The Red Cloud chief., 1902-06-27
THE
REMEMBERED
GRAVE

guess there wont be n great show
of flowers on SylvcstCr's grave this
year said Sarah Cook, Her voice
had a certain triumph in it. but it end.
I'd with "a drCorous sigh.
Il guess there won't, either re-
turned her sister. Mrs. Kemp. II guess
Phebe Ann is too sick to think much
about it." Her voice sounded like
Sarah's.
Lucy Kemp dropped her sewing for
a minute and turned her face toward
he window. 1T seems most too bad,
don't IT." she said, meditatively.
When she's done SO much every year,
And thought so much about it,"
IL don't know as | think it's too
bad" said Mrs. Kemp. "Of course I'm
sorry Phebe Ann Is sick. but when It
comes to these flowers she's always
covered Sylvester's grave with, Deco
ration day. | guess there was n great
deal OF 1t for show. II would have
seemed different IL he had been In the
war, but I've thought a good many
times, when I've seen Sylvester's grave
with more flowers on II than any Of
the soldiers, that Phebe Ann had a
little eye to what folks would say. for
all she felt so bad"
Il don't care anything about the
show" said Sarah Cook, but l do
think such an outlay on flowers to put
on a grave Is wicked, when there's
folks that's her own kith and kin In
actual want. It's as much as twenty
years since Sylvester Kemp died, and
there Amt been a year that Phebe
Ann aint laid out dollars on flowers.
I guess IL we'd had the dollars right
here, 1t would have been more to her
credit"
Well. |, amt ever complained nor
begged" rejoined Mrs. Kemp. No
body can say / have. whatever hap
pens. There's the rem money due,
and that new dressmaker has come to
town. and the works falling or, and
| don't know what's goin' to become
Of us, but | amt complained nor
begged"
There's the band" cried Lucy.
II was n very warm day for the sea
son-almost as warm as midsummer.
The Window were wide open. The
two women and the girl leaned their
heads out and listened. They coult
hear far-away music. Two little girls.
with their hands full OF flowers, ran
past.
They're Just forming down at the
town hall" said Lucy. Annie Dole
and Lottie are Just going"
They came over here for flowers
thio n,nrpinu ,,tJ hos ,,ntIn, s.,.J
| told EN- l hadn't any to give. All
| had was lilacs. besides that little
early r~ose-bush. and they'd got all the
lilacs they wanted OF their own, and
there was only Just three roses on that
bush, and | could not bear to cut EN-.
The procession amt coming-the mu-
sic don't sound a mite nearer. II won't
be here for an hour yet"
h three seated themselves and fell
to sewing again. The two older women
swung out their long arms with stern
persistency. Their faces were harsh
and sad, and had a similarity OF fea-
turc as we'll as expression. Lucy, the
young girl, bent weakly over her
work. The roo was full OF the faint
band music, and the perfume Of lilacs
She wished in her heart that she could
put on her best dress and go out with
the other girls, but she said nothing
They sat In the kitchen. The floor was
swept clean. and there was no fire
in the polished cooking-stove: it was
early In the afternoon. Presently
Lucy looked up. Mother" said she
cant ! stop sewing and run outdoors
a minute?"
Where do you want to go?"
Just outdoors a minute"
Lucy was seventeen. but she seemed
like a child In her manner toward hel
mother.
II don't care" said Mrs. Kemp.
Il s'pose the child gets dreadful,
tired sewing the whole time" she sait
to her sister, after Lucy had gone out
Sometimes l feel kind OF worried
about her."
She won't get tired sewing much
longer, nor we. neither. IL we dom
have more work come In" retorted hel
sister, grimly. I'VE amt got q nit,
ahead. We've got to go on the town
for all see" She said town" with Q
s%cornful fear. as II It were an enem,
to whom she must surrender.
II don't s'pose Phebe AIMS husband
will lift his fingers to help US, ever
II she should be taken away, and he
left without a chick nor child in the
world" said Mrs. Kemp.
Phebe AIMS husband was her owl
dead husbands brother. but she never
spoke OF him by his own name.
Il wonder how much Phebe AIMS
husband has got?" said Sarah Cook.
We'll, ! guess he's laid by a little
something. They must have, with nc
family"
"Mebbe he will do something, IL II
ever happens that he amt under any
body else's thumb"
1t won't make any difference now.
He's laid under the thumb so long that
he's all fiattened out OF the shape he
was made In. He used to bow kind OF
sideways behind Phebe AIMS back,