Prairie Girls

Rylie

I am Rylie, and today was a sad day for my family. My big brother, George, joined the army without telling Mother and Father. We put him on a train to go to a camp so he can learn to be a soldier. Then he will sail on a ship to fight in some place called Europe.

I write stories about our dog, Molly, and her friend, Sammy the squirrel. George likes to read my stories so I promised to send them to him. While he is gone, I will pray and write letters to him every day. Next time, I will tell you more about my story.

A Lesson Learned

                                              By Judy

My grandfather was about the age of the fictional Rylie’s brother during WWI. However, he did not join the army. Grandpa and Grandma were already married by the time WWI started, and he probably did not consider joining the Army. He was the only child of parents who were early settlers in Kansas. He never lived anywhere except on the farm where he was born. I have a blurry memory of Grandpa and my grandmother telling me about the boys in the trenches during the first war and how they prayed for their safe return.

In 1969 Grandpa and I were flying home from Hawaii. He was over 80, and I was in my early twenties. There was a young soldier, probably not yet 20, on the plane. He was flying home to Indiana after serving a year in Viet Nam. Thanking a soldier for serving in Viet Nam was not a popular thing to do at the time, but Grandpa did that day. I learned a lot from my Grandpa.