The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-05-30

Army men, the village band, the min
listers and local dignitaries. and tho
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.
as it-Decoration day." she whis-
pered with difficulty, for she was
growing very weak.
Eyes, it's. Phebe Ann" said her
husband.
"Have you got-any flowers for
Sylvester's grave?"
mo, amt. I amt thought OF It,
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.
Eyes, will, will, Phebe Ann!
Don't you fret another mite about it."
The nurse followed him out of the
room.
81 can't go to the greenhouse" he
, whispered agitatedly. cts 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
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 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
emily down the road
| Sylvesters grave was at the farther
side OF the cemetery. The old man.
with His load cf 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, hs
started and stared. There was great
bunch of hlacs on the grave and three
charming. delicate pink roses in q
vase.
there!" he muttered. He laid the but
tercups and grass down on the grave;
| then he stood still. It was over twen-
ty years since the boy Sylvester had
been laid there-a little soldier who
ha6 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 STANDARDIZATION
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: she
thought Phebe Ann must be dead.
do you know who put those fow.
| ers there?" asked the old man In ,
husky voice.
II did," said Lucy. Her face flushed
II thought there wouldn't be anybody
to see to 1t. now Aunt Phebe Ann i
SICK" she explained timtdly.
Her uncle looked wistfully at her
his eyes full Of tears. Sylvester wa.
a dreadful sufferer" he said.
Lucy did not know what to say. sht
looked up at him, and her soft face
seemed to take on distressed lines like
his.
The old man turned abruptly ant
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. SIS Pheb;
Ann dead?" Sarah Cook called out.
mo. she amt dead"
What did he want to see you for?'
asked Mrs Kemp.
Lucy hesitated; shamefaced loo,
came over her face. .ewhat did h,
want?" her mother asked. fmpera
| lively. .
He wanted to know who put son,
flowers on-Sylvester's grave
did your"
| "Yes'm."
What did you put ONT"
Some lilacs and-roses."
You didn't pick those rosess.
y, mother, the lilacs didn't seen
quite enough! Aunt Phebe Ann ha
always done SO much!" Lucy IA
Her mother and her aunt looked !.
each other. II shouldn't have though
you'd have picked those roses witbou
saying anything about It." said he
mother. but her voice was embar
rssseo rather than harsh. She wen
back to the kitchen and proceeded
with her work Of making biscuits foI
supper. The sewing was all finished
Lucy set the table. After supper the,
went out in the cemetery and strollee
about looking at the flowers, in thu