Olive Higgins Prouty

“ Aunt Augusta explained to Reba in the hall. "Down there you'll see a flag like that hanging up in the front windows of lots of the houses. Sometimes there's more than one star, though, for each star stands for a boy who's gone to the war. I thought we ought to hang up a star in our front window for the one who has gone to war from here."
Reba's eyes suddenly filled with tears. A blue star hung up in the front windows of 89 Chestnut Street for Nathan! A blue star hung up by Aunt Augusta for the man whom Reba loved! She reached for the older woman's hand and pressed it hard. ”

“ All the fuss and feathers women-folks do make over a uniform! Even gray-haired women, like Augusta and Emma and Syringa! Had the curtains up in the best parlor ever since Reba had brought home her young husband a week ago! Been using the best china too! And such extravagant cooking! It was unpatriotic in the face of Hoover's instructions. Big juicy rump steaks for supper! There had been a whole week of it, quite enough for David, when orders had come, two days ago, for this Nathan (David found it difficult to use his son-in-law's Christian name) to report at Hoboken. ”

“ Now, swinging his overcoat over his arm first, he turned to say good-by to the members of Rebecca's family, one by one, giving them each some little special word or caress, that made their cold blood run a little warmer. ”