Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1917 — The Draft Dodger [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Draft Dodger

By F. L. Henderson

(Copyright. 1917, by W. G. Chapman.) “You say he is a draft dodger?” “That’s what I passed one night in his company and ought to know.” And the casual acquaintance of Gerald Hoyne went on his way, unknowing that/al though he had said and meant “draught," his auditor had construed it “draft.” The air was full of war and its exciting alarms, so Gerald might be ex- _ cased ~for a natural mist a ke. That misconception was destined to lead to serious results, however. The subject of discussion was Vance Dalton, unaware that he was under criticism, passing along on the other side of the street. He had just returned to Preston after an absence of two months. Gerald had never known him any further than that prior to his departure he had been a favored suitor of his pretty cousin, Mina Hoyne. Now she was away, Infected with the current patriotic fervor, visiting a relative in the city and incidentally “doing her bit" by fotwardlng the Red Cross movement. “I don’t like that!” muttered Gerald vehemently, and his brow furrowed with resentment and displeasure. “It sounds bad—a draft dodger I Well, if Vance Dalton is that, he will receive a cold reception in this wide-awake burg. He was always a reticent, mysterious sort of a fellow, friendly enough, but more given to reading home nights than mixing with the fellows. I’ll tackle him.” So Gerald was speedily on the trail of Dalton and overtook and hailed him. Dalton was courteous as ever, but did

not "slop over.” He made an Inquiry regarding Miss Hoyne as if it was a matter of course. “I’ll test him,” decided Gerald to himself, and then, aloud: “I say, dalton, we’ve started something here since you went away.” “Indeed?” smiled Dalton. “Yes, the crowd went wild over volunteering, and the registering will find every eligible fellow in town willing and ready.” “That’s great!” commented Dalton, with apparent real enthusiasm. “How do you stand?” demanded Gerald bluntly. “You mean?” “On this war question? You’ve come hack just-in-time to join the crowd.’*“TH have to think of it,” responded Dalton in a measured way that forbade further words.

“He’s yellow, 1 " soliloquized Gerald. “He won’t give a straight answer. I’ll tell the fellows and they’ll make the town too hot to hold him.” But Gerald did nothing of the sort. He had no positive assurance that Dalton was intent on evading his duty to his country. “If Dalton is tr real man,” he theorized, “he will come to the front, or at least declare himself before registration day.” But a few days later Gerald was urged into a new’ fit of indignation. He chanced to meet a friend who was a traveling salesman.-As on the former occasion, by some odd trick Vanee Dalton passed them by. “Hello!” exclaimed Gerald’s friend. “I’ve seen that fellow before.” "Is that so?” queried Gerald. “Yes, three weeks ago, coming out of a church in the city. He bad just been married.” “The slacker!” fairly shouted Geraid. “Now I’ve got the dear goods on the miscreant. I’ll write to Nina in a jiffy, and then we’ll proceed to put this slacker in his place.” : - Gerald did write to Nina to advise her of the facts, wondering if she had ever really cared for this false suitor. He was astounded to receive a cool, rather indefinite reply. / “Don’t get excited, Gerald, dear. I'm coming home tomorrow and we will have Mr. Dalton explain. Maybe he can clear up the situation.'’ Gerald was wrathful. There were an eVen dozen in his set and they met the next day at a hall where they .were wont to go through drilling exer-

rises. Gerald summoned them to strict attention. “Fellows,” he announced, “we’ve got a draft dodger among us." ii Ahd who may thafr-heV questioned his close chum, Dick Hardy. “Vance Dalton." “Sure of it, are you?” “I should think so. While he has been away on some mysterious errand he has got married —of course to claim exemption. He’s a slacker, that’s what he is, and we want to make him know what \ve think of it” ■Gerald’s auditors looked impressed and serious. “Besides that” resumed Gerald hotly, “the nerve of the fellow, coming back to the town where he professed such Interest In my pretty cousin, Nina!” “It looks bad,” muttered Hardy. “I propose that we hunt him up this evening and give him a piece of our mind,” suggested Gerald.. “That’s the idea!” piped in a chorus unanimous. “He’d ought to be run out of town.”

So a committee of six was appointed, with Gerald its chairman. It was just about dusk when the determined sextette met, each one wearing the .badge that told they had joined the service and were awaiting orders from the city. They visited the house where Dalton was boarding, to learn that Dalton had left there an hour previous. Then they went downtown, but failed to come across the object of their quest. They were passing the Hoyne home when Gerald came to a dead stop with a wild stare. “The cheek of him 1” he boiled over. “What’s the occasion?” inquired Hardy. “Look I There he is. And Nina, too I She must have just come home. How dare she tolerate the graceless wretch ?” “I’ll go in and Intimate we wish to haye a few moments’ conversation with him,” suggested Hary. “No, you won’t!” cried Gerald furiously. “We’ll all go in and face him right before Nina. Come on.” Nine and Dalton, looking quite serene and happy, were seated on a rustic bench. Both arose at the sudden invasion.

“Why, Gerald!” began Nina, extending her hand in cousinly welcome, but Gerald almost rudely brushed her aside. “It is this fellow we came particularly to see,” he burst forth, facing Dalton with flashing ayes—“this draft dodger, this slacker!” “Hello!” interrupted Dalton, calmly. “Where did you get that stuff?” and then he smiled with amusemehtT anif Nina burst outright into a peal of merry laughter as Gerald fairly shouted out the story of his remarkable discoveries. Something in the faces of Dalton and Nina checked him as he was about to hurl at the latter his scathing arraignment as a traitor. “Cousin Gerald,” began Dalton, with apparent astounding impudence, “you utterly mistook your city friend. I recall him—a genial high liver, who, by chance, was assigned to the same room asmyself at a hotel. I had a severecold and told him so, and the obliging fellow allowed me to close the windows, contrary to his usual sanitary custom, jocosely calling me a ‘draught dodger.’ ” “D-r-a-u-g-h-t, Gerald!” warbled Nina, mischievously. ‘As to the marriage, Cousin Gerald,” continued Dalton, “Mrs. Dalton here “Mrs. —who?” bolted out Gerald. “Yes, as I’m going as a nurse, and he is a full-fledged captain, we thought it best to go together to the front, If we can,” Nina broke in, sweetly. “You see, while Mr. Dalton was aw’ay those two mouths he was at a training camp, and he expects his captain’s commission next week.” “And, to have you men in my company,!’ interrupted Vance, “would fill the cup of joy complete.”

“It Is This Fellow We Came Particularly to See."