“Not even his name. You see, I’ll tell you how it was,” she continued, drawing her chair a little closer to them. “All the people around here used to have soldiers from camp to dinner on Sundays.”
“I know, they did that in Bridgeboro where we live,” said Warde. “We had a couple of them one Sunday.”
“We just sent word to the Y.M.C.A. that we would be glad to have two soldiers come. I sent my card because I thought that would be nicer. We did that several times, mother and I. And we never knew the names of the soldiers till they got here. The camp officials wouldn’t let us invite them by name. It was lots of fun to see what kind of boys came. Some of them belonged ’way, ’way out west. Once when we were expecting two, only one came. He said the other was going to hike here. But the other one never came. We waited and waited and waited, and then we had dinner.”
The boys’ hopes fell at this recital. The girl, too, seemed to take her inability to help them very much to heart. The boys all recalled now that patriotic custom of the wartime of inviting soldiers from the camp to enjoy a little interval of home life at week ends. The rule which prevented hospitable citizens from making choice of their guests gave the kindly custom the pleasant character of a game of chance. One never knew what one would draw out of the camp grab-bag.
“I–I never thought about that,” Roy said plainly disappointed.
“Do you remember the name of the soldier that did come?” Warde asked.
“No I don’t,” she confessed, regretfully. “You see we had two each Sunday for a while. I think it’s just too bad you can’t send the letter.”
“Maybe it doesn’t make so much difference,” said Warde. “He’s home by this time, or perhaps he never went over.”
But this did not impress her and she could only say, “Oh I think it’s just too bad. It’s such a lovely letter. I’d just like to see that home. I just feel as if I can see it–the broken window and all. And to think of all the trouble you have gone to. Oh I wish I could help you.”
“It’s all right,” Roy said; “you should worry.”