Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-05-30

l.
- Sarah Parkman stood in her
humble doorway, leaning her head a little
farther out in the May dusks in listening
attitude.
"Whats that We hear, Sairee?"
A thin, angular man came out of the cabin
and stood beside the woman. Tapping the
corncob pipe he held in his right hand
. meditatively on the thumbnail Of his left,
\ he bent his gray locks to the breeze.
\ "What was it that We heard, Sairee?' he
Repeated, softly.
"Drums a-beatin'," she answered erisply;
"tahey're gettin' ready for Decoration to-
morrow"
AS if in emphasis, the wind blew briskly
ups from the quarter indicated by they,
anf the roll of drums came plainly to the
old fman's ear.
lHurrahl hurrah for the old flag, Sairee'
And he began marching up and down the
white path running TO the wicket
Let's go termorrer; say yes, Sairee"
He put out his bony hand through the
shadows until it rested on the ample shout
ders Of his wife.
JOSIAH she said, warningly when
We have served the llentry like st. Paul, in
fastins, an peris, an marchin's an fight
in, and then wasted all your Twin on agents
an lawyers to get the pension due We nigh
onto 20 years and are no whit better off:
What! Shall we 90 over to Mentone to-
morrow and parade around with them as
don't want US or don't miss US? | guess
not We've said we wouldn't mix in az in
sence that day young drunken Dudley car
\ ried the flag instead O lettin you; and
so far we've kept our word. Having thus
delivered herself, Mrs. Parkman looked
over the head of her husband away into the
indnitesmal and shut her lips tightly.
You said that, Saree," he protested,
feebly IAN we've kept your word but
somehow / kinder feel as if Id like to go
termorrer. I'm a-gettin' older every year,
Sairee, an mebhe, by an by, | won't be
hyar to go!'
The lank arm fell from the wife's shout
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
Mems, calling up his latent strength. Whis-
ttlng the Star Spangled Banner" gayly as
when boy, he began knocking around and
| fmbling about among the primitive fur
I niture in the emi-darkness. Sarah heard
him whistling and fumbling, and knew he
as bent on going "termorrer.
s.If hadn't mentioned them COMPOUNDED
dr,ms!" she said, half angry with herself,
"v ny, he wouldn't a got the war fever to-
mig ht.
F5r a moment she stood irresolutely de-
batag the question. Il wouldn't mind if
All nrough these years Of pinchin' and wait
in he could have had bit O that pen
sion money ! should think after he's
turned every chip from Maine to Calforny
to get it. such doin's would IA took all the
l. - INIT HASN'T Nallf
I'll go tomorrow, il die by it, jest to please
JOSIAH
What We doin'?' she asked a little later,
going inside and directing her question to
the man 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
ton, and then began again on a higher
key, gathering momentum it went,
But when she lifted the talow dip and
looked around, Josiah was deep in the
''chist O drawers as was onet his mothers,
and she knew what he was doing.
Amt them beauties Sairee:" holding
up to view a suit OF blue and big hat with
&. A. Il. on the front in gilt letters.
I'm a-goin' to air EN- up kinder, to-
night, he continued, wistfully, fer we
are a-gon termorrer, amt we, Saireey"
She folded her hands in her apron and
sat down before she answered him; then
she said: II reckon so, Josiah, you're such
fool
The next morning when her husband was
j busy "hitching up, Mrs. Parkman stood by,
remarking: If We had your pension, now
we could be leetle forehanded to-day
We could a-had real surrey to carry us,
and the luncheon we could a-had flowers,
too. But she added, disdainfully, 1--WE
amt talln' any flowers, an they'll say
t'there comes ole Parkman in his one-hoss
{ Inlay F."
But Josiah was Strengthening the tugs
) Ind only sighed in reply
4 When the rickety old chaise stopped with
rafting jerk near where the columns were
goHrming, the post adjutant came over to
= sim with a smile like the morning sun.
We've been waiting a mite" he said, as
he tshook hands with them both.
.Maitln:" echoed Mrs. Parkman, wait
in sfor WHAT"
.Ayhyl for Josiah TO carry the flag he
ANSWERED, meekly; 'he promised me Sat
urday. lie would"
Josiah b. Parkman," exclaimed Sarah,
warmly; but that individual slid out Of
the chaise and deeply interested himself
in tying Dobbin to a staple
I've big notion to not march a step"
she said, stoutly; "but then Josiah'd feel
bad. An then he is getting older, an by an
by. Well, III march,
What's that the Seriptur says about
hem crucified all the day long,.
But Josiah Parkman took his place at the
head Of the column with quick firm step,
as tne-looking a color bearer as in those
other DAYS.
a leetle mite older an a leetle mite
grayer; that's ALL" he murmured. jubi-
iautly- a. everybody swung into line after
the blessed Old flag and the rolling drums
And sarah found that the W r. G. had
CLAIMED for her coming. also.
We expected you, said the lady chap