The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-29
THE EVENING STORY
WIDOW PL1MproN,s ANSWER
"a Story of Decoration Day.
(R1r Clarisra hfnnlrSoA
lBy CIarissa Mackie.

"a Story OF Decoration Day.
(By Clarissa Mackie)
Gilbert Butler whistled softly as he
strobe along the road that bright May
| morning. When the white gate of
the PImpton farm cleaned in the
distance he paused for a brief instant
and the whistle died away into 81
lence.
She loves mel know she does
It's nothing but sheer contrariness to
keep me dangling aIong-I swear I'll
settle this matter today Or" Gill
bert paused and swallowed hard.
Then his big, brown clenched fist fell
to his side and he resumed his walk.
The widow PIirnpton sat on the
step of the side porch making flower
wreaths. Heaps of yellow eyed
daisies, dark green ivy and box, an
armful of purple lilies, mass of sy
roses which the hot month had fore
ed into flower.
Good morning." said Gilbert But
Ter from the stone wall.
Widow Plimpton raised sweet
face to his; a face framed in dusky
golden brown eyes. Good morning,
Gilberti'' she said gravely.
Going to the cemetery, I see," said
Butler disagreeably.
"Of course-it is Decoration Day."
you go there every Sunday, too"
said Gilbert, quickly.
Anna Plimpton crimsoned indig-
| mainly. "Why shouldn't" she asked
haughtily.
ITS heathenish custom-ain't it
enough that George Plimpton should
have got killed down there in Cuba
| fighting those Spaniards and then to
| be brought home and buried with
military honors, and just because
you're his wilder
Because I am his widow I shall
| continue to express my love and res
pect for his memory by visiting his
grave as often as I please. You must
be very small-minded, Gilbert But
| Ter, to grudge a few flowers to a
Gilbert Redeemed to his ears and his
blue eyes flashed ominously. ST don't
grudge the flowers. Anna" he said
with slow deliberations; but 1t seems
to me If you could spare a little kind
ness to some folks that are alive
meaning myself would make
more real happiness! George, he's
been dead nine years. and 1 been
coming to see you for five of emf
Widow Phmpton rose to her feet
and daintiiy shook the broken leaves
and stems from her white gown. Then
she slipped four wreaths over her
arm and descended the steps.
I'm going to the graveyard now,
Gilbert; will you go with me?" she
asked gently.
At can't" he said almost roughly.
you've not treated me fairly, Anna;
If 1 were dead up there In the grave
yard you'd come and put flowers on
my mound; but just because I'm alive
YOU grudge me one bit of happiness
you have never given me an answer
to that question I asked you!"
Anna Plimpton bit her red lip re-
plectively eff you will go home and
think the matter over quietly, perhaps
you may discover why your question
N, have been answered.
She went out of the gate and dis
appeared up the white path that led
to the cemetery on the hill.
Gilbert started after her with fas--
among the clustering cedars; then
he took her advice and went home.
All that day he wrestled with the
problem. What reason could there
be for A.-na's withholding that long
not industrious, of good habits, pos
sessed of comfortable means and not
i'll looking And there wasn't anoth-
er livil man whom Anna had favor
ed with her smiles--and yet
eft must be because I'm so ALFRED
mean-spirited as to be jealous OF a
dead man. She's seen it right along
and despfsed me for IT."
He sat there an hour and thought
deeply. At last he went into the
house and opened the door of the sit
ting room.
In the square bow-window 1uxur-
Eating in the waning sunlight were
Aunt Heppy's Gala lilies. Twelve state
w plants they were and each one bore
two snowy blossoms-twe in
all. Aunt Heppy had nursed them
tenderly all winter and now-they
were rewarding her care.
Deliberately he drew out his knlfe
and cut the lilies from the plants. AS
he turned away with his arms full of
the long stemmed beauties the door
opened and Aunt Heppy's Mortified
eyes fastened upon him.
"Gilbert Baker! Are you crazy?"
she shrieked.
II guess I am,'' said Gilbert drily.
as he reached into his pocket and
drew forth a five dollar bill i've
got to have these Aunt Heppy-you
seen tho lilies, anyway-you won't
miss EN-"
He was gone and Aunt Heppy sank
into a chair and looked dazediy from
the five dollar bill over to the de-
nuded plants to the window.
For the lands sake-the boys
crazy" she CALCULATED at last tucking
the money away in her pocket
Just as the red sun dipped behind
the high cemetery hill, Gilbert Butter
his arms he held a rude wooden cross
to which he had clumsily tied the Gala
lilies. Some of the snowy bloom was
married by his awkward fingers, but
his patient labor had not been in
vain for at little distance the white
cross shone a lovely symbol
The cemc terry was deserted. Over
in the Plimpton plot he saw glimpse
of purple flowers and slowly made
his way into the space enclosed in a
hedge of arbor vitae
On the low grassy mound were laid
Annals offerings-wreaths of daisies
| and box-syringa and ivy-purple ILL