Meade County news., 1916-05-25
ON
MEMORIAL DAY
ECORATION day, day Of flags,
apd flowers, and green, grass
covered graves. Decoration


smiles. Decoration day!
It comes only once year, this brave
holiday, on the boundary line between
May and June, spring and summer
time. Schools give 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 tarnished gold lace and brass
buttons, and hobble to the cemetery
to lay wreath on some comrades
last resting place.
1t is a beautiful thing to think Of a
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
a lady entered-a woman no longer
very young, with a pale, sorrowful
face. She wore expensive black, and
her two carefully gloved hands held a
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
grfmy transfer to the conductor
Il found it," ne confided loudly to a
man seated near the door, Then he
tramped down the aisle, and climbed
up on the seat next to the lady.
Them flow'rs are SWELL" he told her
in soft, wondering tone Of voice. 81
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
filed eyes, she turned in at 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 a single
flower would have meant paradise to
him.
l 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 If I'm doing right"
Perhaps l won't help any. I'm moi
80 good at advice-but go on"
"You see, it's this way" she told me
Tomorrow is Alice's birthday-the
first birthday when we haven't beer
together for ten years. had earned
five dollars-it seemed more personal
that way-and / was going to buy
flowers for her grave. l was Just or
my way to the florist to order then
when met woman know-a WON
an who used to wash for US. Mar
garet, you should have seen her. Hel
eyes were large and black and hel
cheeks were perfectly hollow. l asked
her what was the matter, and she sale
she was hungry. Hungry? She wa
starving! And so were the three chill
dren that belonged to her! Well,
told her that would find some worl
for her today, and then gave her al
the money had. It was only afte
she had left me that l remembers
Alice's fiowers-I can't get them now
Do you think that she'll mind-ver
much?"
"Mind?" CROPPED blindly for words
Mind? OF course not! She woul
be glad and thankful il she onl
knew"
Do you think so too, friends of mine
One day this week felt rather blu
and unhappy. 1t was dark, gloom
day, with biting wind coming aroun
the bleak corners and a heavy raj
that fell drenchingly to the ground
a steady downpour Of big splashin
! drops. Somehow the world inside m
office seemed very lonely and gray.
had headache, my work had bee
going badly and was rather discou
aged. When the mail came ina bi
package of letters to be opened7-I wa
not much cheered. But my speci'
guardian angel was on duty that da
When cut the first envelope. foun
plain little letter. written in penc