Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-06-08

'tNO One has Decorated this GraVeS'
The End oft All.
Nannie's father had been brave
soldier. He had lived and fought,
and, on the terrible battlefield, died
for truth and right. He had nobly
given away his best gift, his life, and
Mamie was left alone in the world.
The nation is honoring her dead he
roes. As Mamie walks through
the crowded cemetery, she sees
the graves, SO long deserted and
carefully passed by, become bright
and beautiful with flowers. Bnt to
Mamie, tired and sad, apart from
the idle crowd, the flowers bring no
comforting message. She sees not
the beauty of the smiling earth, needs
not the soft whisperings of the gen
tie wind; the songs of the birds con
vey no meaning to her, and all things
are passed alike unnoticed. For
what cares she for the beautiful
earth, and for the happy birds that
sing of life and hope, when all that
was life and hope to her sleeps in
the silent grave? Why should she
love the ground upon which she
treads, when it coneeals all that she
most cared to look upon =?
So Mamie walks on with throb-
bing head and uncertain feet, un-
mindful of Nature and her teach
ings. But soon she arouses herself
and begins to think. She sees a
group of happy children place flow
ers on grave; why are they not SO
sorrowful as she 1t is because they
have kind mother; it is because
they are blessed with brothers and
sisters, while Mamie, poor Mamie,
has none. No loving mother can
care for Mamie, for her mother is
hidden from sight in the dark, mar
row house; no kind brothers and Sis
ters can comfort Mamie, for her
brothers and sisters lie under the
ground; and oh, cruel, cruel fortunel
Mamie has no thoughtful father, for
terrible battle was fought, and the
brave soldier was taken.
But weary, Mamie stops a mo-
ment. 81 am a soldiers child" she
thinks, sand shall. l do nothing to
decorate his grave ?"
"Father, father" she murmurs,
forgive poor Mamie for neglecting
your grave, but oh, Nannie's so sick
so sick and tired. Oh, if Ihad
but some flowers that l might show
my love and honor! What shall |
do ?" Then bursting into tears, "I'm
afraid / can't decorate your grave
after all, father"
"Oh, how nice!"-joy taking the
place Of grief-'I know what III do;
Pll gather some dandellons. How
pretty they look among the grassl
Just like gold! 1 heard Mary the ap-
pie woman, say yesterday, pure as
gold!' Bright and pure the dande-
lions will be on your grave, father"
And so she gathers the dandeIion,
flowers generally termed common
and insignificant, but which, coming
from the hand of their Maker, are
lovely and perfect things.
But now she has arrived at her
fathers grave. The resting place of
the soldier is in a distant and unfre-
quented part OF the cemetery. No
one has decorated this grave, and it
looks entirely forsaken. As Mamie
looks upon the deserted spot, all-the
old loneliness rushes upon her with
overwhelming force. She casts her;
self upon the grave and gives way
to her grief.
Father, fatherl' she cries, "why
wasn't taken tooP Why was poor
Mamie left all alone in the great
world ? Father, father, speak to
Mamie once more; only say Man
ME, as you used to say it, and she
will be content. But, father, you do
not answer, you cannot answer
Eood-bye. father. Nannie's going |