Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1901-06-01


cesison filed slowly past: The Grand /
Army men, the village band, the min !
listers and local dignftaries, and the
rear-guard of children with flow ers.
An accompanying crowd thronged the
sidewalks.
I've just been saying to Sarah that
Phebe Ann won't have Sylvester's
grave decked out much this year.
said Mrs Kemp. Her voice was pleas
anter and more guarded than before
81 heard Phebe Ann was pretty
low" said the neighbor.
Phebe AIMS husband went softly
behind the nurse to the Bedroom
Phebe Ann looked up at him and beck
oned imperatively. He went close and
bent over her. What is it, Phebe
Ann?" said he.
"Is it-Decoration day." she whis-
pered with difficulty, for she was
growing very weak.
Yes, it's, Phebe Ann" said her
husband
Have you got-any flowers for
Sylvester's grave?"
NO, I amt. l amt thought OF IL,
Phebe Ann, with your being so sick,
and ALL"
"Go-get sonnet. she painted. Her
motioning hand and her eager eyes
spoke louder than her tongue.
Yes, I will, I will, Phebe Ann:
Don't you fret another mite about it
The nurse followed him out OF the
room.
4 can't go to the greenhouse" he
whispered agitatedly. Its five miles
away!''
Land, get any kind of fowers!"
said the nurse. "Get dandelions and
buttercups, if you can't find anything
| else"
The old man took his hat down with
a bewildered air and went slowly out
| of the yard At the gate he paused
and looked around. There were no
flowers in the yard: there were several
| bushes, rose and phlox, but it was too
early for them to blossom. Over at
| the left stretched a field, and that was
waving with green and gold. Phebe
| AIMS husband went over into the
| field and began pulling the buttercups
in great handfulls. and the grass with
| them. He had all he could carry
when he left the field and went SOL
| emmy OOWn the fOdu
! Sylvester's grave was at the farther
side of the cemetery. The old man,
with his load of buttercups and grass,
made his way to it. The soldiers
| graves were decorated with flags and
flowers, but the people had gone. The
cemetery was. very still. When John
| Kemp reached Sylvester's grave, his
started and stared. There was great
bunch of lilacs on the grave and three
| charming, delicate pink roses in a
vase.
81 wonder who put those flowers
| there!'' he muttered. He laid the but
tercups and grass down on the grave;
then he stood still. 1t was over TWEEN
ty years since the boy Sylvester had
been laid there-a little soldier who
had fought only his own pain. 81
wonder who put those flowers there!"
John Kemp muttered again.
He went out of the cemetery, but
instead of turning down the road
toward his own home, walked hesi-
tatingly the other way toward the
house of his sister-in-law-Tho
wife, as he always spoke of her.
Lucy's face was at one open win
dow, her Aunt Sarah Cooks at the
other.
Lucy" called the old man, stand
ing at the gate
Lucy came out to him tremblingly.
Sarah Cook ran to tell her sister; sh
thought Phebe Ann must be dead.
do you know who put those flow
ers there?" asked the old man in a
husky voice
II did" said Lucy Her face flushed
'T thought there wouldn't be anybod
to see to it, now Aunt Phebe Ann is
sick" she explained timidly.
Her uncle looked wistfully at her
his eyes full of tears sylvester was
a dreadful sufferer" he said.
Lucy did not know what to say. She
looked up at him, and her soft face
seemed to take on distressed lines like
his.
The old man turned abruptly and
went away. "Phebe Ann is sinking.
he said, indistinctly, as he went
Lucy's mother and her aunt rushed
to the door to meet her. rs Phebt
Ann dead?'' Sarah Cook called out.
mo, she amt dead"
What did he want to see you for ?
asked Mrs. Kemp.
Lucy hesitated; shamefaced lool
came over her face. What did h
want?" her mother asked} impera
lively.
He wanted to know who put som
( flowers on-Sylvester's grave
I Did you?"
r ''Yes'm''
l What did you put on?"
Some. Iilacs and-roses."
I You didn't pick those roses?"
20, mother. the lilacs didn't seer
quite enough! Aunt Phebe Ann Sha
always done so much" Lucy sale
Her mother and her aunt looked q
5 each other. Il shouldn't have though
: you'd have picked those roses withou
saying anything about it" said he
mother. but her voice was .emhaI
raised rather than harsh. She wer
e back to the kitchen and pfoeeede
= with her work of making biscuits fo
supper The sewing was all finishes
e Lucy set the table After supper the
h went out in the cemetery and strolle
n about looking at the flowers. in th
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