The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-05-26

were to die he merely wanted to fill an
unknown grave.
ITO be unwept, unhonored and un-
sung"
From the moment the true realiza-
ton of what she had said and done came
to Margie Wheaton her whole nature
seemed changed. She realized then,
when it was too late, how fondly she
loved MILFORD Ormsby, and, among all
the wives and mothers of the land who
watched closely and carefully for the
names of loved ones engaged in the
strife, there was no more persistent
searcher than was Margie Wheaton for
the name of MILFORD Ormsby. Twice
was her patience rewarded and twice
did she write him, but it CHANGED that,
at both those times, MILFORD was made
prisoner and he never got the letters.
She read the account of the engage
ment at Five Forks, and for the third
time she caught Sight of the name Of
the man she loved and this time it was
among the list of the killed. 1t was
then she told her father the whole of
her miserable story.
Margie begged her father to go south.
and, if the report were indeed true, to
bring Wilford's remains home to be
buried in the town cemetery. All Elm
wood, too, seemed to feel desire that
this should be done, and it was there
fore as delegate from the town that
DR.. Wheaton went on his sad mission.
He had no difficulty in obtaining pos
session of the body, for kilograms had
at once been sent ordering it embalmed
to await the doctors arrival While
there the doctor heard from officers and
comrades much of Wilfords history
! while in the service, and he had the sat
isfaction of talking with two soldiers
who were near by when MILFORD was
killed. He received full account of
the affair, and had no doubt that he had
been given Ormsby's body. though it
had been an explosion that killed him
and he had been badly mutilated. Get
ting all the evidence he thought neces-
sary he started for home and MILFORD
Ormsby's remains were laid at rest and
the town erected marble slab over the
grave.
It was Margie Wheaton who estab-
lished Memorial day in Elmwood, and
! on certain day each year some effort
was made to decorate the graves of the
soldier dead, for there were many bur-
led there besides MILFORD Ormsby. This
grave was Margie's especial care. and
she robbed her flower beds, richly laden
as they were, for this purpose.
The years passed and Margie became
more and more sedate and womanly.
All the girlishness was gone. though
the beauty of face and form still re-
NAMED The practice of decorating the
/ graves of soldiers had become general,
and May 80 was established as Decora-
ton day and was made q national holt
day. The first of these events was to
be a great one in Elmwood It was a
greater one for Margie than she had i'm
| agined
| The act of decorating the graves was
| finished and Margie had taken a seat by
Wilford's grave and was nursing her
old thoughts How wildly the last
words she had spoken to the man whose
remains were there inferred came to her
| now. A shadow was cast on the mar
| BILE slab and caused her to start to her
feet A stranger stood there bearded
and handsome and with familiar look
about the face.
well, Margie, you are keeping your
promise, are you?" said he.
"Who are you? Is it, can it be VIII
/ Ao~>A 0~vn.k>vCss sn1 AfnvwsA
Eyes, Margie. I am MILFORD, and I