circumstances. I am sending you a book which I got from a Dear Young
Lady, in the Hospital. I really do not know what to call her because
I do not know her name, but I know she deserve a nice, nice name for
all good She dose to all soldiers. I think she deserve more
especially from me than to call her a Sweet Dear Lady, because that
I have the discouragement, and she make me to laugh and take heart.
I would ask your kind favor to please pass the book back to the
Young Lady, and pleas pass my thankful word to her, and if you might
be able to send me her name before that I go to France, which I
learn is very soon. Excuse all errors if you pleas will. This is
goodby from

Your soldier friend,
A. BOWINSKI.

Miss Mink read the letter through, then she sat down limply in a kitchen
chair and stared at the stove. Twice she half rose to get the pen and
ink on the shelf above the coal box, but each time she changed her mind,
folded her arms indignantly, and went back to her stern contemplation of
the stove. Presently a tear rolled down her cheek, then another, and
another until she dropped her tired old face in her tired old hands, and
gave a long silent sob that shook her slight body from head to foot.
Then she rose resolutely and sweeping the back of her hand across her
eyes, took down her writing materials. On one side of a post card she
wrote the address of Alexis Bowinski, and on the other she penned in
her cramped neat writing, one line:

"Her name is Lois Chalmers. Hotel LeRoy."

This done she unpacked her basket, put her half dozen carnations in a