The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-06-10
'Reveille!'
BY GRAHAM SAUNDERS
CReleased by Associated Newspapers
WNU Service.)


into the drug store and draped his
tall form against pillar, waiting
attention; but she had to admit re-
luctantly that he was the handsom-
est man she had ever seen in all
her rs years. And the daughter of
a small-town druggist is likely to
see quite few men in ten years of
clerk subbing.
With infinite patience Drusilla
helped old Mrs. Gordon select a new
face powder, some new rouge and
several other articles of makeup
suitable for a 16-year-old f1apper,
and when the 60-year-old devotee of
the modernists had departed she
came quietly up to the tall soldier
and asked him what he wanted.
Gosh, sister," he confided in a
tone that would have been fresh in
another, "all want just this minute
is to feast my eyes on you. l guess
l know, now, why 1 stayed single
so long!" Drusilla laughed merrily
and then said: "Our ice-cream
sodas are refreshing, uh, to the
A1lSlllO1 do WSll DIS OLIlGIWlSG! anu
he lounged over to the fountain.
Later he discovered that he need
ed a toothbrush, some shaving
cream, shampoo, a special face
soap and box of chocolates. The
latter was the cause of their better
acquaintance, as he selected a rath-
er inferior brand in a very plain
wrapper and after a swift glance
she said: These are very fine.
buy them myself, and the box is
sure to please even the most fas-
tidious girl! You know" she add
ed naively, $50 many of us like to
keep the ribbons as reminders!"
"Uh-thanks for the tip. I'm a
! stick in the mud. Have you a
large collection of ribbons?"
''Not too many; none that has any
especial sentimental attraction, if
that's what you mean," she retort-
ed.
Later-it must have been six in
the evening-she looked up as the
last customer of a rush crowd
cleared from the store, and Drusilla
was startled to note the large
uninterrupted box on the soda
fountain table. With strange thrill
she picked it up and saw lettered
neatly in one corner her name, and
the strange premonition that it was
from the tall soldier proved correct,
and she paused an instant to ponder
how he could have discovered her
name.
Opening the package, Drusilla
knew strange thrill as she read
the scrawled note within. If she
could overcome her scruples
against common soldier on a COM
mon private's pay, would she meet
him outside the shop at closing time
and go canoeing with him? If she
would! And Drusilla's eyes shone
and her face glowed all the evening
until her father finished putting up
prescriptions and came out to re-
lieve her. She walked on air as she
ran to powder her nose and she
laughed shakily as she removed the
ribbon from the chocolate box and
pinned it with the tiny crescent
diamond pin to the front of her
dress at the collar. And tucking the
box of chocolates under her arm,
she went out to the street.
He stood in the shadows, close to
her fathers shop, and his curly
black head was bare as he came
eagerly forward to greet her. Ar
dent admiration shone in his blue
eyes as he took her box and touched
her elbow lightly, piloted her across
town by the big, dimly Lit library
and down to the river where the
lighthouses and canoes were.
Later, as they drifted along under
the sweeping willow branches, he
hummed, and then at her urging
sang in fine baritone the exquisite
words and music to Girl of My
Dreams" and then fell strangely
silent, why so silent?" she leased.
and he answered honestly, afraid
your boss wouldn't let you off, Miss
Dexter!" and she knew a guilty,
glad thrill; he didn't know she was
the only daughter and heiress to
the Dexter drug stores-didn't guess
she would one day inherit the for
tune made by the famous "Bix-
ell'' drugs! And then they talked
and talked and talked.
''Do you truly have to wait for
some one to die for promotion,
Terry" for they had become Terry
and Drusilla in four hours of magic
moonlight and canoeing!
'Uh, regular soldiers have to wait
in line, advancement-but I'll never
hate reveille any more!" he ended
eloquently as he beached the craft
skillfully.
"Why?" she asked softly as he
helped her ashore.
Because I've heard it for the
last time, the real reveille, the
awakening to life and love and am
bitionl From now on I'm a civic,
hustling for regular promotionr'
"You mean you'll quit the army
and go into business?" she asked.
"Yup," he answered joyously,
"got to hustle now if I'm going to
win the one pirlt'