Griggs courier., 1893-06-30

uoO OEOuButs VE10O " joke Will uCE OVGT
his empty tent, but Kate knew.
She had little heart for sightseeing,
but at least her father SHOULD see they
werc grateful. 1t was to be merry
party on the little platform. She kept
her mother and Dot busy to the last mo-
ment; lest Nudge should have time for
thinking. She made droll speeches as
she helped them dress, kissed Nudge
on her hollow cheek and sent q faint
flush there by telling her how pretty
she looked in the new old bonnet re-
vised especially for the occasion.
When Uncle Jim saw his women
folks" gathered under the shadow of
the great elm tree he approached them
almost unwillingly. He had failed
there was no further room for hope.
Already the city was filed, already the
streets were .bordered black with the
waiting crowds, yet no one had sought
lodging under his canvas. As the girls
beckoned to him, and his wife leaned
forward with smile, he drew a long
breath, tipped his hat far back and
mounted the steps to the platform.
''It's the finest view on the line"
cried Kate.
"And the snuggest baby-grandstand
that ever was" put in Dot. ut was
good of you to build it here in the
shade, " said his wife.
But somehow all their kindness
seemed only to make Uncle Jim more
quiet, and Dot saw that his eyes didn't
look a bit jolly, for all he tried to laugh
Ut Katie's poor little jokes.
"Here they comet A cheer went up
from every throat ''The procession
at last!"
Oh, the music! The old wartime mu-
sic! How much it must have meant to
the men marching there in the dusty
street-when it could bring tears to
eyes as young and bright as Katie's!
The crowds had cheered the gay new
banners, but when the old flags came,
when they saw those old. battle-worn,
bullet-riddled tatters, q great silence
fell upon the people-then cheer after
cheer!
Uncle Jim tore off his hat and stood
trembling beside the girls. He remem-
bored when they started out. these old
men, these old flags, bright and fresh
and gay; now. He was just starting
out then, too, and Nudge was girl
like Kate, with pink blossoms in her
cheeks.
These men had conquered, but he
he had to begin all over again, and.
somehow, he thought, "there amt
nothin' inspirin' in them old tattered
hopes O. mine. There amt much o.
them left, sure enough, an they've been
shot through time and time again, but,
guess I'll have to carry 'em a bit longer
anyhow"
Dot, too young to understand, saw
the tears swimming in Kate's eyes, saw
the mirthfulness all gone from Uncle
Jim's and the pallor that overspread
her aunt's dear old patient face. Her
heart ached for all three.
Oh, that big, ugly, empty tent, she
thought. Surely it was the cause Of all
the trouble.
Slipping quietly away, she reached
the ground without attracting anyones
notice, crossed over to the hated tent,
stood a moment in the opening, then
disappeared within.
just why she had come she could not
have told. She looked at the long rows
Of cots. How many! And all for moth
ing! She began counting them. One,
two, three, four, five, six, she counted.
walking down the line, bending to
touch the lowest one, reaching up to
the second, standing on tip-toe and
pointing to the third in each group
Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.
Here she stopped. What was there diff
ferent about cot thirty that it should
sag as she looked up at it?
Dragging board from the entrance,
where some unused lumber lay, she
placed it against the bed and climbed
slowly up. There was something white!
Further, she reached out to touch it,
lost her balance and fell into the cot,
her foot sending the plank by which
she had ascended, to the ground. But
she did not notice that then; the little
bundle of lace and lawn lying SO quiet
ly there in the cot absorbed all her
thought. She saw now what , it was.
How did it come there? Who could
have left it? Why had they done it?
Would they come for it again? Hoy
long had it been asleep. this wee white
baby? Even Dot could see that it was
not rosy as sleeping babies ought to be,
but white almost as its little muslin cap
Dot could hear the tramp, tramp,
tramp of marching feet, the roll of
drums, the cheering, but all these
sounds seemed to her far away in an
other world; here, there was only this
still pale baby, and all those quiet, use
less empty beds.
She began to wish the closed eyes
would open, then looking at them her
own eyes grew heavy, she laid her face
beside the little motionless one and fell
asleep.
"Where is Dot?" asked Kate, suddenly
missing the child.
"Hey?" Uncle Jim started from his
reverie.
Isle was here only a few moments
ago." said his wife, turning quickly.
Then all three looked at one another
questioningly.
''She may have gone to the tent.
Strange we shouldn't have noticed her
going," said Kate.
TI-o1> 1;,v. ,o< 80 ~ uo 1ooI>oI