Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-05-25
The "DeseIIas" Decoration Duy
BY nILDA RICHMOND.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Combining business with pleasure,
see," said Addie Forbes, coming into her
grandmother's parlor, where her cousin
Fred sat scribbling away for dear life
with lot of old china before him.
Certainly, Addie. Make hay while
the sun Shines you know. This is the
first vacation L have had for three years.
always meant to write description of
Grandma's china for our paper, SO why
not do 1t now7 1t will take me only mn
hour or two, and cnn get neat little
price for it. Reporters are always on
the lookout for material and this will
work up nicely. Let me see, Grandma,
is this the pitcher the Revolutionary
soldiers used, or the blue one"
Neither one, child" said the old lady,
adjusting her glasses. ut was this big
brown one. My mother brought 1t with
her when they moved to the Western
Reserve in Ohio"
The pencil flew along till Addie grew
impatient. "Well. good-by, Fred. she
said, leaving the room, II came to take
you for a drive, but 1t seems you IRE too
busy"
"Hold on minute, Addie / want the
drive, and will be through in five min
utes."
AS the drove along the smooth road,
enjoying the first breath Of spring, Adj
die said, "If you are always on the look
out for stories for your paper, there is
one that might interest you" pointing
with her whip to huge granite block
in the cemetery.
"Tell me all about it," said the young
man, eagerly.
''I'll give you the skeleton of the story,
and you can clothe it with whatever gar
ments of flesh YOU see Git. To begin
at the beginning, do you remember old
Mr.. Richards?"
lean market, 'qn who was always mourn
saA 0l.15o was killed in the
war course / remember him. Is
he still alive?" -
Yes, he is alive. and quite active, but
his son was not killed in the war. That
is what my story is about. Ten or twelve
years ago the old man went away for
few weeks, and when he came back he
brought his sons body with him. Short
ly after the private funeral at the old
home Mr.. Richards put up that elegant
monument. 1t gives the day and year
Of Joe's death, corresponding to the time
his father went away, but does not give
the place."
Didn't the old gentleman ever say
where he found his SOM"
mo; that is tile odd purt about It.
He never mentions him to any one. In
fact, he always avoids the subject of
war. and you know how he used to spend
all his time talking about it. People say
his son was deserter, and was ashamed
to face his father Mr.. Richards was
always boasting how brave his Joe was
till after he was buried here Every
Decoration Day the grave is literally COW
cred with flowers, but the old soldiers
never 80 near It,"
"W'ho decoratcs it il not the old SOL
diers2'
"Why, his father. You have no idea,
Fred, how that feeble old man looks af-
ter TINT little plot Of ground. suppose
he is afraid folks will suspect tile truth
II he neglects 1t. Rain or shine, lie
faithfully carries flowers to the cemetery
as long us he can find blossom. I'll
venture to say no other deserter was
ever so honored If you want story
of real devotion, you certainly can find 1t
In John Richards"
"Why don't the soldiers decorate it
Just to please llim?" asked Fred, bent on
obtaining aoll the facts.
"Why, they say they will not honor
any man who deserted when his country
was in peril. You ought to hear some of
the veterans. They say it is disgrace
to have the. flag floating over his grave,
and lot Of other things that can't re-
member"
''How do they know he was desert.
err" went on Fred, relentlessly.
"AIy goodness, Fred, l can't give you
every little crook and turn of the story.
Everybody says SO, and it looks very
queer the way he was buried, and ALL
Where did you first hear this story,
Addie? 1t will make a very interesting
one for the paper"
"Old Mrs. Green told it to me when
l was little girl. She said she could
hardly sleep nights thinking of that trail
tor lying In the same cemetery with her
three boys, who had given their lives for
their country" explained Addie. who had
reached the advanced age of seventeen.
Isn't this Mrs. Green's house we are
coming to? Let's stop few minutes
and can ask her NIL the particulars"
Mrs. Green proved to be the very per.
son to supply all the details. She talked
rapidly till she found that her visitor
was writing down ali she said. "What
are you putting in that book" she in.
Quired, pausing in the midst of n graphic
account of what she would do if ever the
deserter's grave was decorated on Memo
rial Day by airy one save his father.
"Oh, simply want to report the facts
in the case to the War Department a,
Washington said Fred, carelessly. an
will be very interesting to them to fine
ont what became of dcserter from the
army"
'For the lands sakc!" screamed Tho
old lady. Don't say that said this tt
you. hain't never really heard tina,
Joe Richards deserted, but folks said il
looked mighty queer. Are they likely tc
send some government man to ask about
it?"
II shouldn't WONDER" said Fred, peck
citing his book. "They certainly ought
to-"
"I'm goin' away on long visit. SO he
won't find me il lie does come. Anyway
never said bit more than the rest OF
the folks around here, so they'll have
to stand it. I'd just like to see old Mrs
Lee in trouble. She's the one that start
ed the story about poor Joe. He was one
of the incest. brightest boys in this part
Of the country before the war, and
can't think he would run away like &
cowardw
'eThe government will DO glad to lool
cp tho matter, and they wont hesitate