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

Here s the nag, ROXY. ANU III
beautyF'
"Lovely Grandpa'll be dec rated splen-
did! My rosebush has two roses and three
buds"
You amt goin to pick the buds?"
Didn't grandpa die for our country?
Didn't we live till mother died on his pen
sion? l think whole bushel of buds
wouldn't be too much!"
Jack was glad Polly did not know about
the 10 cent flag he could have got. He
had thought . cents enough to spare out
of their scanty earnings when making the
purchase But after that speech he felt
small What if he We're but a bootblack
earning a most precarious living, and
Polly making only an odd dime now and
then by scrubbing Il floor or tending chill
drcn for the ncighbors? Jack wished he
had done more for his soldier grandfather.
But thought struck him.
ooh, Polly III tell you what I'll do. >
For tomorrow
''Yesl You know it'll be years before
we get monnyment for grandpa, for we
must get an eddication first, and though the
fiag'll show it's soldiers grave l think
folks ought to know more. Well, Two
learned to print real clear, and I'll print
on the grave and folks IL see it for that day
anyway"
"That's splendid You do it, and I'll
get supper"
Jack rushed out for stiff brown paper
and ink, and the kind shopkeeper, who
knew the children, learning what he in
tended to do, gave him two large sheets of
MANILA paper and showed him how to use
INV opin tIa1 how
from innumerable spatters of ink. Jack
returned with his prize.
''We can eat dry bread awhile" he said
as his sister looked doubtfully at the flag
That's my buds!''
Planning to write headstone was one
thing, quite another to do it.
'We can't say 'rected, for it's goin to
be staked down. How would you begin,
Polly?"
"My teacher says (Polly's teacher was
her unfailing standard) eff you're writing
to just tell what you've got to say as short
as you can.
"Let's see" And Jack printed rather
crookedly, but clearly:
JOHN DOYLE
Wounded at Bull run
DIED at
AZ Charles Street.
"Do you remember when he diedY" Jack
asked, glad to rest awhile, but delighted
with his progress
why, l wasn't born, Jack But can't
we say his loving grandchildren have
have-fxed this to his memory"
"Why, PollyI' said Jack admiringly.
"That's real tombstonyl That's good
enough for the monnyment. Let's see. +"
And Jack sat with pencil poised then slow
ly and laboriously rinted, Polly's bright
eyes watching eagerly:
This is writ by
Polly and jack Kerr
in memory of
Grand Pa
"Oh, Jaokl It's just lovely! And-oh
--oh-I've got something's And Polly,
her bright face growing sweetly solemn,
stepped to the old bureau and opened her
most precious possession-an old box
which held her peculiar treasures.
"Heres four of mothers hairpins, she
said solemnly. give saved 'em, but they'll
be Just the thing TO fasten down the head.
stone-better than bits of wood "
The children could hardly sleep from ez-
pitement. Bright and early they were
about, stopping moment to gaze raptur-
ously on "the headstone' and to water the
precious rosebush, which any florist would
have admired, SO perfect were the buds
and roses. Then Jack started out to black
boots and attend to one or two furnaces
while Polly washed dishes and tidied rooms
for three different families, receiving
cents from each. At noon they were ready
to start the roses carefully wrapped with
in the maidstone, lest the sun wilt them
the flags carried by Polly.
1t was a long, long walk to Evergreens
But the childrens rent was due in TIVE
days, and they dared not spend money OF
car fare On they trudged, the thought o
che honor to be done to grandpa keeping
Pollys tired feet going. But before the!
had accomplished quarter of the distance
Jack caught sight of great express car
coming up the hill. "Hold on, there's
fellow know. He'll take us In. He
first class Mr.. B." he called, "cai
you give US a liftP"
Certainly" And the good natured OF
pressman drew up for the children. "Go