Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-05-25
THOUGHTS ON
MEMORIAL DAY
6: 6: 4; !:

SoNSlea graves. decoration
day, the time of sobs and
tears, of prayers, and memories, and
smiles. Decoration day.
1t comes only once year, this brave
holiday, on the boundary line between
May and June, spring and summer
time. Schools give a holiday and
banks close. Business is shut up, and
the tired workingman hangs a flag
out over his porch, and rests. Old
soldiers, tottering on canes, soldiers
bent and white-headed, waiting for
the last taps to be sounded, get out
their suits of blue and gray, covered
with furnished gold lace and brass
buttons, and hobble to the cemetery
to lay a wreath on some comrades
last resting place.
It is beautiful thing to think of
nation celebrating a day-setting it
apart from all others-for the pur-
pose of honoring the nations heroes
! was sitting in a trolley car when
q lady entered-a woman no longer
very young. with pale, sorrowful
face. She wore expensive black, and
her two carefully gloved hands held
huge dewy mass Of roses. Like an
oasis in desert they filled the dusty
city air with sweetness and color. In
little while small newsboy dragged
himself up the step and presented a
grimy transfer to the conductor.
Il found it," he confded loudly to
man seated near the door Then he
tramped down the aisle, and climbed
up on the seat next to the lady.
Them fiow'rs are swell" he told her
m a soft, wondering tone of voice. Il
never saw any like 'em before" Rev
erently he touched the nearest bios
som with moist, grimy fingers.
The lady moved down on the seat,
putting several feet of space between
herself and the small intruder.
Don't touch them" she ordered
GROSSLY.
Several blocks farther on she got
out, her arms full of her fragrant bur-
den. With hating footsteps and tear
filled eyes, she turned in at a great
marble-columned cemetery gate. She
was taking her roses to lay on the
grave of some loved dead one. | was
sorry for the woman; but could not
help thinking of the little newsboy. He
was very much alive, and single
flower would have meant paradise to
him.
know a girl who had a very dear
friend-a friend who meant more to
her than / could possibly put into
words. One day, the friend died and
left her plunged in grief. A year after,
the dead girls birthday came around,
and the day before the anniversary
happened to meet my friend on the
street. We went to tea together.
did not speak to the absent one, but
suddenly, as we sat quietly gazing out
of the window, the girl began to talk.
Margaret" she said, something
has been bothering me. | want to ask
you II I'm doing right
PERHAPS | won't help any. I'm not
so good at advice-but go on
You see, it's this way" she told me.
tomorrow is Alices birthday-the
first birthday when we haven't been
together for ten years. | had earned
1--WE doIlars-it seemed more personal
that way-and | was going to buy
flowers for her grave. | was just on
nv wav to the florist to order them
when | met a woman | know-a wom-
an who used to wash for US. Mar
garet YOU should have seen her. Her
ewes were large and black and her
cheeks were perfectly hollow. l asked
bar what was the matter. and she said
she was hungry. Hungry? She was
starving, And so were the three chill
dran that belonged to her, Well, |
told her that | would find some work
for her today, and then | gave her all
tho money | had It was only after
she had left me that remembered
A1;ce's Aovers-I can't get them now.
no YOU think that she'll mind-very
much"
Mind" CROPPED blindly for words.
Mind? or course not! she "ould
be glad and tnahkul IL she 'ni'
knew
Do you think so too, friends of mine:
One day this week felt rather blue
ord unhappy. 1t was dark, gloomy
dav with biting wind coming around
49, bleak corners and heavy rain
that fell drenchingly to the ground
steady downpour Of big splashing
s-ons somehow the world inside my
80 seemed very lonely and gray. /
had a headache, my work haa Deeh
going badly and 1 was rather discour-
aged When the mail came in-a Dig
nsckage of letters to be opened was
rot much cheered. But my special
a,,ardian angel was on duty that day.
When cut the first envelope found
,,,ain little letter, written In pencn