Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-10-27

were no more customers coming to the
Bent house. the old Hill homestead
Aunt Judith hustled about helping the
maid of all work. the while keeping
n covert watch upon her niece. After
q little she said. speaking half medi
tativcly:
"Comc Oh up In the garret, Melissa
A rainy day like this always makes
Inc want to rummage. Besides, I've got
to get out the flags. Well put one
right on the peak of the porch and the
other over the front door. OF course
nobody'l see 'em. Even this town
won't turn out in face OF such storm,
but Just can't let the day pass same
as any other. Even If the flags do get
spoiled we can afford to buy new
ones"
"Yes," Melissa said absently, but
don't feel like runmaging. Aunt Ju.
think I'll so write some letters in
stead, if you don't mind"
Him! Who to-" Mrs. Bent asked
sharply.
Melissa smiled wistfully. LIZARD
ly know" she Said. Maybe l shan't
write any-only sit and sew. It's
about all l can do. l think there will
be no getting out today"
"There won't be- Take care of your
self. Don't NOPE" Mrs. Bent said,
hustling away.
Melissa went softly to her own room,
opened her desk and swiftly wrote
three lines. Then she huddled into
her waterproof and stole out very
softly with what she had written
tucked safely in her breast. She crept
through the garden. longing, yet not
daring, to take the best of it's bloom,
darted through the gate and almost
ran to the cemetery.
On the way she stopped here or
there to pluck roadside blossoms
white clover, folded dandelions, big,
blue. scentless violets. All these she
bound into a knot with a blade Of
grass. 1t was not big knot. 1t
would hardly show In the long grass
over sunny grave.
AS she bent at last to lay it on the
grave she thrust into 1t the note. Then,
without backward look, she hurried
away. In little while she was home
again, with her absence undiscovered.
She sat down by the window, but her
eyes were no longer dim. Instead
they looked .out at the rainy world,
bright and full of expectant hope.
John Faring Sd had come home for
Memorial day and in spite of the
storm went out to the cemetery. The
post had come and gone-all the old
fellows in carriages heaped with flow
ers-but somehow the graves did not
look as he remembered them. The
flowers We're bumped and Jumped and
straggly. Private John Faring had
not been forgotten, but his resting
place especially was unlike itself. John
Sd knelt down by it, needless of oozy
turf, and tried with mannish awk-
wardness to better It's arrangement
Thus his eyes rested upon the knot of
wild flowers and caught the dull gleam
of sodden paper in the midst of them
Reverently he unfolded the note and
read with blurred vision:
Dear Uncle John-I bring you all can
this year. Aunt Ju owns the flowers
and she hates your name. But love it.
John Faring is the best name in the
world. l wish my name might be Faring.
There was no signature. John Sd
needed none. He bent and kissed the
knot Of flowers, still fresh under the
pouring rain, then, with an unuttered
prayer, turned about and went with
long strides toward the Bent house.
Melissa had called to him. He would
go to her in spite of pride, in spite of
unmanly fear. What II the world did
scoff? He could endure it q hundred
times over just to look once again into
her eyes and see happiness. He had
been coward, no kin at all to the
soldier sleeping there in peace, to
have let the quarrel of the elders sep
arate him from his sweetheart-his
sweetheart-doubly dear in that she
had shown herself thus brave
Melissa met him on the porch. The
wet flag bravely strove to futter in
the rainy wind over their heads. For
n minute they stood apart. looking
one at the other Then John held open
his arms, saying:
Darling, | found the letter, and
am never going to leave you unless
you say l must"
Il say you must stay" Melissa said
under her breath and hiding her face
in his breast.