Daily camera., 1901-05-30
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The Color Bearer
{ A Stsry ier Decoration Day. I
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Sarah Parkman stood In hsr
humble doorway, leaning her head little
farther out in the May dusks. 10 listening
attitude.
"What's that ye hear, Sairce!"
A thin, angular man came out Of the cabin
and stood beside the woman. Tapping the
corncob pipe he held in his right hard
meditatively on the thumbnail Of his lett,
he bent his gray locks to the breeze.
"What was it that ye heard. Sairee?"i be
repeated, softly.
Drums a-beatin'," she answered crisply;
"they're gettin' ready for Decoration TO-
morrow"
Al if in emphasis, the wind blew briskly
up from the quarter indicated BY they,
and the roll OF drums came plainly TO the
old mans ear.
"Hurrah! hurrah for the old fas. Sairee!".
And he began marching up and down the
white path running to the wicket.
Lets 60 termorrer; say yes, Sairee!"
He put out his bony hand through the
shadows until it rested on the ample shoul.
ders of his wife.
"JosiAh!" she said, warninsly. when
re have served the kentry like st. Paul, in
fastin's, an perils, an marchin's. an tight
in and then wasted all your hvin' on agents
an lawyers to get the pension due ye nigh
onto 20 years, and are no whit better of!
What! Shall We 60 over to Mentone to-
morrow and parade around With them a.
not! We've said we wouldn't mix in ag'in
sence that day young drunken Dudley car.
ried the flag instead o lettm' you; and
20 far we've kept our word" Having thus
delivered herself, Mrs. Parkman looked
over the head of her husband away into the
infnitesimal and shut her lips tightly.
"You said that, Sairee," he protested,
feebly, ''an' we've kept your word; but
somehow / kinder feel as il Id like to 60
termorrer. I'm a-settin' older every year,
Sairee, an mebbe, BY an by, won't be
hyar to go!'
The lank arm fell from the wife's shoul-
der and Josiah went back into the shad-
owy cabin from whence her remark had
called him. His blood. usually slow and
sluggish. seemed warmed again by the fire
Of the sixties. and ran quickly through his
veins, calling up his latent strength. Whis-
Ting the Star Spangled Banner gayly ~
when = boy, he began knocking around and
tUIuUulk dDpot dAhtuA sNA
niture in the semi-dArkness. Sarah heard
him whistling and iumbling. and knew be
was bent on gong ",ermorrer,
IF hadn't mentioned them confounded
drums!" she said. half angry with hsrself.
why. he wouldn't a got the war fever to-
night"
For . moment she stood irresolutely de-
batting the question. Il wouldn't mind II
all through these years OF pinchin' and wait
In he could have had a bit o that pen
sion money l should think after he's
turned every chip from Maine TO Californy
to get it, such doin's would a took all the
|huYrah out o him. but it hasn't! Well.
IN 60 tomorrow, il die by it, jest to please
JosiAh."
What ye doin'e she asked a little later.
eoing inside and directing her question TO
IT,. .Aan whose patriotism was rising fast
to the stimulation of Yankee Doodle"
20, nuthin'" The tune dropped long
enough for the answer to his wife's ques-
tion, and then began again on higher
key, gathering momentum as il went
But when she lifted the tallow dip and
looked around, Josiah WAS deep m the
"chst o drawers as was onct his motbefs,"
and she knew what he was doing.
Amt them beauties, Sairee" holding
up 10 view sui, OF blue and big hat with
G. A. r. on the from; in gilt letters.
I'm asoin' to air 'cm up kinder. to-
night" he continued, wistfully. "fer We
aire A-eoin' termorrer. amt We, Saireer
She folded her hands in her apron and
at down before she answered him; then
she said: Il reckon so, Josiah, you're such
fool"
The next morning when her husband was
busy 'hitching up" Mrs. Parkman stood by.
semarkins: If ye had your pension. now.
we could be q ieetle forehanded to-day.
We could a-had . real surrey to carry ua,
and the luncheon; We could a-had flowers,
too. But" she added. disdainfully, I'VE
amt takin' any flowers, an they'll say
there comes ole Parkman in his one-hoss
shay"
But Josiah was Strengthening the tugs
and only sighed in reply,
When the rickety old chaise stopped with
rafting jerk near where the columns were
forming. the post sdjutant came over to
them with . smile like the morning sun.
We've been waiting a mite" be said, as
be shook hands with them both.
"Wanin'" echoed Mrs. Parkman, wait
in for WHAT"
why! for Josiah to carry the fac" he
ans~ercd. meekly; "he promised me Sat
urday, he would"
Josiah B. Parkman" exclaimed Sarah,
warmly; but that individual slid out OF