Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-05-27
! The DeSeIIeI'S" DeCOIQIl0l boy
BY HlLDA RICHMOND.

~-~N~O~-NANANN~~N~~
Combining business with pleasure, I
sse," said Addie Forbes, coming into her
grandmother's parlor, where her cousin
fred sat scribbling away for dear life
with q lot Of old china before him.
Certainly, Addie. Make hay while
che sun Shines you know. This Is the
arst vacation l have had for three years.
I always meant to write description of
Grandma's china for our paper, SO why
aot do it now2 It will take me only an
hour or two, and l can get a neat little
price for it Reporters are always on
ths lookout for material, and this will
work up nicely. Let me see, Grandma,
Is this the pitcher the Revolutionary
soldiers used, or the blue oneW
Neither one, child" said the old lady,
adjusting her glasses. at was this big
brown one. My mother brought it with
Aer 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, ~ came to take
you for a drive, but it seems you are too
busy"
Hold on minute, Addie. want the
utes-"
AS the drove along the smooth road,
enjoying the first breath of spring, Ad-
die said, eff you are always on the look
cut for stories for your paper, there is
one that might interest you," pointing
with her whip to a huge granite block
IN the cemetery.
''Tel me all about it." said the young
man, eagerly.
'I'I give you the skeleton Of the story,
and you can clothe it with whatever gar
ments of flesh you see fit To begin
at the beginning, do you remember old
Mr.. Richards?
1.-THE old man who was always mourn
ing for his son who was killed in the
war? OF course l remember him. Is
Ae still aliye?'
Eyes, 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 q
few weeks, and when he came back he
Drought his sons body with him. Short
y 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
che place"
Didn't the old gentleman ever say
where he found his SOM"
mo; that is the odd part about It
Ne never mentions him to any one. In
2act, 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 a deserter, and was ashamed
20 face his father. Mr. Richards was
always boasting how brave his Joe was
ill after he was buried here. Every
Decoration Day the grave is literally COW
cred with flowers, but the old soldiers
aever go near it,
"Who decorates it If not the old sol
aiers?'
"Why, his father. You have no idea,
fred, how that feeble old man looks af-
ser that little plot of ground. I suppose
40 is afraid folks will suspect the truth
* he neglects it. Rain or shine, he
faithfully carries flowers to the cemetery
as long as he can find blossom. I'll
venture to say no other deserter was
sver so honored. If you want a story
Of real devotion, you certainly can find 1t
IN John Richards"
"Why don't the soldiers decorate It
lust to please him." 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
shs veterans. They say it Is a disgrace
90 have the flag floating over his grave,
a d lot Of other things that l can't re-
member"
How do they know he was a desert
orr" went on Fred, relentlessly.
MY goodness, Fred, I 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,
Adder It will make a very interesting
enc for the paper"
"Old Mrs. Green told 1t to me when
j was a 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 tot Let's stop a few minutes
and can ask her all the particulars"
MrA Green proved to be the very per
Son 30 supply all the details. She talked