Evening star., 1921-06-05
CHERE is a long. straight mile
that leads to an iron gate.
Many people passed that way


Many people passed that way
last Sunday. all carrying flow
ers. and some slow -plodding under
the weight of their biblical decades.
saying rosaries Of coarse black heads
And on the face of every pilgrim
was something Of the silence that lies
Inside the iron gate.
One woman going that way over
took an elderly one who was laden
with blossoms enough to decorate a
ballroom rather than a grave. The
offer to carry one of the baskets was
accepted and by way of return favor.
the relieved woman explained: AZ
Il bought the daisies in market be-
cause it is Memorial day. but these
flowers came from a florist shop-get
them every year on the anniversary
up held a bunch of St. Joseph lilies.
like these. and he wore a little but
toRhole Of clematis-like this. There
were lilies and clematis on the altar
and the table was set with pink
roses-like these. My husband was
dear lover of flowers and though
he had long hours at the store he
ing in his garden. He was such a
handsome young man. Everybody re-
marked 1t. His hair <as light. with a
wave to it, and he had blue eyes with
sparkles in them. He wasn't out of
his twenties when he died. and I
haven't missed coming out here to
see his grave a single week. except
for weather, and q few times I was
sick and once when l spent month
in the country. since I laid him here.
August IA. 1870"
II a mathematician had been around
he could doubtless have calculated
how many times the poor soul had
walked the long straight mile. going
and coming. But only God. who made
a human heart. could compute the
sum Of its devotion.
A MOTHER pilgrim carried a small
! bunch of daisies. taken from a
vase before her sisters picture at
home.
''She would rather have these little
field things that could tell her about
her old pictures on the wall, and ner
books on the shelf. and the table
where she sat, and her easel where
she painted. and Of me-allowing that
flowers could talk or the dead listen,
than all the treasures money could
buy. and I spend the money that q
set piece would cost in a way know
would please her."
So -
TT seems to be human natures law
L that nothing shall be perfect in
this world. for even in this place OF
living grief for buried love. q girl
came through the, iron gateway. step,
ped in q waiting car. and motored
away. All of which was right and
proper, except that she was wearing
q corsage bouquet or pink sweee>peas.
And inside the gate there were SO
many green mounds bare OF blossoms.
THEY were buying memorial how-
ers for some soldier who has
gone west"
The woman decided that wreath
of bronze leaves and feld daisies
would be suitable. but the man OBJ
jected.
"What would q boy who had grad
uated from an Agricultural college
had Q dozen plans for killing them
OF Jim's farm. Get him that sheaf OF
wheat-every farmer loves wheat
There seemed to be little kinship
truly harvest field and tho Eilded
sheaf mounted on . finfoil reaper.
for which the man paid the proverbial
pretty price. but
Sentiment fs worth whole heap.
Z = = Z
THERE - . la6e exhibit over 1t the
l National Museum.
II includes once-belonsings Of royalty.
princes Of the church. historical vamp
ladies' and the like. an woven BY fingers
that have been dust these centuries Of
years. Tho collection mainly belongs
to women Of this and other cities
~,ho had the taste to select. the mon ev