Verhovayak Lapja, 1944 (27. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1944 / Verhovay Journal
Page 8 _________ Verhovay Journal ■piiiiMiaiiiiilifliinaiwiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiw A GOLD STAR iá IN HER WINDOW By EMMA JENE EVANS (Age 14) April 27, 1944 Church-bells sang on this cheerful Sunday morning calling the inhabitants of Craigwood to the house of prayer. One could see the men, women, and children hurriedly ascending Scarlet Street toward the old brick church. The clear tones of the old bell echoed through the town, and through Scarlet Street into the home of an elderly widow, one Sarah Spence. To the people of Craigwood she was known as “the mysterious Sarah Spence of Scarlet Street,” and a mysterious woman she was indeed. She never attended church, she spoke to no one. People whispered to one another about her, children exchanged weird tales they had picked up from their elders. Few people in Craigwood knew the (truth about Sarah Spence. It seems that years ago, when Sarah came to Craigwood to live With her Aunt, she met a handsome, well-to-do young man. A few weeks later they eloped and he took her to New York. There they lived happily for several years, and she had a son from him, whom they called Carl. Then, one day, tragedy struck: the young husband of Sarah Spence was killed in a plane crash. Sarah was lost; she could not imagine life without him. Soon she packed her belongings and returned to Craig- Wood, bought the old house on Scarlet Street and there, developed into a bitter, old woman. When Carl had grown up, he left Craigwood, no one knew where to and no one dared to ask her about him. • The sun in the sky grew brighter, the town’s people had returned from church and old Mrs. Spence sat in her old rocking chair and gazed silently out into the street. At her feet lay “Satan,” a cool, black dog, that belonged to her son, Carl, before he left. All afternoon the two of them. Sarah Spence and “Satan” sat on the large porch. Towards evening a small girl with golden ringlets Blammed the huge iron gate shut and skipped merrily up the walk. Reaching the side of the old woman, she said in a low tone: “Good evening, Mrs. Spence.” “What do you want?” — Mrs. Spence scornfully asked. “I have come over to talk to you, Mrs. Spence—she answered —I watched you sit here on the porch alone all afternoon and thought you might be lonesome.1 “Who are you?”—Mrs. Spence inquired. The girl replied: “My name is Barbara Benson. My father owns the grocery store on the corner. Mrs, Spence studied small Barbara for several silent moments and then asked: “Joy Benson’s your mother, isn’t she? I remember her well, she used to be a close friend of mine, when I was young.” soften and than asked: “Don’t you have any children, Mrs. Spence?’ Old Sarah Spence did not answer. Silently she stared into space. The sun sank behind the hilltops, the air grew cooler, when Barbara bade good-bye to Mrs. Spence, saying she would come back again, that is, if Mrs. Spence didn’t mind ... From day to day the children of Craigwood passed the house of the “mysterious Sarah Spence” as they traveled to and from school and, through the corners of thetr eyes they looked up to the old house, curious if there had been any change in it. But day after day it appeared the same and the same curtains covered the large, empty windows that faced Scarlet Street. But this was a different sort of day, for the patriotic schoolchildren of Craigwood were sell ing War Bonds and Stamps. Everyone had cooperated with the children purchasing as many bonds as possible. Then the children came to the house in which Sarah Spence lived. They paused there and looked at one another. “Well, who’s going up?”—someone called. At last one of the town’s “tough guys” spoke up and said: "Come on, fellows, you can only die once!” At that they all laughed, but still no one stirred. Finally they walked up together and a brave little boy rang the bell. They waited in utter silence, until at last tho door opened and they faced Mrs. Spence with “Satan” at her heels, “Well—she snapped—what are you doing here, and what do you want?” At first no one answered, then someone spoke up saying: “Mrs. Spence, w-w-we are selling war b-b-bonds and stamps, would you like to buy some?” Certainly not—she scornfully answered—what would I want with bond and stamps? Go away and leave me alone!” Downhearted, but glad to leave her, the children resumed to street back to school. The news soon got around. Everyone whispered: “Old Sarah Spence, the only person in Craigwood, who hasn’t bought a bond or stamps!” Many mean and unpleasant things were said about “the mysterious Sarah Spence of Scarlet Street.” * Weeks passed and Mrs. Spence was „still the only unpatriotic citizen of Craigwood, while the time was nearing when the award would be made to the “Most Patriotic Citizen Of Craigwood.” Barbara Benson paid occasional Visits to the old house, and, though never very welcome, she still was never turned away. There was something about the little girl that Sarah liked. May be, Barbara watched Sarah’s face because she was the daughter of an old friend, or, perhaps because she was so small und unafraid. Barbara talked to Sarah about activities at school or Sunday School lessons. She was quite fond of Mrs. Spence and Sarah too, though never daring to admit it, had come to like the small girl, Barbara and Satan also get along well together and they would often spend hours after school playing with each other, while Mrs. Spence watched them from her rocking chair. It was the 18th of July, and only two more days to go. Who was to be voted the "Most Patriotic Citizen Of Craigwood?” Mrs. Carson thought she was pretty near the title after all, had she not purchased two million dollars worth of bonds and had not her darling little son gone out and actually collected scrap and paper, and was he not an honor-member of the Boy-Scouts? And then came Sunday, July 20th, but a fateful day for one, Sarah Spence. • The church-bells rang again as ' the inhabitants ascended Scarlet Street and passed the old house of Sarah Spence. Wandering eyes j inquiringly glanced towards the j large old house, the same from day to day, yet, today there was a change! A little change, but it meant the world to Mrs. Sarah Spence. There were the same curtains on the large window facing the street, but . . . there was a gold service star...! Soon it was all over town about Sarah Spence “A gold service star in her window!”—the people ex claimed in amazement. Little Barbara had also seen the gold star, so had her mother, Joy Benson, former schoolmate of Sarah. The bells ceased ringing. The people assembled in the church and just as the doors were about to be closed, there came Joy Benson, her daughter and—Mrs. Sarah Spence too. She walked slowly to the pew, kneeled and silently prayed for her son, who had been killed in action. She wasn’t unpatriotic after all, for she had given her only son! After a quick meeting with the judges, Mrs. Carson walked slowly towards the platform of the church gym. A sudden hush came over the group as she ascended the platform and announced: “I am together with the citizens of Craigwood, very proud to bestow upon you, Mrs. Sarah Spence, the honor of being The Most Patriotic Citizen of Craigwood.” Tears in her eyes, yet smiling, Sarah Spence accepted the beautiful and artistically made service flag which bore a real, shining gold-star, and under it the inscription: “I gave my son,” From that day on, she was no longer known as “the mysterious Sarah Spence of Scarlet Street,” but as “Sarah Spence, First Citizen of Craigwood to give her son!’ The army has a new rifle which fires so rapidly, they say, that it shoots eight times before you realize that you didn’t know it was loaded. QUALIFIED So you’re setting your boy up in the bakery business? Yes, he’s so keen for dough and such a swell loafer that I’m sure he’ll rise in the business. FLATTERING “Daddy said there wasn’t a woman in the world like you, Aunt Madge.” “That was very flattering of him.” “And he said it was a good thing, too.” SUIT YOURSELF SARGE Quartermaster Sergeant to Rookie: “Well, speak up there—how do THEY’LL NEED THEM Little boy: “Half a pound of potatoes with eyes, please.” Grocer: “Why with eyes ” Little boy: “Mother say’s they’ll have to see us through the rest of the week.”-----------v----------VOICE ON TELEPHONE Voice on the Phone: “Zambowie! Zambowie! Z! Z! Z! No, not ‘C’ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ RSTUVWXYZ!!!! SIGHT UNSEEN POLICE OFFICER (to a blind man reading newspaper) :“Whatsa idea? You’ve been begging because you were blind, and now I see you reading a paper?!” BLIND MAN: “Aw, I’m just looking at the pictures.”-----------v-----------CHEESY REASONING WIFE: “I didnt’ run after you!” HUBBY: Listen! A trap doesn’t you want your uniform—too big ; run after a mopse; still, it catches or too small?! ! it!” Over the Waves to Victory Battles in Europe are being won on the sea lanes. Men and materials convoyed to the fighting fronts in ever-increasing quantities are tipping the scales in our favor. To meet military demands,' American shipyards deliver five new merchant vessels each day.| Improved defenses against the submarine menace have reduced cargo-ship sinkings. Our average soldier overseas requires his weight in oil every three days, to get him to the front, to protect him overhead, and to keep him pushing forward on the road to Berlin.
