Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-05-24

had come in stood at the windows
| listening eagerly to the approaching
music. Lucy Joined them. The pro-
cesison filed slowly past: The Grand
Army men, the village band. the min
listers and local dignitaries. 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.
II 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
rs 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?"
mo. I amt | amt thought Of It,
Phebe Ann. with your being so sick.
and all"
"Go-get some." she painted. Her
motioning hand and her eager eyes
spoke louder than her tongue.
Yes, | will. | will. Phebe Ann!
Don't you fret another mite about it."
The nurse followed him out Of the
room
Il can't go to the greenhouse" he
whispered agitatedly. Its five miles
| away"
Land. get any kind of flowers"
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 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
emily down the road.
Sylvester's grave was at the farther
side of the cemetery. The old man,
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
therei" he muttered. He laid the but
tercups and grass down on the grave:
then he stood still. 1t was over TWEEN
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 hest
tatingly the other way toward the
house Of his sister-in-law-Tho
wife, as he always spoke of her.
Lucys 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 flow
ers there?" asked the old man in .
husky voice.
81 did," said Lucy. Her face flushed.
'T thought there wouldn't be anybody
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
locked 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 Phebe
Ann dead?" Sarah Cook called out.
mo, she amt dead"
what did he want to see you for?'
asked Mrs. Kemp.
came over her face. What did he
want?" her mother asked. impera-
lively.
"He wanted to know who put some
flowers on-Sylvesters grave"
did you?"
"Yes'm"
What did you put on?"
Some lilacs and-roses."
you didn't pick those roses?"
20, mother, the lilacs didn't seem
quite enough! Aunt Phebe Ann has
always done so much" Lucy said.
Her mother and her aunt looked at
each other. II shouldn't have thought
you'd have picked those roses without
saying anything about it." said her
mother. but her voice was embar-
raised rather than harsh. She went