The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-05-26

thing for long time. but l don't know
that l ought"
''Certainly you may. What is it,"
will you tell me whose grave you
visit so much. and on which you al
ways put such lovely flowers Decora-
ton day."
You will be surprised my dear
when 1 tell you that l do rot know
1t is an unknown grave. but all
needed to know was that he was a
soldier When did you say Ralph was
coming?"
Not till eleven"
Then come into the sitting-room
where it is cool, and let me tell you a
bit of my own life. Somehow. | feel
just like it this morning"
They laid down their flowers and
enjoyed the restfulness of the cozy
room.
I'm going to lie down." said Aunt
Ruth, land you bring the hassock and
sit right beside me, and let me tell
you what is in my heart.
When you came in this morning SO
happy and light-hearted, my thoughts
flew back 80 years. when / was
about your age, and had just as much
to make me happy as you have now
| was engaged to noble man, and
strangely enough, his name was
Ralph, too. He was a lawyer, and his
fine mind gave promise of a brilliant
career. We were to have been mar
ried in the spring Of 49, but when the
war broke out his oountry's call ap-
pealed to his noblest manhood He
didn't say much at first. but l knew
that the only obstacle in the way of
his enlisting was the pain it would
give me. He was perfectly we'll and
strong, an added reason for his go
ing. All. we'll do l remember the
night We settled it! How earnestly
and tenderly he talked about it. In
a few days he was gone. 1t took more
courage than l then thought to make
that sacrifice. but my sense of duty to
country would not allow me to with
hold the word. He joined the Fiji
tieth New York volunteer engineers,
company G.. and at first had an easy
time. The letters were bright and
CHEEKY and full of enthusiasm. so that
after time l grew less anxious and
more and more glad that he went.
But there came day when the regu-
lar letter failed. and a week passed;
and another. and another, and finally
one came in an unfamiliar hand and
told the story l so much feared. They
thought he vas killed in the battle of
Gettysburg, in the desperate charge
at the Bloody Angle where so many
brave men on both sides gave I'D their
lives, but Giligent search brought
nothing more definite | sometimes
wonder how l have lived through all
these long 80 years. but you know
we poor mortals can endure more
than we think. l have much that is
pleasant to look back upon, and much
in the future to dream of. And now,
about that lonely grave. He was a SOL
der, too, and there was no one to
care for him, so / love to place nv
flowers there, and cannot help feeling
that perhaps another is doing the
same for Ralph"
A whistle interrupted the story, and
Antoinette stopped to kiss the dear
old lady, and in a moment was gone.
Late that afternoon. after Anton.
cites class had gone and the cemetery
was quite deserted. Ralph and An
toinette fingered at little distance
from that grave. quite unobserved by
Aunt Ruth, and watched her arrange
the flowers.
do you know" said Ralph, 81
never saw anything more pathetic.
The men who enlisted and fought
with courage and fearlessness were
indeed brave heroes. but not an atom
more heroic than the women who gave
their husbands and sons and lovers ia
die for their country. and have lived
on. year. after year. bravely and cheer
fully hiding their loneliness and heart
ache behind happy face. All honor
| to them!"-Farmers' Review.