“It was a practical joke on your part, of course, Elfie, but you can carry it no farther. You will either take no notice of this summons, or you will get your father to take it up to the Provost Marshal’s office and explain,” said Erminie, gravely.
“Indeed I shall do neither one nor the other. I shall just obey the summons by walking up to the Provost Marshal’s office and reporting myself.”
“Oh, Elfie! Elfie! But your father will never permit you to take such an extraordinary step,” exclaimed Erminie in dismay.
“I shan’t stop to consult him. I shall promptly obey peremptory orders. I shall go up and report for duty. I have been regularly enrolled, regularly drafted, and I shall regularly report.”
“Oh, Elfie! Elfie! how shocking!”
“Why, see here. I must. I don’t come under any one of the heads of exemption. I know that much. I am not an alien, nor an invalid, nor an idiot. I am not under eighteen or over forty-five. I am neither the only son of my grandmother, nor am I the father of fourteen small motherless children, and one at the breast. In short, I cannot put in even the smallest of the numerous pleas by which the cowards cry off from serving their country. I am a native born citizen of the United States, aged twenty years, sound in mind and body, wind and limb, single, and with no one but my country depending on me for support.”
And so saying, Elfie jumped up and danced out of the room to the tune of “Rally round the flag, boys! rally once again!”
“Will she be so mad as to act upon that summons?” inquired young Ethel, in consternation.
Britomarte laughed. Erminie sighed. Neither could answer his question.
To the confusion of all her friends, Elfie did act upon that summons. When Erminie went in search of her to try to persuade her to abandon her wild project, Elfie was no where to be found.