The Caucasian., 1911-05-28

chairs and shifting of positions. Some
Of the lady managers bit their lips
hard to keep back the tears. A hand
kerchief or two appeared.
IT'S the saddest sight you ever
would want to see." continued Mrs
Walker. shaking her head refiectively.
Eloquent silence peryaded the room
And so the meeting of the board Of
lady managers of the Old Peoples
home came to nought so far as the
discipline of its gentle old resident
was concerned.
Tomorrow being Memorial day. 1t
will be hard on him. 1t always is,"
went on Mrs. Walker. having entirely
forgotten the destructive nail driving
in her sympathy for the wayward in
mate.
Does he go out with the Grand
Army post?" queried Mrs. Banks.
He used to. but he hasn't been for
the last two years. He's too feeble to
walk. and somehow or other-maybe
because he's poor-they forget to send
q carriage for him. I'm glad we don't
happen to have more than one old sol
der In the home on Memorial day.
It's enough to break your heart to see
old Mr.. Prentice"
Mrs Banks rose in dismissal Of the
meeting. Don't say anything to him
about the nails" she said aside to
Mrs. Walker. ''at any rate. MT until
after tomorrow" She was wiping her
eyes.
The moist eyed lady managers filed
out of the parIor, crossed the bare and
unhomelike corridor and entered the
institutional appearing dining room to
take tea with the inmates. As the 9th
ers sauntered slowly along Mrs. Banks
paused and looked around as II In
search Of some one.
Where is Miss GiIlespie?" she asked
of an attendant.
"Oh. she went with old Mrs. Bowler
to see Mr. Prentice's pictures They
are coming now," replied the maid. in
dicating.
Mrs. Banks turned and saw Mr..
Prentice and Miss Gillespie coming
along the hallway. with Mrs. Bowler
hobhling beside them The old man
was tall. even though bowed by the
infirmities of age, The girl walking
beside him was tall also and beautiful.
she was of a slight figure. with m
abundance of gold tinged hair, very
fair skin and eyes Mrs Banks was
struck with the similarity of the ex-
preston in her eyes to that in the old
mans.
'Our meeting was little longer than
usual" spoke Mrs Banks. addressing
the girl. 'tbut l see you have been well
entertained while you waited" glane-
ing pleasantly at Mr.. Prentice and
Mrs. Bowler.
Delighted to have had such charm
Ing visitors exclaimed Mr. Prentice
In winsome old time gallantry. bow
ing to the girl and to old Mrs. Bowler.
Miss Gillespie was interested in my
family portraits Very very kind Of
herr
More than interested, my dear old
man.. mused Adelaide Gillespie to her
self. IF what | surmise is true you
won't be living in this gloomy instf-
tuition very long Then aloud; i
have invited Mr.. Prentice TO take an
automobile ride with me tomorrow.
Mrs Bowler is afraid of the machines
and will not accept, smiling at the
old lady's protests.
81 rode In one once. proudly pro-
claimed Mr.. Prentice, ''and didn't see
anything to be afraid of. Ii my boy
had lived suppose he would have one
and we would be riding around togeth-
er today"
Mrs Banks smiled her approval of
Adelaide Gillespie's taking Mr.. Prem
tice automobiling She approved OF
anything Adelaide did. She had never
known SO sensible and SO altogether
lovely a girl She thanked God every
day that her son Tom was going to
marry such a woman If she had been
penniless instead Of being the grand
daughter of millionaire she would
have held the same opinions.
Memorial day was ideally fair and
warm for the beautiful duties in re-
membrance of the departed. The city
from one end to the other displayed
the flag for which so many thousands
had given their lives. The Grand
Army posts assembled officially and
left their various headquarters laden
with the most beautiful blossoms the
earth could yield for the outlying cities
of the dead Business was suspended,
schools were closed. and in accord
with the general disposition of New
Yorkers-to leave the city on noli-
iay-th streets seemed deserted.
8 There was little left for the lonely
inmates of the Old Peoples home.
whose chief amusement was watching
the passersby all the day long from
the windows Of the sitting room or
their own little rooms. 1t was not to
be wondered at very much, therefore,
that the aged occupants were assem-
bled, almost to the last member of the
household. TO witness the departure of
Mr. Prentice.
The old man was ready an hour be-
fore the appointed time when Adelaide
n s3lae4,iex 4S,as ~ ~ III fns. him Ha yvas