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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 19, 1922)
8 AFTER TWO YEARS By Adriennc Thum TITE SUNDAY BEE: OMAHA, NOVEMBER 19, 1922. Crippled But Hopeful, the War Hero Goe$ Back to tlm Girli Who Were So Kind to Him; Would They Remember Him and Still Be Kind? Jim Handera does not Bound Ilk (lit nam of hro, but In th World war thtra wrr heroes who had van Icm heroic name. Jim had gone gladly to tha front. If wanted excitement, and lia had a plenty. II had aioud In tha cold rlvr all night long, up to lila aim pita, helping tha boat to land. It la well ha had seen aorna fight ing ami excitement befor thla hap pened. for afterward h had only pain and anguish In lila leg thut would not lot him alt or II or atand In any comfort. Then h wa ent home, and put In tha hospital at I,oulsvlll, Camp Zwhary Taylor. It wn reslly th nearest thing to home that Jim had ever known. It wu horn and brought up In the mountains of Kentucky. II wa an orphan befor h was six, and had lived, until h wan old enough to work, on tha charity of people al most a poor a himself, Aftor h loft I-oulsvllle h had Ron from hospital to hospltul, hut to no avail; th nerves In til leg gradually died. Jim had never been Rood looking; sandy hnlr, wispy and unkempt, small Mu eye, a wll mouth, hol low check, that might hsv been round la-lore puln hnd don II work, Them wn on thin Jim hn1 b-nrn-d whl! at ('limp Taylor that hnil glorified even imin. It wit Unit he hnd a personality. II couldn't for fret th throb and thrill and joy h felt, In spile of nil hi suffering, In knowing thut to some people he waa not tin absolute nonentity. The doc tor hnd found they rould not help him, mid hud given hlin braces for nerves, Th steel brace were very awkward that aupportod hi limp and nerveless legs, but the dreadful piiln was gone and that wan some thing. When fortune mulled on Jim In th shape of a pension, hi great est desire wu to go tmck to where ' h hnd ilrt felt tha thrill of Im portance. II know that Curnp Tny ler wa broken up. but there were th people In the city. Thut night a he lay In hi berth In th sleeper he could hardly sloop for thinking of the folk for the lust six month of th wur, First there wax Ml Grace Hon, who had come to tench him how to moke baskets and bend thing to pass away the tedious hour when lie wn on hi back. She hal taught him how to wrlie ' a little, too. He could only writ hi name and form the letter of the alphabet. Bhe aw how much he wanted to lenrn to rend and write thnn to mak funcy thing, so h gave him a lesson each time lie enme out. "What shall I ot for a copy for you?" she hnd nuked. Anil he hnd answered with a boldne born of a petted Invalid: "Bet me the copy 'I love you.'" She hnd laughed, but Mm illd It. He chuckled ,nloud In his bcrih when be thought of how Mix firnre looked nt him. Then when he hnd got belter for tho time being, nnd could walk around on hi crutches and come to Louisville on the par, MIh Orece hnd Invited him to dinner on Sun day. Mr. Or OK had been so polite and ntwnys nuked him how his rheumutlKm wn. When he told her at one time he thought he was going went, she didn't understnnd him nnd asked "to what city?" MIhh Clrace had laughed and ex plained, "Why, mother, he meunt to Heaven; don't you know the boy call It going west? They were awfully fine people and had everything grand, but sometimes he was not just as easy about how to eat and what to say as he was with Mother Wilson. He thought of how he got to know Mother Wilson. He was on the street car. He bad laid his crutches beside him, but they obtruded Into the mule so that a pretty girl who got in stumbled over one. "I am sorry," he aald. "O, It doesn't make any differ ence," she answered, and sat down beside him. "Mother and I always tajt nn Interest In soldier, and ea 3lully If they ara wounded," Then they talked for a while and Mary tatd her brother had been killed on No Man's land during th firtt of the war. Her mother hnd been all broken up, but she wu cheered by doing for the soldiers, and there was nothing thut made hor no happy a to feed them. Hhe akl him to com Wednesday night to supix'r, nnd every Wednes day nlht after that he Welti, and h Ml o fir that he took hi buddy. John MiMiku, with 14m. It lua. I.i h in k,i'l to think of John H.iik hrvau h bud Hot oen him In ih twi yet! !n. they p-iil.d t II. l- Kt tn I.oulnlle. II iH,.,.-, Mil, I It M. It h .l wiitint .i ih ,U .-. John h. nt him, tint bsl luviu.l nn SnMrr V, l.-ti. he hvl r" ll-a , Ultrf t m xt h b-..u b tl I I.,. I t " Well, h wouldn't think of sad thing tonight, bwauss tomorrow b would w all tli other dear frlnd. Mother Wilson embroid ered for a dreamakr and Mary waa a clerk In a big department atom. They were poor, but Ihey certainly did hav a cosy little flat. 1I laughed aloud as he thought of tho happy evening when they Invited Jnne Springer and Pet Cob over to supper, and they touated marahmnllow and popped corn on tha kitchen stov later. Mother Wilson said It did seem If they could never get enough to eat, and tha more Ihey ate the happier she waa. O, yes, h had almoat for gotten Nun nle Murphy; aha sewed for tha sams dreiwmnker that Mother Wilson embroidered for. Of course, Nannie was an old nisld she was 35, but she waa good heart ed. Hhe made doughnut for them nil. He recollected how she made a man out of ths dough with on lug shorter than ths other, and gave It to him. Mother Wilson hnd cried, "For shame, Nannie, to remind Jim that be la Inme," He bad not minded a bit. Indeed, be thought It was funny, but the tears bud come Into Nannie's eyes, nnd she looked ashamed, so lis bad putted her hand and said; "Don't you mind, Nun; you nre Just gettln' back at me for tensing you about being an old mnld." His buddy, John rlpurka, bad u way with girls, looking at them from under his long eyelashes, and kidding them ubout everything they did, making them laugh and blush In a way they never did with him; but bo knew they liked him, too. If they wanted a lamp, bracelet, clock, lock, or anything mended, they always got hlrn tn do It, He wu skillful with his bunds and was so glad to do anything to pleusu them. How he looked forward to those Wednesday evening. He re memhered how Pet Cob hud said to him, 'Tou ought to get married, you nre so hundy ubout the Iiouhb." The remark had thrilled him, so ho could hardly answer. "Do you think anybody would marry a lume duck like me?" "Hure," Jane flprlnger had chipped In, "didn't you got It In doing your duty; what are we all talking pa triotism for If we wouldn't marry a soldier because he had gotten hurt In tho war?" "I can do things with my hand and make a living." And then Mother Wilson bad re marked, "and if your rheumatism don't get well, they will give you a pcnalon, and It ought not to be any t lie sum when both your legs are hurt." Hut Jim was astute enough to see thut It was nil fun when the girls spoke of marrying him, but when John Spnrks was the one In ques tion, there was nn undercurrent of seriousness no matter how the girls laughed and joked. When John hnd gone away he could soe how Pot Cob had missed him. Bhe would ask, with a flush, If he hnd henrd anything from him. He would have been mighty glad If nny of the glrlH had thought that much of him. How he had yearned for a wife and children and homo, no one knew. Of coume, he wasn't going to give himself away, and he hnd hoped so he would get well, and then he could ask well, most any of those girls if she would love him would make him glad. Of course, he knew now that he would always bo a cripple, but he had his pen sion, and with his clock mending tUHlnes he could take care of a wife. Kverybody bad seemed to like him so much, surely he had enough In him for one woman to love. He thought of the three girls, Mnry Wilson, June Springer, and Pet Cob, all so young nnd Jolly and Industri ous. Of coume, Nannie Murphy waa nn old mnld and out of the question as fnr as marrying was concerned, but she waa good to him and he would ba glad to see her. If he bad time, he would rnll on her. The others would want to se ns much of blm ns they could: he was sure of that. He bad started bis clock mending biiMlnee In Chi r.igo and hs would b:ve tn get bnrk In a few day. He laughed blm slf as h thought, "eiM-Ully If I gut married," H would biv to - th I:o-ui' i!ln. II tievi-r could be tew grate ful o Mw tirn, for loathing blm bw to write, i vni a pixuly us b did. f cuum. h nr.-r itiuld ex l , t M, Cine to I.M'k on lain a l.r iu. I. nt h t"l' I th would atwity th'tili nf him a a frirnd, Hli w it k(u fin, and (lyluah. II rer.tl.,1 in inin.l hnw Ih-v all qimtUH.rd K.in al Mittir Wiiniii Bl-Ollt I. t llillllrl Wllb th t'.i-" Ha chucklod as ba recalled Pat Cob anklngi "Now what waa th first thing you had?" "I think they anld 'croquet;. It wss soft and rniii.hy and brown," "What kind of a croquette was It lobster, chicken, veal, munh room, or what?" II shook his head, "flrreny," cried out Mary Wilson, "what did It last like?" "Well, It was soft; mayba It was chicken." "Then what?" said Mother Wil son. "Then some kind of fluffy stuff egg or whipped cream, andlt had little Mark things In It, either peas or nuts." "What did they Innte like?" asked Nannie Murphy, "I don't think peas and nut taste alike." "I couldn't tell; It all went down no slick." ' "Isn't ha th limit. I'd a lief get up a dinner for a dead man," cried I'et Cob. "I bet he know pork and bouua and pumpkin pie," put in Mother Wilson. "What did you hav next?" per sisted Msry. Jim had brightened at this and answered, "Hulad." "What kind of a salad?" "O, for tha land's snks, Mary, can't you lot Jim alone," "No, I wont to know. Jim ought to learn bow to tell something." Thus cornered Jim said weakly, "All kinds of things; vegetables and fruits." "Did It have mayonnaise or French drowsing?" asked Jane Springer. "I don't know and I don't care," Jim cried, beaten Into a corner. "Thnt la right, Jim; It ain't fair for them to get nfter you so hard. Hut Just tell us did you have any dessert?" put In Nannie Murphy. "Vcs, wo had a deesert. At firm I thought It was an ice, but It didn't taste like one. It was frozen on the outside, but Inside It was soft and mushy and had a dark sweet gravy around It. I think It was chocolate." "Wi II, I wouldn't hire you for roy cook," said Pot. "Well, he can pop the best corn In the crowd," defended Nannie. Jim thought with a smile- of good old Nannie, how she always took up for him. Yes, he certainly must find time to go see Nannie, even If the other girls did try to keep him a long as they could. Perhaps Mother Wilson would Invite them nil over to supper as ho had on the Wednesday nights when he was at the camp hospital. There was Sam I-a Oros, clerk In the drug store where he bought clgarets. Ho was an awful clever fellow; he would go to see him. He had taken him to Mother Wilson's one WednoHday, and thoy had nil liked him ever so much; but he nev er went with him any more, al though he thought that he liked Mary Wilson pretty well. He would JiiHt stop off on his way to Mother Wilson's nnd say "Howdy" to Snm. Jim went to sleep at lnHt. The first thing he knew they were about in LoulMVllle. It would have been a hustle nnd a scramble to make his toilet exeept ho hnd not undressed, for tho braces on his legs were too hnrd to adjust for him to take them off In a sleeper. He gave bis Jialr a lick and a promise, put hla few scattered, possesions in his suit case, nnd was limping down to the platform. "Hello, Sam, do you know me?" "Wrell. for the love of Mike, If It ain't Jim Sanders. What are those things doing on your legs? I thought by this time you'd be running around like a two year old." Jim's face clouded. He had for gotten for the moment all about the pesky things. "I'm as well as I will ever be, Sam. The nerves are dead and I have to wear these braces to keep my legs from doubling up: but what is all the news with th folks? Beon Mother Wilson and her crowd late ly?" "Well, the latest news with me Is I have got a youngster Just four weeks old." "No! and I didn't even know you'd married. Who is th girl?" "Mary Wlbinn, of course. Didn't yon know I waa nweet on Mary?" Jlm'a heart guv a thump of dl appointment. Not that he cared so much more for Mnr than the other girls, oply she made one Iras who might have liked him. Hut he only said: "l thought you liked Mary, but you never would go with m but once on WeilnrmUy nUt'l." "V. but I went imwt of the other nibt. A man don't want a hou full of pipl around when be tll a girl that he loves her." "Writ, I d Ilk to - her and th kt l. t , If M I nil rlKhl ta so." Hur It Is W liv. In the fUt with Mother WIImhi, Hi I a sue enoush mother to in now, and tha nine h t kind of a grata. Illtoltur id h .ihjr " H .t m HohMt'd h mt a atreet car, Just a we bit sad that thing could Chang ao In two year. Mother Wllaon greeted Mm at her door la a way that wanned hla heart, "It la Juat like old time to hav you back. Come right Into the kitchen. There la no fir In the alttlng room." Mary had gone to her mother In law's with her baby, thrr to spend th evening. "I am ao busy gottlng this em broidery don for a bride. It has to b don by tonight, and it ia not half finished. 1 wss Just going downtown In a hurry to match thl Ilk, so I will have to excuse my self now, but If you can com and take supper with us thla evening, I know Mary and Hum wil be de lighted and then you can see the baby," Jim accepted gladly. Then he saw a troubled look coma Into Mother Wilson's eye, aa ah added: "I forgot. Ham told Mnry that he would take her to a vaudeville to night, and as It will be th first time they have been out together elnc the baby came, I know they would he dlappolnted not to go." "Thnt la all right," aald Jim. "Why couldn't you askl'ntCob and Jan fiprlnger over? I'd Ilk to see the girls." "My! Didn't you know that Jane . Springer hue married and gone to Ht. I,ouls to live, and I'et Cob was offered a better place In a big store In Chicago and baa been ther more thnn a year?" Jim's henrt sank. "And Pet Cob bus been In Chicago all that time and never let me know," "Maybe she did not know your address.'! "I sent it to you on a Christmas card. Didn't you tell the girls?" Mother Wilson cleared her throut and seemed embarrassed. "Well, to tell you the truth, I did tell her, and asked If sho wasn't going to let you know she waa there." "And didn't she want to see me? I'd a done anything I could to keep her from being loneaome." "Don't you worry about her being lonesome. 1'et's got a beau In Chi ciiko I think bo Is a Jealous sort of chap, and maybe I'et thought it better not to have you hanging round.' You must not feci Pet didn't like you, because I know sho did, hut naturally she wanted to keep her beau In a good humor." "How Is Nannie Murphy." "0, Nannie Is the same good soul that sho always was." Then Mother Wilson laughed. "Hhe ain't got no beau; It ain't goodness thut catches a beau. If It was,' Nannie would 'a' been married long ago. But I'll have to go now, and you be sure to come tonight and have supper with me, and I know you will be glad to see the baby." All the gladness had gone out of the world for Jim; somehow It aeem ed as If things had gone on Just as well nnd even better without him ns with him. Of course, Mother Wilson liked him, but somehow her mind wasn't on blm ns It had beon during tho war. Why, she had not even asked him about his rheuma tism, she seemed so Intent on the embroidery for that bride. It was a painful progress with his crutch and cane nnd braces to tho home of the Rosses. It was a new maid that opened the door; she did not ask him Into the cozy library with a welcoming smile ns the oth er mnld had done. Instead, sho asked him to have a chair In the hall, and gave him a rather suspi cious look. Could it be that on ac; count of his lameness she took blm for a beggar? He had on nice clothes; he had taken great pains to get tho nicest he could in honor of his return to vlnlt his dearest friends. They looked wrinkled from his night on the train and from bending over his crutch. Then he hesrd the maid asking, "What name shall I say?" "Jim Bandera. . They know me very well indeed they will be glad to see me," he added, aa he marked her disdainful expression. A few momenta lator he heard tho Itosnea talking on the upper land ing. They evidently thought he hnd been Invited Into the library out of hearing. "Mother, It la Jim Bandera down stairs." "Well, I have got to do that hopping thl morning. I will Juat siieuk to blm and excuit myself. Ion't you forget yog ar going out to luncheon, firace, IVw't let h'm mskn you late." "No, mother, but I must Invite hlin to d.nner thl evening. It would ein too cool Id let him go wllhmit Inviting him al all." "Wrll. Just a you like, but lb llemlPK are coming, and I don't think II will be as lwnl with Mm. Of cours. thnuch, If en n't ! out of It, Invite him. b esu I wouldn't hurt hi feline for th wrM .Urn dl-l .l nl them l know IMl k hJ liM tbetr Hni. lion, so h slipped aa nolehwly a be could Into th library, wlier ha felt aur they expected to n-id him. The two Indie cam In ami gree ed blm with groat cordiality nor would Jim have felt any lack of the old tint frlendMhlp if da IMI not overheard th conversation on the atalra. Mr. Hon was exaggeratedly sorry about hi legs being parol. yed, listened with ubnorheil Inter Ast to som of the dtall of th treatment that he had undergone; then when h psuxed she cxcud haraolf, saying she had a most lm portant engagement, (J rue waa not ns effusiv a her mother, but Jim felt ther wn more ynithy for blm behind her sllenco. There was a rather awkward pnus after Mrs. floss loft, then Orace remark ed: "It Is a great thing to have the war over. W ran nil get back to our normal life." ''Hill, Miss Orace, I had the time of my IK while I wu In tho honpl tal here, I never can be grateful enough for all you did for rne. I know It wss Just because the war was going on nnd you all wanted to be good to us sick soldiers, but then I thought it was nil me." Grace flushed. "I don't know what you mean." "Well, I can't say things very well, I know, but I thought It wsa mn thnt the folks were so good to and not Just a sick soldier." "Well, It wns you, of coume. We would never have met you If you had not been a soldier In the hnspl tal." "ICvery one I so busy It, seems as if they don't have the time they used to have two year ago. Mother Wilson is such a busy woman, It seems as If she don't have the fun In hor she had then." "O, sh Is the one who took you to lha Meihodlst church, nnd you liked going so much sho wanted you to Join snd told her you couldn't because you were waiting to Join the church your wife belonged to," laughed Clrace. "That's Ih one, but I think now I'd tnke most anything for . my chance of getting married." "You sre only 81. I wouldn't give up yet." "It, nln't my sge, It Is this," nnd he touched the hruce on his leg. After a few moments' sllenco Jim nuked Oiaca If die knew nuy thing of the two boys who had bad ciits beside him nt the hospi tal. "O, yes," she answered, relieved to change the subject. "The little Virginian went home noon nfter you left LoulHVllIe, und be sent me nn invitation to his wedding. And tho other one, Litton, I think his nnnm was, I mot on the street the other day, and he asked after you. 1 would not have known him. ho looked so well and robust, If ho hnd not stopped me. I was glu 1 to see him, too," and thnn l,e added, "I shnll always take an Interest in the boys thnt were out lit camp." After a little more talk, Jim re. mombored about Oraco having nn engagement to luncheon, so be awk wardly rose to go. "Oh, don't go yet," said firace un easily. "I have an engagement to luncheon, hut," looking at her wrlct watch, "I don't have to go for half an hour yet." Jim muttered something about some other folks expecting him. "Won't you como to dinner toinor row night?" begged Orace earnetly. "No, I'm going back tomorrow night." "This is too short a stay. Well, can't you come to dinner tonight. I know mother would be delighted. She did not know your stay would be so hurried. Why don't you let your friends get more than this lit tle gllmpne of you?" "I told Mother Wilson I'd come there to supper tonight." ' "That Is too bad for us not to be able to see any more of you than this." Jim fancied he saw relief In Orace's eyes If not In her tone, lie flt Inntlnctlvely that bud It been in her power she would have gladly gone back to the old feeling of In eret sh had hud for him. only the Interest was not there and, try ns she would, she could not get it Imek. "Well, Rood bye, nnd good luck to you." she said. tr etching nut her hand. "It sure' und come bach soon again, nnd then you mils" st.y loiiRer. It hardly ecni worth while to come so f.ir for only oti night." "It Is so hard to -t around In thete thlliKS." -oliit!ng til lilt tireec. "that I 'but think I will tuvel any morn; wh.'H I g'l buk to I'h.cugu I rn k.iii I H ty tio-i-," 8 Jim went to a rf'-tri t lunch, SI,. I thought bUleily aa hn t hi rul bf and ni-tsiied p..ii. loe how bill b hnd lprle.. with tl In ft u-nd. ! b fxroril i lunch iiloii. Tb-u b ih mM f N iniil Mini tiv In th d.lr lu h " ' it ! law j r tiMi