Evening star., 1897-05-29
THE DECORATION OF UNCLE
SANDY.
Written Exclusively for The Evening Stan

so 90 1, agreed RlcharQ.
IT think It is the beautifulest custom in
the whole world" declared Thomas
so do L., said Susan G.
The children were gathered together on
the broad piazza of an old plantation house
In southern Virginia. Elizabeth had been
reading letter from a cousin in Wash
ington. four-page epistle, overfiowing
with a glowing description of the prepara-
Decoration day.
Every soldiers grave in the cemetery
will be trimmed with flowers" continued
Elizabeth. There will be a grand pro-
cession and martial music Oh, I wish. l
wish, we could have Decoration day down
here. too"
Aunt Susan is going to dec'rate grand
pas grave in New Orleans" said Thomas.
"Grandpa's got the prettiest monument in
the confederate cem'tery in New Orleans
They'll have music in New Orleans as
we'll as in Washington, won't they, Liza
beth?"
Yes" said Elizabeth pensively.
I'D like to celebrate Decoration day.
here. too" cried Richard. but" he added.
mournfully. there isn't even one soldiers
grave anywhere about. l declare, it doesn't
seem fair
Ever many people went from this
part of Virginia to serve in the war said
Elizabeth. Why didn't their relations
bring some of them back and bury them
in the family sraveyards. I'd like to
know?' Little Miss Wallace looked around
at ner brothers and Susan G. with right
eous Indignation in her big blue eyes.
That's what I'd like to know too"
echoed Susan G.
Il just feel like having the biggest kind
of a celebration on Decoration day" ex-
claimed Richard jXmping up excltediy e, C, f1iy
eyes. blue. like the eyes of Elizabeth, were
shining with patriotic fire. We haven't
| any soldiers graves, SO we've got to think
of something else"
oh. Richard" said Thomas. in a shocked
voice. nothing but soldiers graves will do
| Tor Dec ration day
Maybe something else might do said
Susan G..
| The children waited in silence while Rich
| ard thought, sitting down upon the steps
again and burying his curly head in his
| hands Richard Wallace was. according to
| the statement of the coored people Cn the
| plantation. de Twin pitcher o de cunnel
| His sisters and brother looked up to him as
| a superior being. Already Thomas had re-
! pented his hasty assertion that nothing but
! soldiers graves would do for Decoration
| day.
Richard raised his head.
| "We.l?" demanded Elizabeth, eagerly.
! When is Decoration day.? asked the
boy.
| Its Wednesday after next in Washing
| ton and here. if we have any,. said Eliza
| beth with doubt in her tone. but hope in
| her eyes.
| They are going to have grand process
| sion in Washington SAID Thomas, as II
| this part of the program might possibly De
| forgotten.
| And sometimes guess men speak pieces
| and everybody sings sometimes, said Su-
! san G.
| Down in New Orleans" said Thomas.
| eXcitedly, the people strew roses all ABOUT
| on the ground when they march TO grand
| pas grave. We could strew roses. too. and
| | could beat my drum, but where would
| we march to-?
Then Richard Wallace astonished his
| brethren by announcing Solemny, we
| would march to Uncle Sandy's cabin
March to Uncle. Sandy's cabin repeat
! ed Elizabeth.
| iy Uncle Sandy isn't dead.
! And he never went to the war, Rich-
| ard" said Susan G.
No" said Richard. Uncle Sandy isn't
! dead and he never went to the war. II
| he'd gone to the war like as not he'd never
have come back, and then we couldnt nave
| any Decoration day for sure and certain:
My rose bush is covered all over with
| loses,'' murmured Susan g.
| Mother says | can play good soldier
| music on my drum said Thomas
| Hush while Richard tells us about Uncle
| Sandy" ordered Elizabeth.
| Decoration day" continued Richard, Is
a day for honoring heroes, as everybody
| kncws. Well. Uncle Sandy was a nero
wasn't he? Didn't he do more by staying
| home during tHe WaT tHdll plSieS VI AiiSi
did by going? Come along into the house
and let's get mother to tell us all tha'
Uncle Sandy did during the war.
The story of Uncle Sandy was long and
| brilliant and thrilling. The youthful w al
laces had heard it so frequently that they
| knew it by heart, but they never tired oi
| listening to their mothers pretty. drawing
voice recounting the wartime anecdotes o
| J-rcle Sandy left alone with the misSuS anC
children on the Virginia plantation.
Only once at the beginning at the recita
| was there any interruption, then Thoma:
! inquired when grandpa and Uncle Sand!
! were out cunning in the far woods grand
| pa let his gun fall against the fence ant
knocked the trigger back and the gun wen
| off and shot Uncle Sandy in the hand. ant
the doctor cut his hand off, didn't he
mother" and Susan G.. said scarcely abov,
her breath, Uncle Sandy looks like he wa!
soldier even If he didn't go to the war
Uncle Sandy couldn't so to the war eveI
in the capacity of the coloneiS body ser
want on account of the accident to hi
hand. He was told by the colonel that h.
; must stay home and look after the planta
ton and take good of the mistress
and the children. He had stood at the gat
and watched the colonel and the new bod!
servant out of sight and then he had turne
and carried little kicking George Wallac
into the house.
Yes" continued Mrs Wallace softly
| Uncle Sandy took wonderful care of tn
old plantation and the mistress and chill
dren. When the northern soldiers passe,
| ne cooked d Hfle UlflIleF IOE tn6 OF
| ficers, and danced and sang for their en-
| tertainment, and after that he showed then
his stump Of hand and explained how h
| was left behind to look after things. 'Yaas
gemmen, l kin cook good dinner wild m
one hand said Sandy. but it's powafu
| hawd wuck catchin' hosses once dey'
| tunned loose in de woods. l done lef' d
bosses in de stalls, gemmen.' The soldier
| secured the woods for the secreted horse
| of the neighbors and for while Sandy
grays were the only decent team left in tn
| country"
With his one hand Sandy plowed tn
| corn and ground 1t in the mill. moved tn
| hay and cut the wood. Everybody wa
poor then. but the colonel's little famil
! was kept from knowing the real wretched
ness OF the poverty of war times.
Uncle Sandy was better than a doze
soldiers on gaurd,' said Mrs. Wallace
| though / am sure his eyes must hav
been full of tears when he watched til
colonel ride down the lane with Pete for
body servant"
But he wanted to stay with grandm
and the little children, didn't he, mother? ?
asked Susan G.
II do not think he would have left thei
for the wide. wide world said Mrs. Wa
| lace
He picked papa up and carried him l