Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1903-05-28

mospnere or love ana sympathy. Nv
cry one wanted to help 'our hero's''
wife. Charity lost its sting when
cloaked under the tender ministrati0ns
of neighbOrly affection.
But before this second memorial day
came they had forgotten her. Hero
worship had lost Its novelty. Then
While Langtry, who had volunteered
for the Philippines. had been brought
home to sleep among his own people.
Here was an actual shrine for devo-
tion.
Those who gave thought to Edith
idly argued that Judge Bromley was
more than able to support his sons
wife and daughter. III she did not ask
him, 1t was no affair OF theirs.
She did not ask either from him or
any man. Pride had prompted her In
dependent words in the first days OF
her bereavement, and now. when she
found the struggle almost beyond her
strength, pride closed her lips. So she
worked silently at the decorative work
furnished her by the father Of an old
school friend. The house was Jacks,
and this insured her n home. Her work
paid for the rest. Only Ford, the Civ
er. knew how pitifully small the rest
was, and Ford well, there was only
one man Ford told.
The music grew fainter as the pro
cession moved on to the cemetery.
Finally 1t died away. The tears. too.
had ceased to fall as mother love
brought comfort to the wounded heart
What IL the world had forgotten? She
had Nellie left Nellie with her IA
ther's bonny blue eyes and crisp curls.
Suddenly she started up in surprise.
The Bromley farm wagon stood at the
gate, and the judge himself was hitch
Ing the horse. What could 1t mean7
"ISind er surprised to see me, ain't
your" he asked "Well, them fools is
taking things out to the cemetery, and
and 7 kind er thought twas time
was doing some decorating myself.
Ford told me the other day how hard
you had to hustle, and Ii struck me 1t
would do heap more good to deco
rate your pantry bit than to put
flowers on dead mems graves. Them
folks is 90 took up with dead heroes
they kind er seem to have forgotten
the living ones"
ssWhat do you mean?" she said.
s'It means Just this he answered
stoutly: "Your pa and me weren't
friends, and took II hard that John
should have married you. But you've
made good fight since. and I'm proud
OF your pluck. Ii you'll forgive an
old man, why Why His voice was
choked, but his open arms were more
eloquent than words.
She paused irresoluteIy. but only FOR
Il moment Then she stepped forward
quietly, and his arnss closed around
her. AS his beardc<N cheek rested
against hers he caught the whisper,
''For Jacks sake" and knew that
through the dead the living had been
united.
When the supplies were put away,
the two sat In the little parlor. AS his
big, brown hand closed over hers he
told her how his heart had yearned to
share his grief with her, but how
pride had held him back till Ford's
tale OF her priyations bad conquered
his stubbornness. Hot tears rolled
down his cheeks. and 1t was the girls
tender voice that comforted.
Again the music sounded the parade
was coming back and the whistle Of
the afternoon train added It's shrill
notes to the familiar air OF Marching
Through Georgia" But the two on
the big sofa had ears only for a lost
voice
Little Nellie, playing happily on the
porch, heard the music stop short and
burst Of cheering 90 up. Then the
band struck up again, but IT. could not
drown the cheers. Then down the
street they came the Horizon hose,
the Rescue hook and ladder, the Grand
Army veterans and the Masons. Nellie
came flying into the parlor, with cries
OF +Comel Gomez and the two re-