The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-05-26

like tender sob pulsatifg gently tc The
place of the dead.
Only a few black. r,,beti Women and a
little gro0p ef o!d solde-s-this one
minus an arm and tn It one leaning
heavily on his worn crutch-remained in
the little graveyard, and soon they, too,
departed. leaving only two persons-a
bsnt: Old 1nothsr iR 2 distant corner, and
q tall, stately woman, standing. rs il
waiting. in the deep shade 81 a gloo ny
pine.
II was the most peaceful, the most
neglected, the most lovely spot on earth.
Nearly every stone had a flag or a sword
cut in its face, and each name bore af.
ter it the Twelfth - Volunteers.
At first the most solicit IDS 6afe had
kept the mounds smooth and the paths
open, but time had gone by and now
each grave had sunk t0.a a hollow trench;
down whose slop:ng sides the lang grass
trailed and across which the stained
marble slaps had long ago broken; the
vines, once planted by tender hands,
had reached caressinely out And bound
all In impartial embrace; flowers forget
where they had stood originally, and
tall trees looked out upon the oi,ce
young shrubs now bidding fair to rival
the old ones,
This evening each harrow grave bore
tiny Tag and it's load Of sweet bios
SONS; men, Iona since forgotten ut all
other times, Were hunted out and honored
on this one day OF the year by offerings
from the hearts and tho hands of their
old comrades; a sweet odor Of fading
flowers filled the warm air, and soft
golden afterglow tinged the tips OF the
pines and agentle breeze waved the
little aags standing loyal and true even
In their humble places.
When nll had lett excepting the sob
bling mother in the farthest corner, the
tall woman stepped out and quickly
picked her way over the thick-leaved
At the foot Of the hill. Here, alre, was
an air OF the absence Of human care, and
yet 1t seemed happier and truer in It's
transition back to nature. 1t was only
apart Of the harmony OF the place for
Its stone to be lost under large, way
ward tpsc-bush; closely cut sward
would have been cruel disco.d.
The woman slowly knelt, laid aside
the little black bonnet ns II to let the
slowly stirring air cool her hot forehead,
and reverently bent her lips to the grass
above the head. The last rays Of the
sun stole softly up and fell tenderly on
her face and lighted it. showing eyes
beautifully sad and patient, q mouth
wonderfully sweet, and low, fair FORE
head, from which were brushed back
wave upon wave Of sost snowy hair.
White haif will soften and hallow any
face, but here 1t seemed a crown, halo
for one as pure and lovely as saint.
But even. its silver did not deceive one;
there was a certain youth, in spite OF
the look OF suffering, that kept one from
Judging her as old-a youth. borrowed,
perhaps, from the past in which she al
ways lived, II one might guess by the
pleading, dreaming eyes.
From&he country, stretching away be-
hind her, came the far-Off lowing OF cat
tie and from the town the strains of that
same dirge, faint but yet filed with a
sense Of awful pain. She put her hands
oveE her ears and still knelt, while her
face grew paler, and the shadows OF the
pines near by cast their black cloaks
about her; the silence, the lone eliness, the
sentiment OF the place, overpowered her
and she startci to her feet. But, recov-
cring again, she took from q basket
Rreats loose, creamy roses and .heaped
them about the tiny cotton flag and
seemed to pon"er till a big tear slowly
rolled down each ch eek and sob con-
vulsed her shapely shoulders. She threw
herself on her knees again, with her face
in her hands, while the sun sunk and
'he o.emn, almost weird. music thrcb-
oed softly but clearly about ber.