Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-12-17
Noel! Noel!
A Cemetery Christmas Tree

Sam, the foreman of the workmen at
the cemetery, had often noticed the
little boy and girl coming in at the
lower gate, and walking, with geomet-
rical directness, to lot that held
two graves in the cheaper part of the
grounds.
They was such old-fashioned little
kids" he said to us, when telling the
story, that | kept wondering who
they was, and more than once l fol-
lowed them to see if l could remem-
Der who was buried where they went.
But there are no stones down there,
and, somehow, couldn't ask them
about themselves-like l would almost
any other child ever see here
When we saw them that was the
one thing that struck us in their
faces; they were so very 'old-fash-
ioned;" so mature. They were dressed
as children of the poorer workingmen
might be, but were neat and clean.
The boy was probably 7, and the
girl year Ca so younger, but children
of twice the age do not show more
maturity IL their faces. After Sam
had shown us the graves that they
visited, we began to take an interest
there, and frequently walked to that
locality to see what the children had
done
At one time we saw some sickly
eli Of "a, ;afn flo
graves, and, strange to say, two of
these took root, and later grew into
handsome plants. Another time a
bunch of dandelions was found at the
head of the mounds, and slips of
some plants that, Sam told us, they
had found near a thrifty plat and
asked him if they might have
Even then" said he, 81 couldn't
ask them about themselves, they
seemed so sad like and so shut up to
their own affairs"
Once we had a few plants that we
could spare, and it occurred to us that
we would surprise the two children by
placing them over their loved ones;
but we were not near when they dis
covered them. We saw that the plants
had been well cared for, however.
So it went on through the summer
and through the autumn; during the
luxuriant months of flowers and the
time of changing foliage; our interest
growing in the two mounds, one
that of an adult, and the other of a
very small child, until it came to the
season of unpleasant weather.
If we did no feel like visiting their
lot we were tolerably sure to meet
Sam, and he generally had q word to
say about the two little kids" They
were faithful, he said, in spite of the
cold and the rain, and what he told of
their devotion often put US to the
blush.
There amt no Sunday so cold but
which they come here" said Sam;
and you'd think that boy was a
grandfather, if you saw him tucking
up that sister of his"
Does no enc else ever come with
them?"
mot a soul; just them two; it's
their mother and little baby that's
buried over there. They live half a
mile from here with a grandmother.
and she is out at work most of the
time, so they Just take most OF the
care of themselves.
Where is their father?"
HE is on the lakes all summer, and
picks up odd jobs in winter; he's
not bad fellow at all'
After receiving this information we
were more interested than ever in the
two little ones, but now never saw
them in the cemetery when we were
there
On the day before Christmas we
were very late in carrying our
wreaths of evergreen to the little
marbles that mark the silent homes OF
our little ones, and were hurrying
from the cemetery, to catch the next
car, when Sam came to US with a
face full of news.
Were we in great hurry?
No; not if there was any reason for
staying.
q wish you'd go down to the grave
Of those little kids mother: if you
amt taxi back I'll jump the town"
AS we walked down he vent on with
his story
I'VE cut down a scrubby hemlcck
tree in the farther corner of the GENE