The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-30
TIE EVENING STORY

~ JON .. O'Connor.)

and hearts OF the American people.
The Honorable Perry Swlnsou sat
down, content in the thought that he
had made a good speech. He knew it
was good speech, because three years
before the Czordonv1Ils herald haa
praised it mightiIy. 1t nad maze even
more OF an mp esston hete III Rer-
nansburg. PerlaansDurg was won 1or
the IaII elections.
1t was their nrst big Memorial day.
Before this the IRE pany ana the
band had lea the way 10 the cemetery,
where simple services had been heAu,
but now one OF the leaQers OF the u
A r. lay beneath the sod Of the little
God Acre, and there were veterans
from town and d company OF regulars
from the post thirty miles away, TO say
nothing Of the Hon. Perry, VINO had
been a lieutenant governor and FAo
hoped to go higher up
His speech had been the event OF
the day, and now, while the people
paused irresoiutes wondering whether
terry, from a knoll in the rear Of the
speakers stand there came the Tong
drawn wall Of TAPS" followed by the
salute of the firing squad.
At the first note of the bugle Jessie
Chalmers started. Ever since the ar
rival of the procession she had been
Obvious to what was going on around
her.
Somehow the sight Of the soldiers
had brought back to her more sharply
than ever thoughts OF Ned Willard He
had gone to the Philippines, and she
was wondering if, perhaps he, too. was
not one of those for whom the services
we're being held; If he, too, were not
sleeping under the earth, with tiny
flag to show that he had given his life
for his country.
Now the sound Of the bugle reused
her. 1t was as If Ned had spoken her
name. His fathers old cavalry bugle
had been Ned's only boyish toy, and
back in the old days she has listened
for the morning greeting sounded
across the fields. It could not be Ned
playing; he was in the Philippines, and
yet the familiar strains sounded so like
his goodnight to her. He had always
sounded the bugIe as a sign that all
was we'll on those nights when he
could not come over-tnat was, until
the trouble had come.
1t had all been very silly and child
ish yet it had angered her that ever.
while she was away he should have
taken Della Bryant to the circus She
had sent him back his ring, and had
told him that she did not want to SCI
him again.
visit in the fall they told her that he
had gone to the city, and later she hac
heard that he had enlisted for service
in the east.
Then his mother had died. the let
ters had stopped, and no more was
heard of him She wondered if. per-
haps, this were not his farewell to her,
whether some Moro bolo had not laid
him low, and he was sending her his
farewell through the bugle tones
It moved her strangely She was not
superstitious, as a rule. but there
seemed to be something in the wailing
tones that was a call, and she slipped
from her seat in front of the stand ana
wandered toward the knoll whence the
bugler had sounded the goodnight
call.
The soldiers were standing at ease
behind the speakers stand, but down
one of the grassy paths came a lieu
tenant and the firing squad, with the
bugler marching behind. She stepped
into a side path to permit them to re-
join the company, but as they passed
one of the men stepped from the
ranks, and before she realized what
had happened he had grasped her
hand.
Don't you know me. Jessie p he
cried. Am I so much changed -
She glanced into the white face. 81
thought you were dead" she stam~
mered. Somehow that bugle call
seemed to tell me that you were dead
and were sending me farewell"
Not a bit of it" he laughed. 81
don't look dead. do I? 1 know I don't
look so very much alive, but that is
because I am only lately out of the
hospital"
''Then you were hurt?" she cried. "I
knew that something had happened to
you.
at was not much" he protested
awkwardly. But I had to come home
for a while The fever got me after
became convalescent, and the surgeon
thought I had better come back. l was
transferred to a regiment that was
h at the ri
Come along. Willard, your girls
wants you" cried one of the soldiers as
he passed them. Jessie started. Ranks
had been broken and the men were
to help the flower commit
tee.
''Will you meet me by the stand in
half an hour?" he asked eagerly.
Jessie nodded. He touched his cap
ssCome along, Willard. your girl
who seemed to be waiting for him. !
With wet eyes, Jessie hurried from the I
cemetery.
For moment, It had seemed that
all would be well now that Ned was /
back, but even in the instant of her
happiness there had come the knowl-
edge that he had sweetheart.
She hurried to the little room where /
she made her home and threw herself
sobbing on the bed.
What did she care if he expected to /
see her again? She could not face him
40Q let MIN see that she sun cared.
She could not meet that other girl, to
be introduced, and perhaps remem-
oered by her, as Ned's old sweetheart
She could only sob her heart out int0
he pillow and wonder miserably why
the ever had been born.
After q while there came the taps Of
he drum as the soldiers passed, re-
urning from the cemetery. She knew
hey were to be entertained By the
Auxiliary of the G. A. R. She did noe
90 to the window to-see them, but
stopped her ears with her fingers ana
ried to shut out the sound. Then
here came a rufF7e OF the drums and
he flies piped up s'The Girl Left Be-
lind Me-
It seemed almost like a MESSAGE
his gay marching piece. She was the
yirl left behind It was her own fault
out this only made it the harder to
bear.
Then there came a rap at the door