Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-08-12
ION MEMORIAL DAY
By MOLLY MINISTER.

The mothers eyes filled quickly with tears. She knew why the girl was go- ing; she knew, too, that her daughters heart was as full as her own on thls' the first Memorial day, since their son and brother had been lost on the bat" tlefield of Europe.
 Violet smiled through the tears that had forced their way into her eyes. "I won't be long, dear, and I'm taking basket of our lovely lilacs and snow" balls." She kissed her mother and walked down the gravel path to the gate and out along the country road to the cemetery that had been a land- mark long before Violet and her moth- CT had come to Marionville, Ia., from their home in England.
 John Nash, the son and brother, had answered the call of his country and had gone to battle. He had never re- turned, and only the news of his brave death had come to the family.
 Today, when flags were at half-mast for the heroes of other wars, Violet felt that she must go somewhere, do something, in memory of her dear brother. The only thing that seemed to be possible would be to take flow CTS to the grave of some other soldier and place them there in memory of her brother.
 On an old stone, gray and weather stained, she read the name of "John James Evans" Here was a man named, as had been her brother. The inscription told her that the man died a hero in the Civil war. Violet knelt down and began to ar- range clusters of white and purple H. laos near the headstone. Tears finally streamed down her cheeks and she sat down upon the grass and tried to control her emotion. When she stood up man stood be- side her. He held pot of flowers, old-fashioned blooms. He was looking at the flowers on the grave.
 "Did you do that?" he asked Violet. Violet nodded.
 "John James Evans was my grand father" he said. II come every year. It is good of you," he said. His look questioned her further.
 q saw no flowers on the grave" Vi olet said softly, and wanted to deco rate the resting place of some brave hero today" she said. "My-my broth | CT was lost few months ago in France, fighting with English troops for our country. We are English"
 John James Evans-for he was the third of that name in his family looked down at her and noted the ex- quisite beauty of her face, tear-stained though 1t was. "It was good of you to pick out my grandfather's grave. , he said, hardly knowing what to say Violet shook her head. "It's nothing to you, of course," she said. "But it has done me good. and it has spared mother the pain of seeing me give way to weeping. just had to, for mother and have tried so hard to bear up for each other-oh, so hard," she said
 After that there was long silence during which neither young person seemed to know what to do or say. "Would you let me take you homer John Evans finally asked. :, ,"I don't go far," she protested. 2 :
 T have my little runabout just out side, and I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind," he explained. Violet looked in his eyes for a mo ment. "No-I don't believe she would We don't know very many Americans for we have kept much to ourselves Do you live in Marionville?" she asked as she rose. lF l "No-in Cedartown, five miles be yond. have drug store there and f seems to be so successful that I can get away" =.
 When Violet reached her own gat' she insisted that John come in and ex plain to her mother how 1t had conn about '4 Mrs. Nash, naturally reserved, locke. surprised, but the straightforward lool in the young mans eyes and the gen eral manner of him seemed to reassur her, as 1t had reassured Violet. 't
 "Well be glad to have you join u in a glass of cold buttermilk, if yo' care to wait," Mrs. Nash said. after few moments. l DO stay" urged Violet. ii
 And John Evans did stay. a, HI thought he had never seen anyone il the world so beautiful as this littl English girl. .s~ v 1 Violet walked to the gate with hin when he was, able to take his depart ure. 'Mother and I will be glad t see you at any time," she said, shyly
 "Thank you. I shall come.' Mis- Nash," he said, formally.
 My good old granddad was alway my guardian angel" John James Ey ans said to himself on the way home Copyright. 1917. by the Mcclure News
 paper Syndicate.)
 Tho Essential Spirit.
 "Can you recite the Declaration C Independence?"
 l WNo 0 roy,l;o od tho r,6o lr kboI., uA