The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-05-26
Mrs. Pell's
Decoration Day
EMILY 8. WINDSOR.

Ill EMILY .. WlNOSON. III
BY the aid of the calendar hanging ON
her wall. Mrs. FELL found that there were
fourteen weeks before Decoration day.
She was not an adept ut mental arith-
mctic, so that 1T was quite a lengthy and
laborious piece OF work for her to calcu-
late that if she saved u cents each of those
fourteen weeks, she would have sl.6S.
She had just finished counting it up n
second time in order to be sure that it
was correct, when her ncighbor, Mrs.
Wilkes. from the next room below in the
big tenement house. came in for their
usual evening chat. She was a thin, ner-
vous looking little woman of middle age.
Neither her faded crap hair nor her dress
was tidy. She was a strong contrast 10
Mrs. Pcll. who WAS always neat and clean;
she was much older than Mrs. Wilkes,
too
Most of Mrs. Pcli's days were spent in
Office cleaning. while Mrs. Wilkes time
was wei! filled with washing aud iron
ing.
After they had exchanged their news
of the day, Mrs. Pcli SAID: Would you
think that a body could get a nice lot
of flowers for one dollar and siXty-eight
%centsH"
Sure and I'd think that Il lot of
money to be spendln' in such a way"
answered Mrs. Wilkes. with Il look OF
surprise on her weather-beatcn face.
I'D like it to me more" returned Mrs.
Pcll, but not a cent more than l. cents
a week can ! spare"
I'm sure I'm not KNOWN what your
ta!kin' about" said Mrs. Wilkes. the sur
prise In her face increasing.
I'll be tcllin' you. It's for the graves
OH Decoration day. I've just set my heart
on coverin' EN- with flowers this year.
I've been wantin' to do it every year, but
somethin' always happened TO prevent.
But this year. they're soin' to be there"
OH CALCULATED Mrs. Wilkes.
Yes" went on Mrs. Pcll, I'm feelin'
sure there'l be nothin' to prevent this
year. And it's white roses l want. Teddy
was crazy after en-
She rocked her chair. and hid her face
in her blue Bingham apron.
Mis-. Wilkes could not enter Very deep
Is into her friends feelings. She had
never had any children. and her husband
had been lost at sea so many wears before
that he was now but a dim memory: be-
sides. he had never in life given her any
reason TO mourn his loss.
But she kept respectfully silent until
Mrs. Pell's burst OF grief was over.
Then she said: White roses is nice.
You ought to be gcttin' a lot for so
much money"
Mrs. Pell shook her head. Il don't
know. Flowers is dear"
Mrs. Pell carefully put aside l. cents
each week from her measer earnings.
Every time that she passed a 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 1
must set the finest to he had she would
think.
The prospect of buying those flowers
often formed the subject OF her chats
with Mrs. Wilkes.
To the latter sl.6S seemed an enor-
nous sum to spend III any such Il way.
BE sure that You g"t the worth of
your money" she would say.
'They'vc got TO be 1iue ones" Mrs.
Pell would answer.
Spring had been long in coming that
year, and it was late in May before
the garden rose, began to show their
colors. Mrs. Pell had few opportunities
of seeing any Of these, the tenement in
which she lived being in 4 district where
there was not enough earth room for n
blade of grass to grow. Mrs. Pell. like
many of her n"ighbors, had u few pots
of gcraaiums or her window stills, but they
We're not luXuriant in growth. The all,
close and sunless, was not conducive to
Horticulture. Mrs. Pcil had one" tried TO
raise q white rose, but it had died am carly
death.
Tnon h.r walks Ia and from, her work
were no, IN the ,.sij,nt mar, of me civ
Rut on SUNDAYS whom sha w,s n,t
TOO tircd she w.nt 10 rh,,rch u., way
thithar led mas, many bean,ifu, rardens
one of thern She nartjcu,nrly admired If
was a largo ol6-tashor.nI garden s,,r-
rounding n he.uf;rul old horse There
wore roses and roses PoScs Ginning over
! t]ral,sos md cIaubarinr ,bout mn. broal
yorana, which ran along nm. sid. of mo
ho,,sn
They wore irs; such roses as had arnw-,
ahor, IN. MA. co,n.rv homo 10 which
81 Nod oon. ,s, hr;d, saw no rhicarn
Adv,ncc TN. sieh, of ,,e,n ,nnl, lley
hack ia the ,jovs whar sbr mai henn 81
ha,nv
rhnn b.,, co.,c IA a,,l two v.,o, ,,o-
husband had rctrrnrl ,r,n, ~. wy v.;,b
broken health. TO mend their fortunes
,hev had c[.,nn IN h civ Rmt ,hi,1ss h,d
,-nt f.n n.orco IL $500 -, ~, 80 ."
She and Tc1dy Md s,r,n,,aa ,ione sbs
had ,ool,cd forwar a 10 49, 10, w.,
Teddy would no .akin.. c,,c ar hnr for he
r,.s GOD ,,nv p,, - 49, ~ 80 ~
side his father c.sht ve,rs ,n. How lu,u no
IA In,..l ,ho.n 49,, IL !.
said ma, no wouli h,v. aa /" ~, NJ. ~
-,