The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-05-18


And SO the meeting of the board f
lady managers of the Old People )
home came TO nonght SO far as the
discipline of its gentle old resident
was concerned
tomorrow being Memorial day. it
will be hard on him. 1t always is
went on Mrs. Walker having entirely
forgotten the destructive nail driving
i in her sympathy for the hayward 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. nvt until
after tomorrow" She was wiping her
eyes.
The moist eyed lady managers filed
out of the parlor. 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 if in
search of some one.
"Where is Miss Gillespie?" 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
hobbling beside them. The old man
was tall. even though bowed by the
infrmities of age. The girl walking
beside him was tall also and beautiful.
She was of slight figure. with an
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. but see you have been well
entertained while you waited" glanc-
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
her,
"More than interested. my dear old
man." unused Adelaide Gillespie to her.
self. IF what surmise is true you
won't be living in this gloomy insti
tuition very long" Then aloud: 81
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. land / didn't see
ANYTHING to be afraid Of If 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
hce 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 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-
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 a holt
lay-the streets seemed deserted.
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
to witness the departure Of
Mr.. Prentice.
The oldsman was ready an hour be-
fore the appointed time when Adelaide
Gillespie was to call for him. He was
in his Grand Army suit.
and from one of the side pockets of
his coat there protruded an end Of
little oval parcel. The inmates eyed
it suspiciously and wondered what it
might be, but Mr.. Prentice vouchsafed
no explanation to their inquisitive
glances.