The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-07
THE
REMEMBERED
CIR

guess there won't be great show
of flowers on Sylvesters grave this
year." said Sarah Cook Her voice
had certain triumph in it, but it end
ed with decorous sigh.
II guess there won't, either" re-
turned her sister, Mrs. Kemp. "I 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
don't it?" she said, meditatively.
when she's done 50 much every year,
aAa thought so much about it."
~ don't know as I think it's too
bad" said Mrs. Kemp. "Of course I'm,
sorry Phebe Ann is sick, but when 1t
comes to these flowers she's always
covered Sylvester's grave with, Deco
ration day, guess there was great
deal Of it for show. It would have
seemed different If 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 it than any of
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 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 if we'd had the dollars right
here, it would have been more to her
credit"
We'll, I aint ever complained nor
begged" rejoined Mrs. Kemp. "No-
body can say I have, whatever hap
pens There's the rent money due.
anG that new dressmaker has come to
town, and the works falling off, and
l don't know what's goin' to become
of us. but I aint complained nor
begged"
There's the band!" cried Lucy.
1t was very warm day for the sea-
son-almost as warm as midsummer.
The windows were wide open. The
two women and the girl leaned their
heads out and listened. They could
hear far-away music. Two little girls.
with their hands full OF flowers, ran
past.
They're just forming down at the
town hail." said Lucy. Annie Dole
and Lottie are just going"
"They came over here for flowers
this morning" said her mother "and
1 told 'em / hadn't any to give All
l had was lilacs, besides that little
early rosebush, and they'd got all the
lilacs they wanted of their own, and
there was only just three roses on that
bush. and l could not bear to cut 'em.
The procession aint coming-the mu
sic don't sound mite nearer 1t won't
be here for an hour yet"
The 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-
ture as well as expression. Lucy, the
young girl, bent weakly over her
work. The room 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 l stop sewing and run outdoors
a minute?"
Where do you want to goo"
''Just outdoors a minute
Lucy was seventeen, but she seemed
like child in her manner toward her
mother.
II don't care" said Mrs. Kemp.
II s'pose the child gets dreadful
tired sewing the whole time" she said
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. if we don't
have more work come in," retorted her
sister, grimly. we amt got a mite
ahead. We've got to go on the town,
for all I see." She said town" with
scornful fear, as if it were an enemy
to whom she must surrender.
Il don't s'pose Phebe AIMS husband
will lift his fingers to help us. even
if she should be taken away, and he
left without chick nor child in the
world" said Mrs. Kemp.
Phebe AIMS husband was her own
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 little
something. They must have, with no
family!"
,.. ''Mebbe he will do something, if it
pyar haopeDS tbof no o;pr ,,Ear o,,,