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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (June 5, 1903)
.M 'i Y i k Mrs. Pell's Decoration Day "By EMILY S. WINDSOR. 0Y THE aid of the calendar hang ing on her wall, Mrs. Tell found that there were 14 weeks before Dcc ryMon day. che was not an adept at mental arith metic, so that it was quite a lengthy and laborious piece of work for hex to calculate that if she saved 12 cents each of those 14 weeks, she would have one dollar and G8 cents. She had just flnishc'd counting it up second time in order to be sure that it was correct, when her neighbor, MrB. Wilkes, from the next room below in the big tenement house, came in for their usual evening chat. She was a thin, nervous looking little woman of middle age. Neither her faded gray hair nor her dress was tidy. She was a strong contrast to Mrs. Fell, who was always neat and clean; she was much older than Mrs. Wilkes, too. Most of Mrs. Fell's days wbre spent in office cleaning, while Mrs. Wilkes' time was well filled with washing and ironing.' After they had exchanged their news of the day, Mrs. Pell said: "Would you think that n body could get a nice lot of flowers for a dollar and sixty-eight cents?" "Sure and Fd think that n lot of money to be spendin' in such a way," answered Mrs. Wilkes, with a look of surprise on her weather-beaten face. "I'd like it to be more," returned Mrs. Fell, "but not a cent more than 12 cents a week can I spare." "I'm sure I'm not knowln' what your talkin' about," said Mrs. Wilkes, the surprise in her face increasing. "I'll be tellin'you. It's for the graves on Decoration day.' I've just set my heart on coverin' 'em with flowers this year. I've been wantin to do it every A Every time she passed a Florist, she would top and look at the flowers. year, but sonicthin always happened to prevent. Hut this year, they're goin' to be there." "Oh!" ejaculated Mrs. Wilkes. "Yes," went on Mrs. Fell, "I'm feelin' cure there'll be nothin to prevent this year. And it's white roses I want. Teddy was crazy after 'em." She rocked her chair, and hid her face in her blue gingham apron. Mrs. Wilkes could not enter very deeply into her friend's feelings. She had never had any children, and her husband had been lost at sea so many years before that he was now but a dim memory; besides, he had never in life given her any reason to mourn his loss. But she kept respectfully silent until Mrs. Pell's burst of grie was over. Then she said: "White roses is nice. You ought to be gettin' a lot for so much money." Mrs. Fell shook her head. "I don't know. Flowers is dear." Mrs. Pell carefully put aside 12 cents each week from her meager earnings. Every time that the passed a florist's window on her way to work, she would stop and look at the flowers displayed, And try to decide which window con tained the most beautiful white roses. "FoiI must get the finest to be had," she would think. The prospect of buying those flowers often formed the subject of her chats with Mrs. Wilkes. To the latter $1.08 seemed an enor mous sum to spend in any such n way. "Fe sure that you get the worth of your money," sho would say. "They've got to be line ones," Mrs. Fell would answer. Spring had been long in coming that year, and it was late in May before the garden roses began to show their colors. Mrs. Pell had few opportunities of seeing any of these, the tenement Jn which she lived being in n district where there was not enough earth room for a blade of grass to grow. Mrs. Pell, like many of her neighbors, had o few pots-of geraniums on her window sills, but they v.-ere not luxuriant in growth. The olr, close and sunless, wos not conducive to floriculture. Mrs. Fell had once tried to raise a white rose, out it had died nn early death. But on Sundays, when she was not too tired, she went to church. Her -way thither led past many bcntitiful gar dens. One of them she particularly ad mit ed. It was a large, old-fashioned garden surrounding a beautiful old house. There were roses and roses. Hoses climbing over trellises, nnd clnm bcring about the broad veranda which ran along the side of the house. They were just such roses as had grown about the little country home to which she had gone as a bride, says the Chicago Advance. The sight of them took her back to the doys when she had been so happy. Then had come the dark time when her husband returned from the war with broken health. To mend their fortunes they hnd come to the city. Hut things had gotten worse. Her husband had soon died. She and Teddy had struggled alone. She hnd looked forward to the day when Teddy; would be taking care of her, for he was a good boy. But he had been laid beside his father eight years ago. How he had loved those rosesl He had often said that he would have a garden full of them when he was a man. He would be a man now if he were living. The day before Decoration day came. Mrs. Pell had gone much sooner than usual to her work, and by hurrying a great deal, had been nble to return h'omc at four instead of six, her usual hour. It was her plan to put on her best clofhcs and then go to the florist's and select nnd order her flowers. She would call for them early the next morning, nnd take them to the ceme tery. The day was to be a holiday. She had just unlocked her door, nnd entered her room, when Mrs. Wilkes came in. Her eyes were swollen from crying. "Sure, and what's the matter?" cried Mrs. Fell. "It's Sally. She's sick, and goin' to die. The woman that's been tnkin' care of her wrote to tell me. , And she, wants to see me once more." "Well, sure and you'll be ngoln'," said Mrs. Fell. Mrs. Wilkes burst into tears. "It's that I'm feelin' so bad about. It costs three dollors to go, and me with noth in' but a dollar and a half to myMinme. You see, 1 paid the rent two days ngo, And not one of the neighbors with n cent to lend me." "And it's too bod, it is," ejaculated Mrs. Pell, feelingly. "Yes, and there's a train at seven," said Mrs. Wilkes, with fresh tears. "Unless " she went on hesitatingly, "you could lend me enough!" "It's too bad, it is," exclaimed Mrs. Pell "Sure and I paid my rent Inst week, too." She looked distressed. She was always nnxiousjo help anyone in trouble. "I know but " Mrs. Wilkes hesi tated more than before. "I I thought perhaps you'd let me have that money you snved for the flowers. Poor Snllie! I'd like to see her once more. She's my own sister, sure." "Lend you that money! Oh! Mrs. Wilkes, I can't! I've had my heart set so long on coverin' the graves this Dec oration day." "I thought likely you wouldn't want to. Poor Salliet And I'll never see her ngain." Mrs. Wilkes turned away with a hopeless air, and went slowly back to her room. Mrs. Pell hastily prepnred to go to the florist's to select and order her flowers. She felt very sorry for Mrs. Wilkes, but of course she could not lend her thnt money. If she had saved iUfor any other purpose but that ! She hod tried for so ninny years to be able 'to cover those graves with roses, and now when she had the money to give it nil up. She hoped Mrs. Wilkes did not think her mean. She would have been glad to clo anything else for her. And it was a pity that she could not see her sister before she died. She was the only relative she hnd, too. If it had only not been that money! And if it were not Decoration dny! She wanted to put flowers on their graves at the time that other peo ple were remembering "their dead. Mrs. FcII'b stcpB beenmo slower and slower, and ns she came in sight of the florist's shop, sho stood still, nnd re mained in deep thought for some min utes. Then she turned suddenly nnd walked back to the tenement, nnd into Mrs. Wilkes' room. She found the lat ter sitting with her face in her hands nnd crying. Mrs. Fell put licr precious $1.68 in her hand. "There," she said, "just take it. Hurry and get ready, and I'll go to tie train with you." "Oh!" cried Mrs. Wilkes, "sure nnd I always knew you were a good woman. Poor Snllie! I'll be secin' her again." Mrs. Fell did not sleep well thnt night. It hurt her to think of those two grnves being flowerless another Decoration day. They were in such u remote part of the cemetery tb.at.they neveT shared in the general decoration of graves. She decided thnt she would not go to the cemetery at all. She could not bear to think of seeing oth ers enrrying their flowers while her hands must be empty. But in the morning she changed her mind. It seemed unkind to lenve her graves unvisited. She would go in the afternoon when the services were over and the cemetery would be compara tively deserted. It was such a lovely day. The ride in the cars would do her good. Mr. Graham, his wife and Berta and Tom drove out to the cemetery, their enrriage filled with baskets of roses. They had almost si ripped the many bushes in their garden. After their grandfather's and grand mother's nnd Aunt Edith's grnves had been piled high with odorous blossoms tlierc wns still a large basketful ol benutiful white roses left, "Let us drive around and see if there are any graves without any flowers," said Berta. "Yes," said Mrs. Graham, "I Ifke that thought." But there did not seem to be nny graves indecornted until they renched u more distant part of the cemetery. WiWiVffwT'' rttw;s ' ,vwVyVr J$m 8he found these two a mass of exqulsltt roses, There two sunken grnves, with wenthcr-worn wood markers at the head, were flowerless. "How lonely they look!" said Tom. "Ys," said Mrs. Grahom, "I think that you must empty this 'basket on them." "Let. me and Tom do it," said Berta. Soxshe and her brother jumped out ol the carringe and went over to the two graves. There were enough roses to completely cover them both. "Now they don't look so lofiely," said Berta, with a backward glance, as she drove away. And so it wns that when lnte in the afternoon Mrs. Pell came to the lonely spot where lay her husbnndi nnd son, she found the two mounds n iiiusb of exquisite roses. And they looked like the roses she had hnd in her little country home in those long pnsi days the white roses that Teddy had so loved. 4jp plosKiBQ bar ILs ante. 7m vS-lSSo3 W v wine J m lias $psrwt Sw AFTER MANY DAYS A DECORATION DAY STORY C The street wns blocked by cnrryalls filled with children, decked is white, companies of soldiers, men on horseback, the Grand Army veterans, now out n remnant of the mighty host that onco mnrched away to make history, and numerous orgnu izntions in double ranks. Jerky strains of tho "Star Spangled Banner," min gled with the sound of tho life nnd drum, floated out on tho morning air. Tho notes of "Marching Through Georgia" were caught, echoed nnd nnswercd by "Colum bia, Gem of tho Oconu," from tho adjacent streets, while the Spanish-American wrtr soldiers contributed "A Hot Time." Flags and banners streamed from all windows. For it wns the 30th of May. Hob Mandel, a young southerner, enjoying his first glimpse of life in tho northern states, threaded his why through the crowded streets, which seemed to him to benr the nir of a gain day. Ho turned into n Btreot where tail trees cast n grateful shade on tho pave ment. Then his heart bent more quickly. At tho end of tho block he saw Jocclyn-Jocelyn, sweet nnd 17,. nnd but verv recently his ilanccc. Hlssnuntcrlnir nncc, Threaded his watf ci,nnged to brisker gnlU through the crowded "Joeelyn!" Sho turned a pretty, surprised fnco to hid. "Where arc yot going, Joeelyn? 1 called at your house Just now, but found it closed." "I nm going to spend tho dny with my grandmother." "And she is the only member of your family I have not met, so T will go with you." Wo, Hob; not to-day. I his is always n and day for poor grandma.' feelingly. "Oh, your grandfather was killed in tho civil war, I presume," ho added, "V',V..,o 41.., 41. n 1)nl ITn ltnlntinn.1 41. n ...!., t ... n..,1 nnl ... I u o I II r. ivf.ni; tiuiji bti.ii, ..tut. jii) ifviuutu kj tnu uwnniiif, tint, uuu iiiinniuj in action, cither. Vou CHn "walk to (he house with me and 1 will tell you about it. Early in tho war my grandfather was taken sick in quarters. Before he was well his regiment received orders to move on and com menced their innrch nt night. Grandpa, delirious with fever, was placed in the ambulance. "He was never ngnln henrd from, nnd they sny tho sad tidings would hnve killed my grandmother, but she felt thnt she must Hvo to luivo re" moved from the muster roll tho cruel word 'deserter.' , "For years she went continual!' to the window to watch for him; tho doorbell never rang, a footstep never paused before tho door but her heart bent with expectancy. She knew that whntcver had been his fntc, he did not merit tho cruel chnrgo of desertion, for he wns n grand nnd brave man. "She worked unceasingly to get the charge re moved, nnd years after the war succeeded in doing so. Thnt lifted her sorrow slightly, but this Decoration dny is a drended one to her. She grieves so to think that sho cannot care for his grave, and she envies nil those women bearing flowers to their dead in tho cemetery." Hob was strangely silent after listening to the recital of this little tragedy. "It is very, sad nnd strange," he said, reflectively. "It recnlls n war story that my grandmother hns often told me " I "1 will hnve to henr it some other time, Hob, for this is my grandmother's house, and you must go bnck." "I nm going in with you." ho announced, in deter mined tones. I She turned a pretty, "Oh, no, I!ob!" she replied, hurriedly. "Tho fact is, "prised face to his. I hnven't told grandma of our engagement, You seu you must expect hex to be prejudiced nt first because you nre n southerner and" "She would naturally feel that, wjfy, for I presume she imagines that your grandfather was killed by confederates." "YcB,vnnd to-day, of all days, her feelings would be more keen. So you must wait. Hob, and meet her under other conditions." "No, I nm going in now!" he said, resolutely, as ho ascended tho steps. Jocelyn's grandmother met them in tho hnll. She looked like n picture grandmother with her soft white curls and gown of silver gray. "Where is your home, Mr. Mandel?" asked the old lady,' politely. Joeelyn gave him a beseeching look, but he replied unflinchingly: "Atlnnta, Georgia." Jocelyn's grandmother turned her face toward tho window, nnd Joeelyn grew rebellious. "Mrs. Hoycc," snid Hob, earnestly, "Joeelyn hnB been telling mo this morning of your sad bereavement." Hob rose nnd crossed tho room, seating himself beside her. "Whnt she told me decided mo to come in and relate to you nn in cident, of my grandmother's life during tho wnr. Sho wns the wife of a confederate ofllcer and lived on tTfo outskirts of Atlnnta. Early oiie morning a servant come into the house and told her that ho had found u sick Yankee in the stable." Mrs. Hoyco started, and an cnger look of interest brightened her wnn face. Jocelyn's eyes grew ex pectant. "Oh, Hob!" she snid, softly. "My grandmother," resumed the young man, "ac companied tho servant to the stable nnd found tho report to be correct. From the clothing and appear ed.. ,,- nnce of the , sick man she saw, lying on tho floor sho If """ x "" V knew him to be more than u common soldier. y g t "He was delirious and npepnred to bo very ill. Sho nt once hnd him cnrrieu to tne nouse nnu nurscu mm with the care nnd tenderness she would huve given to her own. He lived but a week-" Hob puuscd. her Urandmother "Oh, is tliat all' met them Ih the hall. Nm. Hoycc gave an agonized cry. "No said Hob eently. "She found in his pocket a memorandum book, on the iW leaf of wK had been written a name nnd address in pencil-" "And tlm name!" gasped Mrs. Hoycc, tremulously. "The first name was illegible; the last name was-Hoycc-tho nam of the town wns completely erased tho state was Ohio. 'Oh, it must have been my husband. If I could only be sure!" sho CnC"i think you can be," sold Hob. "My grandmother was an artist. Slier thou'ght of the absent wife, or mother, or sweetheart who would mourn him lis missing, and she sketched the soldier as he lay ill. A very accurate, carefully drawn sketch." "Have you seen it? Can you tell me how ho looked?" sho implored. "The expression," said Hob, "is Jocelyn's. I noticed tho resemblanca ns soon as 1 recnlled the sketch." "And Joeelyn is the image of her grandfather! "I will write to my grandmother to-day and tell her of you. I will ask her to write to you the full particulars ana sena you tho sketch. She sent a statement of the ease to some of the Ohio papers nt tho time, but never re ceived a clew to tho identity of the Boldier." "And where wns lie buried?" "In our grounds at first. Later, tho government removed his body, and it now lies inthe National cem etery nt Marietta, Gn." There folowed a long conversation,, in which Hob hnd to repent many times all he could recall of his grandmother's oft-repented btory. "How can I ever thank you or repay you for giving me the greatest happiness of my lio since the war?" exclaimed Jocelyn's grandmother. "I can tell you how," he said, frankly. "By giving me Joeelyn," "Willi all my heart," (-he responded. Joeelyn wns in the depths of contrition. "Will you forgive me, Hob?" she asked, wistfully. "Forgive you, Joeelyn?" he asked, wonderingly. "For what?" , 8eatlng himself be- "Never mind for whnt." she Inughcd. ,ldo ner- The young mnld and her lover in their paradise of love were not a happy us Jccelyn'k grandmother in her new-found joy. ssFr Wl 5! sssWJfJsHnLl Mi vsiln km iW 1 rf i9mmirmijQtMBiB'rfaig0)rtrt i;?n3" TTMWITT