The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-05-25
Mrs. Pell's
Decoration Day

| by the att OF tho caicnudf hanging OF
her wall. Mrs. Pcii found that there were
fourteen weeks before Decoration day.
She was not an adept ut mental arith
metlc. so that u was quite a lengthy ane
laborious piece OF work for her 10 calcu
late that IL she saved " cents each Of thos,
fourteen weeks. she would have Si.ss
She had just finished counting Il up a
second time In order TO be sure that u
was correct. when her neighbor. Mrs
Wilkes. from the ncxt room below tn tho
big tenement house. came In for theii
usual evening chat. She was a thin. ncr.
vous looking little woman OF middle age
Neither her faded crap hair nor her dress
| was tidy. She was strong contrast Il
Mrs. Pcii. who was always neat and clean
she was much older than Airs. wilkes
too
Most OF Mrs Pcii's days were spent In
office cleaning. while Mrs. wilkes time
was well filled with washing and iron
ting.
After they had exchanged their news
OF the day. Mrs. Pcll said: Would you
OF flowers for one dollar and sixty-clghi
ccnis.''
Sur, and I'd think that a lot OF
money to be sp.ndin' In sach n way
| answered Mrs. Wilkes. with n look Of
surpris. on her weather beaten face.
I'D like Il TO mc more" returned Mrs.
Pcll. but not a cent more than IL cents
a week can ! spare"
I'm sure I'm not KNOWN what your
tsikin' about" said Mrs Wilkes. the sur
prise In her face increasing.
''fll be tclliu' you. It's for tho graves
on Decoration day. I've Just set my heart
| on GOVERN 'cm with flowers this year.
I've been wantin' To 10 u every year. but
, somcthin' always happened to prevent.
But this year. they're goin' TO be there g
OH circulated Mrs. wilkes.
Yes" went on Mrs Pcll. I'm feclin'
sure therc'll be nothin' to prevent this
was crazy after en-
She rocked her chair. and hid her face
In her blue Bingham apron.
| Mrs. Wilkes could not enter very deep
/ ~ into her friends feelings. she had
never had any children, ahd her husba nd
had been lost az sea so many years before
that ne was now but a dim memory. be-
sides. he had never In life given her any
| reason 10 mourn hts loss.
hut she kept respectfully silent until
Mrs. Pcll's burst OF grief was over.
Then she said: white roses IL nice.
You ought 10 be gc,tln' lot for 30
| much money"
I Mira Prl shook her head. Il don't
know. Flowers Is dear
| Mrs Pcil carefully put aside Il cents
each week from her mcagcr earnings.
Every time that she passed a florist
window on her way to work. she would
s,1p and look at the flowers displayed.
aud try TO decide which window contained
| the most beautiful white roses. For
.nust get the finest 10 be had" she would
think.
The prospect Of buying those flowers
often formed the subJcc; Ut her chats
with Mrs Wilkes.
To the latter S.GS seemed an cnor-
nous sum 10 spend Ia any such "a way.
he sure that you get the worth Of
I your money" she would say
They've got ~ DO nuc ones" Mrs.
/ Pcll would answer.
Spring had bcrn long In coming that
/ year and IL was late Ia May before
the garden roses began TO show their
colors. Ars. Pcil had few opportunities
OF seeing any OF these. the tenement In
which she lived being In q district where
there was not enough earth room for a
blade OF grass TO grow. Mrs Fc!l. Ike
many OF her r"!ghAors. had few pots
/ u gcranlums on hvs window sllls but they
were not luxUr;aut la growth. The air.
/ close aud sunless was not conducive 10
I Horticulture Mrs Pc,l had once tried 10
I raise white rose. but IL had died an carly
death
Then her walks 10 and from her work
we're rot ~ the resilient part OF the city.
| Bui on Sundays. Nhcu che was No,
| too tired. she went TO church. Her way
/ ihiihcr led past many beautiful gardens.
I one OF thcrl she particularly admired. II
was a Large. old-fashiouvd garden sur
| .ounding beautiful old house. There
were roses and roses. Roses climbing over
| ,rcliisc~. aEd clsmberirs about the broad
! .oraDda which ran along the side Of the
/ house.
They were jrs; such roscs as had grown
about the llii!c country home To whlcn
/ she had gOn, IS a br.dr. says the Chicago
! Advance. The sight % theta took her
back 20 the days whc5 shc had been SO
I happy.
Then had come the dark tire when her
7 husband had returned from the war with
broken hcaltl. To mend their fortunes
! they had come 20 the city. But things had
gotten worse. Her husband had soon died.
she and TEDDY had struggled alone. She
had looked forward 10 the day when
Teddy would Dc ;akinS care OF her. for he
was a good boy. But h. hal BEEN laid be-
side his father eight years ago. How he
had loved those roses. lie had often
said that he would have n garden run OF
them when he was man. lie would be
"A man now " ne ScF" living
The Sunday before Dccora ion Mrs. Pcll
went TO church ard returned by way OF
her flyoritc garden. She stopped TO look
at the white roses. There were such guam
titles OF them. The afr was filled with
their fragrance. How she ~shed that The
could have enough OF them 10 cover her
graves, Somehow. they seemed swcc;cr
than the flowers At the florists
The day before Decoration day came.
Mrs Pcii had gone much sooner than us
ual 20 her work. and by hurrying a great
deal. had been able 10 return home at 4
instead OF s. her usual hour.
1t was her plan 20 put on her best clothes
and then go 10 the florists and select and
order her towers. She would call Tor
them early the next morning and take
them 20 the cemetery. The day was 20 hc
a holiday
She had Jus, unlocked her door. and
81 erred her room. when Mrs. w!lkca came
in. Her eyes were swollen from crying.
Sure. and whats the natter" cried
Mrs Pell.
ITS SAIL. She's sick. and going TO lite.
The woman that's been takin' care OF her
wrote 20 tel. me. And she wants TO see me
once more"
Well. sure and yog'll be agoln." said
Mrs Pc.l.
Airs. Wilkes burst Into tears. Tvs that
I'm fcglin' so bad About IL costs a. Il,