The Bolivar County Democrat., 1919-07-19
The New
Decoration
BY HOLA FORESTER


Copyright. 1913. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.) b
54 little gray frameehouse stood be-
lind row Of i;Rleg on what people
u Bethel called tie soldW Wood road
laura Coles had lived in 1t alse ,slqce i
Ter fathers death. In the sui.
,assersby saw her out at zthe Qld YeR
weep, or bending over fier flower gar
len. In the winter she was weicpnle
lid at the village social centers, pretty
heerful, tactful, a born organizer.
When the first spring came after the
var, Bethel, as usual, felt tremor OF
lnxiety because 1t had no soldiers rest
ng places to decorate. Four miles
lway was Sanders Point, close to the
Ihore, and here they held services in
he little white meeting house, and
rallied spring flowers down to the old
'urial lot to mingle with flags above
he mounds there of old G. A. r. for
ner residents.
! 1T always seems sort of pitiful,"
Miss Atkins said, folding up her apron
he Thursday before, at the close OF
he sewing circles session in her home,
sort of pitiful that Bethel has to trot
)ver every year and celebrate at the
Point. Where in tunket were all our
)oys anyhow when the call come in
81? 1t always riles me when l see
he date ahead of me, and know I've
sot to listen to them folks tell of their
heroes, and we haven't got so much as
/ tattered flag here"
Laura heard from the wall closet,
where she was putting away half-fin-
shed comforters. The apple trees
we're in blossom outside the open win
low and riotous bluebird swayed
perilously near to give her a friendly
hail, but she scarcely heard it.
How could they all think of sixty
1ears ago and the little petty rivalries
when the great world war was just
lrm's length away and they were
bringing Walt home that very day?
She had passed Elsie driving to the
station after him; little Elsie, barely
.ourteen, with the full burden Of the
notherless family on her shoulders
md a shiftless father to depend upon.
"Going after Walt, Miss Coles" she
had called joyously. "He's coming
home for good now"
The hot tears stung Laura's eyes as
she drove on. Walt, the one standby
,f the family! They had always been
,weethearts, ever since the old days
sf playing post Office and clap-in, clap
,ut, at parties. 1t had been understood
hat, some golden day, when her father
was willing to let her go, and Walt had
persuaded his father to take hold and
work to relieve him, they might be
married.
Then he had been with the first of
the boys to volunteer, and only his let
ters from overseas had bridged the
time between. She knew when he was
wounded, and of the long months In
the hospital after the close of the war
but no letter had come to her since
be had gone into ne last action. Only
when Elsie sent her his letters to read
over did she know what was happen
Ing and she was too proud to ask why
he did not write to her now. Perhaps
she thought, it was another romance
that had followed in France. She
could hardly blame him. The time had
been long.
But now he would come home, and
there was no celebration for him, no
committee of welcome at the barren lit
tie station, no flag wavings, nothing
but Elsie driving down in the old ram
shacl1le wagon behind Major the Bar
stow standby.
"Thinll you can give a couple of
cakes this year, Laura?' asked the
minister's wife and suddenly the words
seemed to fire Laura's tongue with
courage. She turned around and faced
the sewing circle. Breathlessly she
talked, urging, pleading, trying to open
their eyes and make them see the
new, splendid duty that lay at their
door, until finally, when she ceased,
Miss Atkins wiped her eyes with a
quick little pat and rose to propose
they all join in and help decorate the
living.
Decoration day was clear and sunny.
Walt came in from the barn with one
of the twins riding his shoulder and
kissed Elsie as she slipped by him.
His father sat by the kitchen window
poring over a timetable. 1t had been
Waits idea, sending him out to Ohio
to visit his brother to get a new angle
on life."
Dads been tied here for thirty
years." he had laughed. 81 may have
game leg, but, by iimminy, I think
I know how to make the farm pay. I'm
going to send Elsie back to school,
where she belongs, and the twins can
visit grandmother in the summer.
Well put new spirit into things around
here"
He had not told them what was hid
den In his heart, the hope of putting
them all on safe footing, and then
marrying. But when he dared even to
think of all Laura had meant to him.