Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-05-24

der Bcnjie.
The kind mantle Of the dark shut
in the poor little mother, with her
grief.
The Goth of May was raw and wet
but the morning OF the 3oth dawned
clear. The world, washed clean of its
stains. shook off It's, raindrops. like
jewels. in the sun. y choir of little
birds sang high. sweet song-the
Star Spangled Banner" was tin
the apple orchard. and the little boys.
trudging by. whistled war tunes. The
Day of Eemc :nbrance found no one
forget,ing The old. old graves and
the new ones-so terribly newt
awaited their flags and flowers. side
by side
Diantha Berry cut of her pink
blossoms early before til sun touched
them and laid them. one by one. in
the little Daslle. Ben.iie had liked.
She cut with lnstinted hand. choos-
ing the fullest ones and the most per-
feet. ne-tsyo-three-shc counted
them aloud. as the scissors shipped
through their slender stems. She had
made up her mind 10 give little l'eniit
Is of the beautiful clusters. l:@niie
had put on long pants when be was
l5-oddly enough. that got into her
thoughts when she cut the fifteenth
flower Off Then she cut anot her.
smiling whinsical!y = Little Bel iie
had gone away to the high school
when he was H.. She could see him
now-the tall fellow. swinging down
the road in the morning. and back
again a, night. She could see him
hat twice-once for Leah and once
for her. She could hear his vote,
coming in at her window-"l on make
splendid spice cakes. Miss Diantha
| ate one once
The big, hungry. fat1ering boy
Seventeen. is blossoms dropped into
the basket Little Renjie had liked
Mis- Diantha had a new idea.
"lll cut off % for Little Ben iie-
one for every wear that the Lord let
him stay. I'm glad i thought of it,.
Yes In cut off 222.'
most of its glory. stood in he window.
alone. Dian,ha had taken Ter little
basket of flowers and had gon" away
down the road 1t WAS al TIL" crooked
elm she stopped. Little Rcniie had
always stopped there. wears ago.
With sudden dist rcss Di@nt ha thought
of the poor little mo, her i.c would
never wave his cap to again.
Poor Leah" she cried. aloud. The
! fountain OF her pity was unsraled AT
last. The bitterness and anger wcr,
swept away she forgot, for the mo-
ment, everything but Little EcnIir :
mother. alone i'm her pain. She re-
memb"red how il had always been
her par, TO comfort Leah. when they
were little girls together. She would
go back now and comfor, her.
Leah" she called at the door 4
minute later. Leah. I've come. You
didn't answer my letter and mebbe
YOU don't want me. but I've come.
couldn't help it,"
The suffering woman'S face was q
study of Joy and wonder. The Won
der prevailed.
II never got any letter, Diantila.'
she said, slowly. Dian,ha sprang to
ward her eagerly
Not my letter asl1in' if / could
come over to see little dead Benjie.
Didn't YOU get that. Leah Swallow.
sent it acrost by Mis- Dnggett's lit
tie boy-and the Lord knows how
eager | waited for the answer.
couldn't seem to give it mp.
II never got it, Diantha. DO 70,
think | wouldn't have answered
You don't know how | waited, too
Leah. Leall-dear child, what /;
dreadful mistake it all was, and how
we've ben sItferin' for it. NIGH
have comforted You little mite-an'
l needed comfortin. TOO Leah. Is j
too late now? See. dear, was gon
down TO decorate Little Be grav'
with my gerani,lms. There's Con,
for every year he lived. Put your fac
in 'cm. Leah: see how sweet they are
III carry them down for You, dear
they're yours. now. You can send In,
because YOU can't go. and Little Benz
will understand
She had drawn .i,e slight figure int
her arms. and was rocking i, bac!
and forth as mot hers rock babies
The long misery was over. After AL
it had only been the for@c,fnlness o
Il It'll lie child
After awhile she took up he ha.;,se
Of flowers and started again for H.
cemetery: but at the door Leah calle
her back. half timidly
"There's something I'd like nias
tina. she said "'if-f YOU wou!lil'
mind arranging the flowers kind of j
the shape of Gag. | wanted to
Reniie was so fond of his flag. NJ
ME Hamilton Donnen in Coun1r
Gentleman