News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1897-05-26

| ing to Evergreens? Why, I'm taking
basket of plants there. I'll take you right
along"
And so, much earlier than they expected,
Jack and Polly had dec rated the old
soldiers grave. The brown paper was
carefully pinned down with the long wire
hairpins, Polly kissing each one before she
used it. How often mother had used them
to fasten up the long brown hair, of which
| Che children were so proud The flags were
| placed at the foot, the roses at the head,
and the children stood, well satisfied with
the results.
"Now let's go and see some of the other
| dec 'rations," said Jack, land then We'll
| come back again. - So they wandered from
place to place. 1t was the poorest part of
BIS poorest cemetery. Yet there were
some handsome gravestones and many
carefully kept plots. The children much
enjoyed seeing the flowers, but agreed that
-Four grave" was the best of all.
"The soldiers have covered every bit of
the grave, said tall girl in disappoint-
ed tone 81 like them to remember grand
pa, but-there is nothing for us to do, and
we have so many flowers"
81 have an idea, - said Aunt Mary, who
always had delightful ideas if any one
needed cheering. Let's drive over to
Evergreens. There may be some graves
there that we can decorate. 1t is what
dear grandpa would wish. You remember
he often said, we officers get the glory,
but the privates did the work. "
"That's splendid plan. Well start at
once"
1t was long drive through miserable
streets. But May and her aunt were used
to such neighborhoods in their visits of
charity. AS soon as they entered Ever
greens each watched for some soldiers
grave.
"Oh, aunty, there's one 1 see flag
two of them. John, John, stop! What
queer thing! What is it," And Mary knelt
by the children's "headstone, "Aunty,
aunty, the howers-quicklyp said the i'm
pulsive girl, her eyes overlooking. ooh,
if could only find Polly and Jack Kerrl"
Aunt Mary came with lilies and hello
trope, hyacinths and geraniums-Mary
would not have one other rose beside the
lovely ones the children had laid there.
Smilax was carefully wreathed about "the
headstone, and then May rose, only hall
satisfied
Forty two Charles street. I think
we might call there, aunty."
"Not today, dear We are too late al
ready. We must hurry home"
"I'm afraid we've lost the way"
"No, there's the big cross Grandpa is
just near there. always know our grave
by that But don't remember any other
grave that was dec rated. Pollyi''
JaaH ao11l6 and Dolly
catching sight of the wreath of flowers and
smilax frame at the same moment, the
children knelt, speeGhless with amazement.
edo you think it was angels?" asked
Polly in an awestruck voice.
"No," said Jack sturdily cit was this
headstone that did it, Polly. Somebody
read that"
That was the proudest moment of Jacks
life. Polly nodded her head acquiescently,
still too awestruck for words.
'"And by next year we must have real
oner'
"But the eddication.
"We'll do it all" said the boy, with q
new confidence in his powers "Now let's
take few of these home to remember the
| day by. ;"
They took bit of heliotrope, hyacinth
| ana a spray OF S1nlltlX ana walked, WlGn no
sense of WEAKNESS, so exalted were they by
| what they had found, back to the rooms
which had been grandpa's and mothers
one of which they had managed to keep by
toll almost incredible in such mere chill
| dren.
=
The next day seemed dull and prosy to
Polly, as days do to all of us after unwont
ed excitement. The little girl had just
settled down to study her lessons for the
night school Jack and she attended, when
there came a knock at the door. Polly
opened it and was confronted by two
ladies, one tall and slim, the other "fat
and comfortable, =" as Polly told Jack.
"There are our flowers, - exclaimed May,
who had given her aunt no rest till she
took her to AZ Charles street, $50 you must
be Polly Kerr
eyes, ma'am, said Polly, much sur
prised.
This was the first of many visits May
made to the neat little room. The gen.
erals granddaughter befriended the old
soldiers grandchildren, and with her help
and counsel Jack and Polly have "a real
headstOne" and an education. - indie.
pendent.