher-
WI yOO LlAS11b OC. OOIOGOIle else /
would care for Ruth"
LIE loved her the more, even for
L l. this weakness, this incon-
sistency.
All within five minutes" he
pointed out, you've refused to leave
your baby for a picnic because she
has Group, and you've refused to live
for her if I die That's logic for
you"
They laughed together, rather
Shakily, and she pushed him down
into his favorite chair and filled his
pipe for him. He said, Isn't that
new dress you're wearing?"
She answered, of course. If YOU
hadn't noticed it, 1 was going to
put poison in your tea. I'm making
over the yellow flannel into a coat
for Ruth. It's going to have cum
ming beaver collar and cuffs, made
out of my neckpiece."
More inconsistencies" be re-
marked, raising one eyebrow.
"What'n you do for a neck-piece?"
Eleanor answered, I'll wrap up
in a muller, I suppose. And I've
done something else reckless, dear.
I've bought six bronze chrysan-
themumS for the supper table. be-
cause we both love them so. And
wait! That's not the worst. I've
made two kinds of cake for tonight.
The government may get me for
that, but this is celebration. I'll
go make the coffee now, and you
can read the paper"
But he did not read the paper.
He went into the bedroom and
looked at his child in her crib. He
marveled at the smallness of the
two hands that lay outside the COW
ers, and at the softness of the
round, flushed cheeks. The dark
eyes. closed in sleep, were like her
mothers. But he knew that the
wide, engaging mouth and the
squareness of the little chin were
his own contribution Funny lit
tie mixture" he unused, looking
down at her
And then, strangely, he said
something that the other young ia
Their had said to his child Il want
her to have whatever it takes to
make her happy. Whatever it
takeS!"
Though they never encountered
each other again, Brian Chalmers
and George Woodson had two
things in common; a rendezvous
with death on a distant Flanders
field, and the wish they had made
for their children.
1t was the fault of fate that these
two children, in the distant year
marked 1885. should find them
selves in the same place. wanting
the same thing. Which of
you wished harder, oh gallant young
fathers?
CHAPTER TWO
ID UTH WOODSON stopped to
IN pick up a red maple leaf from
the ground and realized that fall
had come.
Fall and no job yeti" Well, what
could she expect when she'd not had
a business course, or any special
training? Shed heard countless
stories of girls like herself walking
their shoes thin, and not getting
anywhere.