The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-05-29


ion were the easier to bear. And yet it
was hard to have them forget him so
soon.
Jack Bromley had been among the
unidentified dead at San Juan. There
would be no wreath on his unknown
grave today.
Yet he had been Silverton's only hero
of the Spanish war The town had no
militia, but when Jack went to Carson
and joined q regiment there it was not
slow IN taking due credit to itself.
Only Judge Bromley was missing from
the crowd that saw him off at the sta
ton. He had not spoken to his son
since the day he cursed and disinherit-
ed him-the day he married Alice
Chase He could say nothing against
sweet Alice but she was the daughter
of Hanson Chase his enemy, whom
even in death the judge still hated.
When the sad news reached Silver
ton, he gave no sign of grief. He made
no offer of help to the widow and init
mated grimly that government pen
sion would make very good life in
surance. She, poor girl, said proudly
that she would never ask for govern
ment relief. She had sent her husband
forth with a brave smile. Now, when
they told her that he would never come
back, she bowed her head in submis-
sion. His sacrifice and hers had been
accepted. She would fight as bravely
here at home as he on the distant bat
tleted. Only to him had come rest,
while to hero God, the days Of heart
ache and the nights of weeping But
no shadow must fall on Nellie's golden
head. The little mouth must be fed,
so she began to do water color work
for city store.
AT first the work had not seemed
hard, for she was surrounded by an at
mosphere of love and sympathy. Ev-
cry one wanted to help "our hero's"
wife. Charity lost its sting when
cloaked under the tender ministrations
of neighborly affection.
But before this second memorial day
came they had forgotten her. Hero
worship had lost its novelty. Then
Willie Langtry, who had volunteered
for the Philippines, had been brought
home to sleep among his own people.
Here was an actual shrine for devo-
ton.
Those who gave thought to Edith
idly argued that Judge Bromley was
more than able to support his sons
wife and daughter. If she did not ask
him, it 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 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 it died away. The tears, too,
had ceased to fell as mother love
brought comfort to the wounded heart
What If the world had forgotten? She
had Nellie left-Nellie with her ia
theirs 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 mean?
"Kind er surprised to see me, amt
your" he asked. swell, them fools Is
taking things out to the cemetery, and
land | kind er thought twas time l
was doing some decorating myself.
Ford told me the other day how hard
you had to hustle, and 1t struck me 1t
would do a heap more good to deco
rate your pantry bit than to put
flowers on dead mems graves. Them
folks is so took up with dead heroes
they kind er seem to have forgotten
the living ones"
what do you mean" she said.
1T means Just this" he answered