The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-05-26

manned so until he lifted up his eyes in
that land where battle strife and beat
of martial drum are never known and
soldiers graves are never dug. We
buried hiin-i say we because our
whole town honored our fallen cap
tain, and universal was the sorrow ex-
pressed for his wife and babies.
There was a little money left, and
Mary kept her place and raised garden
stuff to sell. AS years rolled by that
was not enough to give her even a
scant supply, and she moved into town
and took in sewing.
Time had healed the sorrow in the
hearts of the town folk as it had GOV.
cred the grave with green. As | watched
her thought of her sorrow and great
needs, and wondered how we could SO
o q forget her.
saw her enter a shop and come out
directly With a disappointed look, tuck
ing something under her arm. In my
own arms ! carried n box of cut flow
ers which | had purchased to place on
the grave of an only son whom | had
laid to rest Just after that dreadful bat
tie of Bull Run.
Although it was raining very hard at
this time, wondering still more at her
mysterious way, ! followed. The last
place which She had entered was a
music store and | racked my brain to
find Il reason for her doing SO. She
hurried along and presently she seemed
10 come to the desired place, cautiously
looked around her and then entered.
When ! came abreast OF the place I
saw that it was a loan-shop. Could it
! have come To this? Was she so reduced
in circumstances that she found it nee
essary to pawn articles to exist? l
waited patiently until she appeared,
the something" under her shawl was
gone and she started to retrace her
steps homeward.
did not follow farther, but resolved
that ! would not sleep that night until
| knew just how Johns wife was
situated. After changing my wet gar
mentS FOR dry apparel and having Il cup
of tea, ! started for her home.
When | reached the door of her
apartment at the end OF Il long. dimly-
lighted hall. | heard her running the
machine and singing as she worked. /
WAS surprised at this. for with poverty
/ had always coupled discomfort.
She answered my knock by opening
the d0or and saying how surprised she
was To see me standing there. We
talked OF many interesting subjects,
! she telling me of the children and her
1 al. .,,l ..F l,- ,,a-,- ,,,, .,,r1,e
with poverty and doctors and drug
bills. Naturally our conversation turned
To- the subject of Decoration day as the
morrow had been chriStcEcd. and smil-
ing such i sweet, calm smile. She
arose and going to the sink at the 9TH
cr end of the room brought from it a
box filled with ~hO"-erS. which she had
bought To place on Johns grave.
She told me then, with her eyes filled
with tears. She knew her John was a
noble soldier and he so dearly loved
flowers She could not think of his grave
with but a flag 20 mark it and 50 She
had managed To buy some for il. The
children would go with her early on
the morrow and they would spend an
huur or two with him.
"She had managed TO buy some"
Yes, there was the secret of her walk
in the storm anu her mysterious disap-
pearancc into the place of the three
balls" | said nothing to her of what
| intended, PAT silently admired such
deep devotion. ! saw his grave next
day literally covered with the fragrant
blossoms
That evening 4 friend called at the
place OF three balls and upon inquiry
found that it was Johns old, loved
flute that she had not pawned, as she
was ignorant of the practice, but had
sold.
lie purchased the same at my request
and we sent it, together with a purse
well filed with money collected by the