Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-06-20
POLLY's DECORATION DAY..

anu Aunt hdte, tAlAluS tOSotuoA' les
emily Polly was attracted by what Aunt
Kate was saying: - i -. ~ -, =. *
Helen, / suppose you don't need to
be reminded that tomorrow will he
Decoration Day. Shall you 60 with
t1owers?"
"shall I goa Indeed, Kate, did you
but know how my heart clings to that
little spot of earth, you would not ask
me-"
"And shall you take Polly2"
YES, indeed. want her earliest re
membranes to be those of love and
honor for her soldier father" The sweet
face under the widows cap beamed with
tenderness as she thought of the dear one
who had given his life to his country.
now waiting for her in q heavenly home;
and she did not speak. again until a
childish voice recalled her thoughts.
Mamma, is l a-goin' to Dec'lation
Day?"
yes, darling; we are going to put
some beautiful flowers on papa's grave"
AN may Zrusha 20, too?"
Mamma smiled. Eyes, dear; if it will
please my little Polly, Zrusha many 60
too.'' - - ~
And away ran Polly to communicate
the news. y
Decoration Day dawned bright and
beautiful-the very heavens seeming to
send their blessing downupon the flower
decked graves of soldiers.
Blithe little Polly sat in the carriage,
with Jerusha in one hand and a fragrant
bunch of lilies of the valley in the other,
waiting for mamma. Soon she came,
with a basket of pure white blossoms,
and they drove off. The sun shone warm
and bright, and the air was so still that
even robins note from the branches of
the sweet-scented apple trees seemed out
of tune; and mammals face was 50 peace
full in its thoughtfulness that even Polly
kept quiet, only chatting in whispers to
Jerusha. The ride was not very long,
and soon the beautiful cemetery, with its
little hills and valleys, lay spread out be-
fore them. They drove through one of
the pretty winding paths, past MANY
fowel-c covered graves, until at last the
carriage stopped, and mamma stepped
out, Polly following, with wide-open eyes.
SIS papa down there in the ground,
mammal" asked the wondering child.
mo, darling" answered the sweet
voice, as the hands busily arranged
the pretty flowers. Papa is away up in
the blue sky, where the dear Jesus liv es
And by and by Polly and mamma will
20 up there too and live with him"
"But, mamma" and the blue eyes were
full of wonder, if papa is way up inc
sky, how can he get'e pity 'fowerse
Will he fly down out O heaven2' =
No, Polly, papa. will not get the
flowers at all, and he does not want
them. But we put them where he is
buried to show how much we loved him.
Do YOU understand, dear?"
Polly did not auswer. She Was look
ing far away at the skies and mamma did
not try to recall her attention, thinking
to herself: 'Ncver mind. If she does
not understand now, she will sometime
But Polly was not satisfied, and she
crept away, and, taking up Jerusha, she
h'rusha, + don see how papa can Diet
pit ty f'ower'sRayup N e sky. . fink
ed h. Ito come way, way down and be
ely I'D. What you fink bout it,
Z'rusha7''
Jerusha appeared not to have any
decided opinion, and, after q little more
lingering among the .eraasy9 5hillocks,
mamma, Polly and Jerusha drove slowly
home ward ,emanma thinking cffhe dear
lost one. Rolfysof the mysterious question
which puzzled her IS much how papa
was to come down out of heaven for the
flowers they had brought him.
Once at Home, mamma vent , to- lie
down. for the morning had been "a hard
one for her; and Polly and Jerusha were
left alone in the yard. But something
was on the childs mind. She could not
play and eveh her beloved dolly failed to
awaken any interest and lay neglected %
Suddenly Polly seemed 10 have a'"new
thought and rsnatching her faYorite from
the ground, she said. ia d. .an exultannt s
voice:
"Z'rusha Zanel I know what I'll do!
My papa wants all e pity flowers we
taxed to him, and he hasn't dot any little
dirl up in heaven to send down after EN-
an I'm -s-doin' to take 'em Ito him. I
zee place wav off, where / can step right
into heaven; an you an me, we'll go an
sprizs papa wiz the pity things. Won +
he be Elads. Want togo. ~ fusha9'5 - IL
OF course, Jerusha did want to 60. So
Polly tucked her snugly under her arm,
and, putting her little straw hat on the
back Of her cprls, the pair started Of
ssNow, said Polly, first; Well 60 an
Diet all e towers dat mamma mad in e
morning, an'fakes 'ema1 wiz us. 1sI fink
this is e way."o 41S 1s s1tf's 81 It's .-i -
And If abe ran way up to the north
road. II lllTl u i 4
The May sun was very warm and bright
and the small feet, trudging through the
dust, were very hot and tired. But their
patient 1En49nve,x braselj ssee,, until
nature could Sndufe III more; and, With it'll 8
weary little sigh, she sat down on the
grass by the roadside, and remarked to
her companion that ''iit was such velly
long walk where the towers were, she
Aufed thy hlnsf take some yellow
ones right here, an papa d like it jes as
well.".
Jeruaha, being an oblging yosng LADY,
thought itwould probably suit quite as
xuo1l Ga Dollw .1akhona6 her n1rmn IT.