Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-05-25
Mrs. Pell's
Decoration Day
EMILY $. WINDSOR.

metic. so that 1t was quite lengthy and
hborious piece OF work for her to calcu-
hate that II she saved II cents each of those
fourteen weeks, She would have $lis.
She had Just finished counting 1t up a
second time in order to be sure that II
was correct. when her neighbor. Mrs
Wilkes. from the next room below in the
big tenement house. came IN for their
usual evening chat. She was thin, ner-
vous looking little woman OF middle age.
Neither her faded crap hair nor her dress
was tidy. She was a strong contrast to
Mrs Pell, who WAS always neat and clean.
she was much older than Mrs. Wilkes,
too
Most of Mrs Pel's days were spent in
office cleaning while Mrs. Wilkes time
WAS we'll filled with washing and iron
ins
After they had exchanged their news
of the day Mrs Pell said: Would you
think that a body could ge, a nice lot
OF flowers for one dollar and sixty eight
cents"
Sure and I'd think that lot of
money 10 be spendin In such a way,
answered Mrs. Wilkes. with look of
surprise on her weatherbeaten face.
I'd like Ii to me more. returned Mrs
Pcll. but no; u cent more than u cents
a week can | spare.
I'm sure LIN not KNOWN what your
tslkn about said Mrs. Wilkes. the sur
prise in her face increasing.
"l'll be ,elln' YOU. lis for the graves
on Decoration day. We just set my heart
on GOVERN EN- with flowers this year
I've been wantin' 10 do IL every Year. but
somethin always happened TO prevent
But this year, they're goin' to be there.
oh" CALCULATED Mrs. wilkes.
Yes. Went on Mrs. Pe!l I'm feelln
there!l be nothin to proven, this
year. And ii white roses l want. Teddy
Was crazy after en-
She rocked her chair. and hid her face
in her blue Bingham apron.
Mrs, Wilkes could not enter very deep
ly INTO her friends feelings. She had
never had any children, and her husband
had been lost at sea 50 many years before
that he was now but a dim memory be
sides. he had never IN HE given her any
reason to mourn his loss.
But she kept respectfully silent until
Mrs. Pells burst of grief was over.
Then she said: White roses Is nice.
You ought TO be settin d lot Tor SO
much money.
Mrs Pell shook her head, II don't
know. Flowers is dear
Mrs Pei! carefully put aside II cents
each week from her measer earnings.
Every time that she passed u florists
window on her way to work. she would
stop and look at the flowers displayed.
and try to decide which window contained
the most beautiful white roses. For l
must get The finest to be had" she would
think.
The prospect OF buying those flowers
often formed the subject OF her chats |
with Mrs Wilkes.
To the latter sl.Ss seemed an enor-
nous sum 10 spend in any such a way.
BE sure that you get the worth of
your money" she would say
They've got to be fine ones" Mrs,
Pell would answer.
Spring had been long In coming that
year, and ii was late in May before
the garden roses began to show their
colors Mrs. Pell had few opportunities
OF seeing any of these the tenement in
which she lived being in a district where
there Was not enough earth room for
blade OF grass to grow. Mrs pell like
many Of her neighbors, had a few pots
of geran!ums on her window stills, but they
were not luxuriant in growth. The air.
close and sunless WAS not conducive to
Horticulture. Mrs Pell had once tried to
rais. white rose, but 1t had died early
death
Then her walks to and from her work
were not in the resident part of the city.
But on Sundays when she was not
too tired, she went 10 church Her way
th,ther led past many beautiful gardens.
One OF them she particularly admired. Ii
WAS large, old-fashioned garden sur
rounding d beautiful old house. There
were roses and roses. Roses climbing over
tlellises. and clambering about the broad
veranda which ran along the side of the
house
They were just such roses as had grown
about the little country home to which
she had gone as bride says the Chicago
Advance The sight of them took her
back 10 the days when she had been SO
happy
Then had come the dark time when her
husband had returned from the war with
broken health. To mend their fortunes
they mad come 10 the city But things had
po;t4n worse. Her husband mad soon died
She and Teddy had struggled alone She
had looked forward to the day when
Teddy would be taking care of her. for he
was a good boy. But he had been laid be-
sid. mis- father eight wears ago How h,.
mad loved those roses He had often
said tina, he would have a garden fun of
them when he was man He would be
man now il he We're living.
The Sunday before Decoration Mrs Pell
went to church and returned by way of
her favorIte garden She stop,.d ia look
al the v hite roses. There we're such n,,an-
titles of them. The air was filled with
their fragrance How she wished that she
could have enough o! them to cover her
graves, Somehow, they seemed sweeter
than the. toweis at the florists
The day before Decoration day came.
Mrs Pen had gone much sooner th.n ,s
ual 10 her work and by hurryirp :, great
deal. had been able 10 return HON. IA, A
instead Of E her usual hour.
IL Was her plan TO nut on her hest clo,h.s
and then 20 10 tbs. florists and So. ect and
order her fiowers. Sin. woul1 can f,,r
them early the next morning. and take