From the Improvement Era, 1933 –

Forever or Never

By True Banheardt Harmsen

Prologue

Louise Stone was a modern Mormon girl with a fiancé on a mission. Her uncle was the Bishop and, naturally, she went to him for advice and – got it. This installment is the prologue to a story which will appear in several installments in the Improvement Era. It was written by Captain True B. Harmsen, of Arizona, who was himself a missionary at one time. Captain Harmsen knows his missionaries and also the true-blue but independent Mormon girl, as well as the many difficulties which arise before a young man and his fiancee who have been separated for long years, the one devoting himself entirely to work for the Church, the other attempting bravely to fit into the home society until he returns.

“Uncle Jim,” Louise Stone looked hopefully at the Bishop as they walked home together one Saturday afternoon. She held his hand as she had done from earliest childhood. “We have never asked a favor of the Ward, not even since Dad died.”

“I know,” Jim Taylor, tall and portly, smiled and squeezed her hand. “Your mother is the best rustler of all my sisters. She’s always found a way out. You’re just like her under the surface, but you do take after your father on the outside.”

“You mean me showing off, being what you old fogies call modern?”

“Now, now, Louise, don’t let’s quarrel about that again. You were speaking of a favor?”

Louise drew a sharp breath, and lifted her blue eyes trustfully to her uncle’s face. She was pretty in a modern way.

“John Alder has got to come home.”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.” Bishop Taylor stopped and looked searchingly at Louise. “He has recently been appointed President of the Rotterdam District.”

“Yes, I know. But I was just talking to Mrs. Alder,” Louise explained, “and she said that they had been sending thirty dollars a month to John. Mr. Alder got a cut in wages, and fifteen dollars in all they can scrape up to send him. Can’t the Ward help with the rest of it? Or couldn’t you – you own a whole bank! I – I don’t want John to come home before – well, before his time is up. I – I wear his ring – haven’t had a date since he went away. Uncle Jim, you call me frivolous, and modern, but you know darn well I’m a true-blue Mormon, and John has become a wonderful man since going on his mission. He’s an example to other missionaries. He’s District President!”

“The Ward is helping so many during these hard times, that it is impossible to help John,” her uncle looked away from her as he spoke. “As for me helping him, that is out of the question. You are a true-blue Mormon, why don’t you dig up the money? After all, you’re practically married.”

“I would.” Louise’s lip trembled. “But I got a fifteen dollar a month cut today. I just won’t have a penny to give to anybody.”

“You just said you were a true-blue Mormon, honey; where is your faith? The Lord will provide!”

Louise looked down, and traced the line in the sidewalk with the toe of a dainty shoe. She did not look up as she murmured goodbye, and turned to leave.

Bishop Taylor looked after her, a puzzled look in his soft brown eyes. “Now, I wonder if that was the right thing to do after all?” He shook his head, and added: “I’ll have to see her mother and give her whatever amount Louise sends to John – if she sends any.”

Sunday evening after church, Bishop Taylor called Louise to one side. “What did you do about John Alder?” he asked. “Did you consult your mother? What did she advise?”

A determined gleam appeared in Louise’s blue eyes. “I didn’t say anything to Mother about it. Mrs. Alder said John could get along on twenty-five dollars a month, so I gave her a ten spot. I’m going to do so every month until he is released.”

“Where are you getting the money?”

“If I only knew!” Louise answered, and it sounded like part of a prayer. “It costs me five dollars a month for silk stockings, so I know where half of it is coming from. But I sure don’t know where the other five is coming from!”

“So that’s why you are going without stockings?” her uncle grinned. “Atta girl. The Lord will provide!”

“Yeah? Well, He won’t provide any silk stockings for the little girl, but He will stick a five spot someplace where I can find it. Good night.”

Bishop Taylor nodded his head and grinned. “Now, ain’t that sompin’?” he asked.

The fifteenth of the month, Bishop Taylor met Louise at the Blue Moon Café for lunch as she had breathlessly requested over the telephone. She was all smiles as she sat down beside him. She plopped her purse noisily down upon the little table, then jumped up, kissed the bald spot on his head, and threw her arms around him.

“Hey! Wait a minute!” he protested, unfastening her arms from around his neck.

“Can’t wait!” Louise laughed, then started crying, and buried her face in her arms on the table.

“Now, now, honey,” her uncle slipped an arm around her. “Don’t cry over that. I just didn’t want you to carry on so here where everybody can see you. You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt your feelings. No! Not for the whole world! Why, you’re my favorite niece.”

“It isn’t that,” Louise managed between sobs. “It’s this!”

She opened her purse and extracted a long green paper and handed it to her uncle.

“It’s a pay check,” he said, somewhat puzzled.

“Sure!” Louise gasped.

“It’s for thirty-seven fifty – that’s only seventy-five per month, thought you got eighty-five?”

“I did, silly,” Louise was almost fierce in her explanation. “But I got a fifteen dollar cut in salary – see!”

“But this is only a ten dollar cut,” her uncle protested.

“Again you’re a silly, Uncle Jim.” Louise laughed through her tears. “The boss said I would not get less than seventy-five, too. Don’t you realize what that is? It’s that extra five. I knew the Lord would put it somewhere so I could find it!”

In the next installment John Alder comes home, and John has acquired many ideas in Holland. How does Elder John accept Louise’s sacrifice?”

(To Be Continued)