The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-05-24

thusiasm and delight, and this Decora-
ton day morning she seemed unusual
ly happy.
After all, Aunt Ruth" she said,
there is no season of the year quite
so beautiful to me as the springtime,
when everything seems fairly bursting
with life and delighting in life.
"Ah, my dear, it is because you are
just now in the springtime of life your
self. You seem to me very like that
little shrub yonder, the buds just peep
ing out which shall so soon unfold into
the perfect flower. So do | see in you
the possibilities of beautiful and no
BILE womanhood But haven't we
enough lilacs? The sun is SO warm!"
Eyes, indeed, we have and | don't
care to rob you even for good cause.
I am relying upon the girls for a good
ly supply"
"It's your Sunday-school class, isn't
it,"
YES answered Antoinette. "Aunt
Ruth, won't you go with Us? That
would make our party complete. Do
say yes"
mo, I would rather go alone. I am
glad, though, that you are interesting
your class in this way, for it seems to
me that children in these days have too
little patriotic spirit, and too little APP
probation of the cost of liberty. The
decoration Of the soldiers graves
means little more to them than half
holiday from school and happy time
gathering flowers. After all, guess
it is better so. Let them have all the
sunshine possible; the shadows come
soon enough to all of u.s.
Aunt Ruth" said Antoinette, ten
derby, 'I'ye wanted to ask you some
thing for long time, but don't know
that l ought.
Certainly you may. What is it,"
"Will you tell me whose grave you
visit so much, and on which you al
ways put such lovely flowers Decora-
ton day."
"You will be surprised my dear.
when l tell you that don't know 1t
is an unknown grave, but all | needed
to know was that he was a soldier.
When did you say Ralph was COM
ing?"
mot till H.
esThen come into the sitting-room
where it is cool and let me tell you a
bit of my own life. Somehow | feel
Just like it this morning.
They laid down their flowers and en-
loved the restfulness of the coy room.
I'm going to lie down." said Aunt
Ruth, "and you bring the hassock and
sit right beside me and let me tell you
what is in my heart.
"When you came in this morning
so happy and light-hearted my
thoughts flew back thirty years, when
T was about your age, and had just as
much to make me happy as you have
now. I was engaged to a noble man,
and. strangely enough, his name was
| Ra1nb too. He was a lawyer, and his
fine mind gave promise of a brilliant
career. We were to have been married
in the spring of '63, but when the war
broke out his country's call appealed
~ his noblest manhood. He didn't say
much at first. but l knew that the only
obstacle in the way of his enlisting was
the pain it would give me. He was
perfectly well and strong, an added
reason for his going. All, well do |
remember the night we settled it! How
earnestly and tenderly he talked about
#! In a few days he was gone. 1t
took more courage than then thought
to make that sacrifice, but my sense OF
duty to country would not allow me to
withhold the word. He Joined the
Fiftieth New York Volunteer Engi-
neers, Company G, and at first had an
easy time The letters were bright and
CHEEKY and full of enthusiasm, so that
after a time l grew less anxious and
more and more glad that he went. But
there came a day when the regular
letter failed, and week passed; and