The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-12-14
W.N.u. RELEASE


Jack said.
I'm going, too,'' Mr.. Winkle told
him.
Well" said Jack, 81 don't know
about that"
Mr.. Winkle worried about Jack S
last remark. He didn't find out
about it until Jack had once again
departed for the South Seas, and
he had exchanged letters with Amy,
and was sitting up in bed. Then he
had a conference with the Chief
Medical Officer of the hospital and
Captain from Headquarters.
''That skull of yours is fine," the
doctor told him. "Best man in the
country did it."
But it won't stand another knock
from a rifle butt" the Captain point
ed out.
1t won't get one," said Mr.. Win
kle. He spoke almost snappishly at
the Captain. He could read in his
face the message he brought. "I'll
keep out of the way. The other time
was just an accident"
Quite an accident" the doctor
said dryly. He shook his head. "And
your arm :"
Mr.. Winkle knew about his arm.
Because of the bullet that had gone
through his shoulder, he would nev-
er lift his left arm above his head
again. 1t was perfectly good below
that for ordinary use, but as far as
the Army was concerned he was re-
garded as incapacitated.
Listen" he said to the Captain,
pleading with him this time, mostly
I reach down working on motor.
! can still"
you've done your duty" the Cap
tain told him. more than your du-
ty. I'm sorry. / know how you
feel"
Mr.. Wrinkle was amazed at the
extent that mouse could be
changed into a lion. At the same
time he knew that he was not all
lion. He was both creatures. He
smiled to himself wisely. Before,
he had been taken too much for a
mouse. Now he would be taken
too much for lion. He knew that
each existed in all men. no matter
what they had done, or, for that
matter, hadn't done.
A year ago he quaiIed at the pros
pect of being drafted. If anyone
had told him then that he would be
depressed at being discharged from
the Army, and that he wanted to
go back to war again, he would
have thought him crazy.
Mr.. Wrinkle enjoyed, instead of
shying from, every moment of his
reception when he arrived in Spring
vile. He beamed at the huge crowd
waiting at the station. With salts
faction, he saw and heard the Amer
lean Legion band which had turned
out for him alone this time. He
read the banners and posters peo-
pie carried. He admired the deco
rations, one of which read unasham-
edly: "Our Hero"
There was Amy embracing him
and murmuring brokenly, "Wilbert
Wilbert :"
Look" he said. Right there be-
fore all the people he lifted his arm
to shoulder height, telling Amy,
That's as far as it will 60"
Amy stared at him, embarrassed
and stricken. The crowd hushed.
"Its good enough for holding
you," Mr.. Wrinkle told his wife, put
ting his arm around her.
The crowd roared its approval,
while Amy, blushing, whispered to
him, "Wilbert, you're changed more
than ever"
The Mayor stepped up and gave
him the keys to the city, in the form
of large wooden key painted gold
and festooned with gay ribbons.
Then came the most important
part of the ceremony, the part that
made Mr.. Winkle most apprecia.
tive and brought lump to his
throat.
His own commanding officer be-
ing some distance away, it had been
arranged for the Colonel who COM
manded the camp where Mr.. Win
kle was inducted into the Army to
present him with the Distinguished
Service Cross.
The Colonel read the citation from
a scroll. g. awarded to Wilbert
George Wrinkle distinguished
himself by extraordinary heroism
in connection with military opera
tions against an armed enemy
beyond and above his duty ;"
The Colonel pinned the medal or
his tunic, stepped back and saluted
him. Mr.. Wrinkle was so surprised
at being saluted first by an officer,
and especially one of such rank as
a Colonel, that he forgot to salute
back. Instead, he found himself
shaking hands with the Colonel
In the Mayors car, with the May
or in front and Mr.. Wrinkle and a
weepy Amy alone in the back seat,
they paraded through the town to
the blaring accompaniment of the
band and cheering people who threw
great many bits of. paper from
the buildings. Mr.. Wrinkle waved
and waved his good arm, and it was
borne in upon him that it was most
mems dream come true, notably be-
cause this time no one called out
derisively.
Finally they were deposited in
front of their house, where num-
Der of people were gathered. Among
them was Mr.. Wescott. who had evi-