The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-30
DECORATION DAY PARADE
A Story FOR Children.

Pd'te'lce sfdbtlon in Youths Companion:
eve allus keercd for children" sale
Aunt Hannah, looking pensively dowr
the shady laGe as she might have
looked back through the quiet thor
oughiare OF her past days. They're {
sight OF company, an some has tho wis
dom Of the angels; an them that know.
chlldren's lives an ways won't cali tha
no irreverence.
Two year ago come the FIRST OF Apr
the Baileys moved inter that yailel
house to the crossroads. Bailey, he
was mlsfortunate allus-naturally shift
less-an' Benny, the boy, bout eigh
years old, was one Of them solemn.ey ed
quiet, an not mcddlin' children, that
single woman, advanced in years, gener.
ally takes to.
Benny and me was great friends, and
no worritin' because l had no grand.
children, an his gran'ma bein' dead, he
adopted me, IN alius called me Gran
1.-Two year ago come Decoration Day
looked up from my knitten', an there
stood Benny in,that very kitchen door.
lie had queer home-cut trousies on, an
q ginghum waist, an little copper-toed
boots that he set greatstore by. Behind
him was his sister Susy, six years old,
an Betty, the two-year.old, toddlin'
along, an two freckled boys that lived
i'll the ueighborhood. They all 'peared
dreifnl solemn an important.
sup to some mischief, III be bound,
Isays.
"'No, gran, says Benny, his lips, that
had the baby curve to EN- yet, .rem.
blin'. It's Defamation Day, an there
amt no p'rade like there used ter be to
Gardiner fore we moved-we allus
moved-an' these boys says there amt
no Defamation here u all
"'Aint no soldiers graves l SAYS
cheerful.like, goin' to my cooky-box.
"'Oh, there ISL he calls out breath
less. "Over to the graveyard in the pine
woods there's Cap'n Dean that was a
Union solder, an fit in the war.
Johnny's mother knowed him, an
there's another grave, too-a old, old
one that's got funny face on the stone,
an that's Revolutionary one.'
"'Wanter know!' l says, giyin' each
one Bugared Cooky with a round hole
in it, that I knowed they'd appetite for
in spite OF the excitement.
IAN we'er goin' to p'rade,' cries
Benny, an ! thought mebbe you'd make
US flags, little miler ones that Amt no
trouble. Susy's got her apron full er
May flowers we got yesterd'y. an Billy
kin do "Marchin' Through Georgia" on
his mouth.orgin beautiful!
with trembling fingers I made five
little flags somehow, an fastened them
on Bticks for the regiment.
"'Couldn't we have SAYS Benny, kind
To- hesitatin' an 1ookin' with iongin'
eyes at my tlower.pots, some OF them
red geraniums, them that's most Willy
Cause they're growed flowers, an our'n
We jest iound!'
"'Where's your manners 2 says Susy,
scoldin' woman fashion.
They're for soldiers Benny insists
an l cut him my choicest blossoms.
Surely there want never u sweeter use
for en-.
Away went that p'rade then, Benny
ahead with the flag an bouquet, Billy
with the mouth-organ, an Johnny,
straight an stately, with the biggest flag:
stall, an Susy with her apron full o.
sweet.snellin' Mayblossoms, IN the tod.
dim baby fetchin' up the rear, keepin
in line with the rest Of 'em.
"Wal, somethin' bright and beautiful
doomed on them two lone graves uHdeI
the pines by the aide Of them little flag,
wavin' in the wind, an the best was til,
little bud of patriotism in them chi!
dren's hearts!
"'What's the iandaso? says Jaso,
Mead, drivin' by whilst watched til,
p'rade 10 over the hill to the PIN
woods. -,a
"'Wal, swan, says he, when toll,
him. Both on US couldn't speak then
Last Decoration Day l went ia thu
graveyard alone. 1t was solitary p'rad
all to myself. The Baileys had movet
away, an there WANT no one to remem
Der the day. carried three bouquets o
my best flowers. No,I couldn't forgi
them soldiers graves. My best bios
SONS laid onto little mound by tha
grave OF tho Revolutionary soldiers
who'd been at rest near a century.
"Ths Bailey's didn't take Benn,
away, for the iather wanted him. III
laysi in God's.acre. ! call it that 'caus
them is such hopeful words to US all
He was allus an angel child.
"Id like to think that them dead sol
diers knowed Of that Decoration p'radt
an that little act Of reverence an 10y
as pure an free Us sweet wild roses int
a grave" 3