Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-06-06
THE SOUTH PASTURE.
For Uncle Richards Sake -.- A
Memorial Day Story.

Beautiful evermore, and with the rays
~ morn on their white shields OF expectation.
R'chel Guild was Oh her way home,
saying those words over to herself
with heart fall of tender enthusiasm.
There had been meeting Ct some of
the village folks in the church parlor
to get up programme for Decoration
Day, and there had been suggested a
new feature for the lie bration. Bands
OF girls. five OF six together: were to
make and decorate white shield-shaped
banners, each bearing in evergreen
letters the name of some one of the
village heroes who had died in the
w"r: Then from the church porch
each band III turn was to deliver her
banner to a band of young men who
We're to carry it in the procession, and
af'erward 10 range it back of the
stand where The speak ing was to be.
Rachel was at the head of one of these
bands. and whose banner should she
make if not that of her own Uncle
r chard?-hcr fathers noble Young
brother. whose cap and sword
hung over tile Fireplace in tine
sitting-room at home, and whom she
had loved all her life. though she had
never seen him. Already in thought
she was clasping her banner. To her
just now the world was place tull of
beautiful young heroism and beautiful
remen braAce for which the soft spring
evening With budding leaves and tend
er bird-song made fitting frame.
But a shadow fell upon Rachel s
thoughts as she passed low, brown
house, the next below her own home.
1t looked deserted. Heavy green shut
tiers were closed over the front win
dows. Large lilacs ~ the door had
grown at will. and closed their bud
ded boughs across the pathway. as if
to warn away intruders. A little
noAe rose family from rear chin.
ney-tha: was the only sign of habita-
ton.
Poor Miss Ryerson!' sighed Rachel.
"'What sad time this will be for her!
Bat perhaps she won ever know what
we arc doing, she keeps SO by herself.
Yet. if she did. there might be some
comfort for her in il. seems to me. To
see how we remember Uncle Rich ard,
and honor him. would certainly be
happier for her than TO be shut up here
alone. It is so mournful to think of
her! She might have been my own
aunt. yet have never spoken to hc1
in my life, scarcely ever seen her! II
is dreadful! Seems as if we must be
in some way to blame to let her live
so.''
At the tea-table Rachel gave an
animated description of the plans for
the celebration, and she was listened
to with the deepest interest After.
ward. when she saw the tenderness in
her fathers face that came from re.
awakened memories of his lost brother,
She seated herself beside him.
Father, l can not live anothe,
week" she said. without going tc
see Miss Ryerson.
He looked troubled. She won
let you in." he said.
why not? How came she to &c,
such lonely way OF living? 1t breaks
my heart to think of her,
well, she's queer said Mr. Guild;
''always was. Sometimes think per.
haps Richard had happy escape.'
Don't say so, father He loved
her; and there must have been reason. -
well. don't know. She was q
handsome girl-yes. and smart; but
always kinder reserved and queer.
Your grandma never liked her; nor ]
didn't either. Not many folks did, ]
guess
but Uncle Richard chose her."
''Wsll yes They grew up together,
and they were cronies ever since they