The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-05-29

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arms the slim little white figure flying
down the stairs.
You shall help me, my p~recious,"
she promised. And she touseled the
clustering curls or the dark little head
and pressed with her own the rosy lips
that were ripe for kisses. Breakfast
over, the two settled to work, for
ROsine had decided views of her OWL
as to the relative merits of set de-
signs In contradiction to the prefer
ence Of Miss Charters for less formal
symbols. And all the time the hazel
eyes sparkled and the restless little
tongue talked trippingly on.
You have to work awful hard, don't
you, Auntie Jean? Did you get BilIie's
mothers dress done? Did Billie come
for it? I'd like Billie-if he wasn't
freckled. Nora says you used to be
rich. She says you lived in that big
stone house with the fountain in the
yard. She says my mamma was rich,
too, until after my papa Went away
and left her. And Their she came to
live in this little weeny house with
you. And then God wanted her. What
made you and my mamm get poor?
And why doesn't my papa come back?
And why wouldn't God let my mamma
stay here? And does she know when
we put all these pretty flowers on her
g~raye?"
"a for tho two in thu hrJohf f++1o
room, plain to severity save for its
books and green things growing" and
air Of i~ndefnable refinement, the per
feet day wore on. If now and then
Jeans sweet face paled and her sensi-
tive lips %quivered. these the absorbed
little maiden did not notice at all.
How should a prattling child, busy
with a wreath; dream that her words
might wound?
They stood at the gate to see the
procession wind blythe hobbling vet
Grams, the women Of the Relief Corps,
the t~ownspeople in vehicles and afoot,
the uniformed band, the excited chill
dren running at either side. But the
sun had gone down in a splendOr or
scarlet and gold, the streets were be
ing fast deserted, and all the air was
still stepped in amber b~rilliance, When
Jean Charters and the little girl car
ried their treasures between them up
the green velvet sWard Of that sIoplng
hill, sacred to silence and to sweet,
safe slumber.
The grave yard knew now no pres
ence save their oWn On several
graves were fiags-on the greater
number flowers. But some were bare
of bloom. And from one to another
of these the late-COmers moved, leaV-
, ing some sprays on each. Then they
sought a certain corner, where a sim
nle stone recorded briefly a young
wife's death.
"You shall place them ALL said
lean Charters. She gave Roslne the
basket, and stood leaning against the
marble shaft, her black, trailing gown
outlining her slender form, her heao
dreaming AS though in WEAKNESS.
With unconscious elatlon the cHII"
wont sbout her task. And atar IN the
road Billie watched her. Billie SUN
in his best Sunday suit. tortured by
new shoes. agonized by an onaccuS-
+omad COLLAR. So absorbed was he IN
following every movement or MS ldol
he did not hear the step a~pproacnlhs'
ua turned with a hasty exclamation
~ q touch on his shoulder-turned ="
front a man who was decidedly q
stranger. -
The latter pointed to the dark figure
by the stone.
who" he asked, "is that?"
"Thats Miss Charters. she hVes
:, the little old Chiffon cottage now.
She makes dresses"
"Mv Cod" the mar murnlureu'
"uas It come to this with Jean!
Conscious of the boys sharp scrut-
inv the man took from his pocket Two
niaces OF metal-one brass, n silver
"uare take these down to the
,cor+ Give him the check and tell
him to send my trunk to the hotei' iou
NAV keep the dollar!
billie grabbed the money and slmul-
generously uttered a yell.
"Ro-sine!" He was valiant ehous,
:, this p~lutocratic hour. "Ro-sine!
Come on, I'm goin' to buy candy!
A final placing Of the last wreath,
an eager question, an answering huu
go the bowed head-then the chlIu
was fying toward the road through the
maIlnwine radiance of the fading light
shouting questions to Billie as she
oane Something in the sklmmlns
e,aht at the agile little body, In her