Part 10 (2/2)

”W'y--w'y--n.o.body,” said Alf.

”They don't want to fight the _Germans_,” said Mr. Crow triumphantly.

”That ought to settle the matter, Alf. What better proof do you want than that? That shows the Germans are back of the whole infernal plot.

They are corruptin' our young men. Eggin' 'em into gittin' married so's--”

”Well,” said Alf, ”there's only one way to put a stop to that. You got to appeal to the women and girls of this here town. You simply got to talk to 'em like a Dutch uncle, Anderson. These boys of our'n have just got to remain single fer the duration of the war.”

”That puts an idee in my head,” said Anderson. ”S'posin' I put up an official notice from Was.h.i.+n'ton that all marriages contracted before the draft are fer the duration of the war only. How's that?”

”Thunderation! No! That's just what the boys would like better'n anything.”

”But it ain't what the _girls_ would like, it is?”

Mr. Reesling was silent for a long time, letting the idea crystallize, so to speak.

”Supposin' they hear about it in Was.h.i.+n'ton,” said he doubtfully, but still dazzled by the thought.

”President Wilson don't know this town's on the map,” said Anderson, a most surprising admission for him. ”An' even if he does hear about it, he'll back me up, you c'n bet your boots on that--even if I am a Republican. Come on, Alf; let's step around to the _Banner_ printin'

office.”

Shortly before noon a hastily printed poster, still damp and smelling of ink, appeared on the bulletin-board in front of the town hall. A few minutes later a similar decoration marred the facade of the Fairbanks scales in front of Higgins's Feed Store, and still another loomed up on the telephone pole in front of the post office.

With the help of the editor, who was above all things an enterprising citizen and a patriot, the ”official notice” was drafted, doctored and approved in the dingy composing-room of the _Tinkletown Banner_. The lone compositor, with a bucket of paste, sallied forth and, under the critical eye of the town marshal, ”stuck up” the poster in places where no one could help seeing it.

The notice read:

OFFICIAL!!!

War Proclamation No. 7!!!

The Undersigned by Virtue of the Authority vested in him by his fellowmen hereby gives DUE NOTICE to the citizens of Tinkletown that the President of These United States and Congress in solemn conclave have uttered the following decree, to become effective immediately upon publication thereof:

All marriages entered into by Male Citizens of the United States of America between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-one on and after this date, the 21st of May, 1917, shall be in force for the duration of the War only. This measure is taken at this time for the purpose of making things as easy as possible for our young heroes, who, in the grave hour of battle, must not be worried with thoughts of the future.

Men so marrying shall have precedence over all others in the SELECTIVE DRAFT for the National Army Immediately to be Called.

Such men shall be the first called to the Colours.

TEMPORARY WIDOWS of any and all such Soldiers shall not be ent.i.tled to PENSIONS in the Event of the Death of said Provisional Husbands, and shall revert upon notice thereof, to the State of Single-blessedness from which they were LURED!!!

By order of ANDERSON CROW, Marshal.

As the first of these desolating posters was put in place, the Rev. Mr.

Maltby, pastor of the Congregational Church, happened to be pa.s.sing the town hall. He halted and, in astonishment, read the notice.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The Rev. Mr. Maltby, pastor of the Congregational Church, happened to be pa.s.sing the town hall_]

”My dear man,” said he to Mr. Crow, ”this cannot be true.”

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