Show S STORY OF A 4 SOLDIER BOY I I lIy l WILLIIM J H I was the Ibe evening before Decoration Oy nay and onel WI a and were In Inthe Inthe 11 the ro rose garden arllen ros roses to Into wreAth for Cor use us on the tho morrow Near nr to the town In which they lisell d wo was n Cemetery and It wn was the custom of 01 the townspeople tolay to 10 lay Item tributes on the soldiers graves every D Day And among those most Interested In thus their respect and love loe for tor tb the men who had bad fought and died for tor their country WAS old Mr Ir Gr Grey and grand grandfather rather father Indeed It WM was Gre Grey who hAd worked so diligently all oll spring In tho flower garden u ht order that there might be no nn abundance of flowers for tor forthe the o occasion In which he was so 80 deeply interested he be ohl able to cut two bushel baskets full rull of oC flowers he be said to Willie nod on the before Decoration Day Dont spare n a rose nor noro norn o n pink nor any kind of 01 blossom that will add to the L beauty or of the Moral loral pieces Ill n lu III weaving the wreaths nUll and diamonds and Willie and Mabel tool the scissors and ond hastened to the garden to gather the full tull or of dowers After iter theY hail worked a little III while Willie grew rIT tired lire ot of the task set Ret him and noll declared that he be thought It n a foolish custom to tomake make such Buell 1 n foss S over o er the dead soldiers And ull Its n a pity pit will wort worl so hurt to get n garden full tull or of flue flowers Just to have hao them all cut down downor for or Decoration Day Doy If I had worked as asIt asua It ua has done since the first day Ilay of spring Ill Id not give up the Iho results of 01 my toll you ma may lie be stirs Well there are arc many other ways woy th the powers IIII ht he Ie used soli Mabel Next Friday Is my birthday and therell not Dot be n a flower left lett to decorate the tho rooms room and tables for tor my party its always so managed to 10 have havethe 1111 the finest en 11 id town nod oud Just os as it begins to look beautiful hundreds or of roses of oC ever every color I he be has hns the garden bd so M to tosi t si eul Just to observe erve nn an old custom of the th graves groes ot of eo dead years anti years and years earEl If the departed knew anything about It I so mind but UR Its n a ren real waste of time limo und beautiful flowers Yes Its ItH n waste lit of limo lime all ull right declared Willie Now ow It If I th this task to perform Ill Id he be with Tom Frank Frnnk and Phil playing games But here bere I um working away tearing my hands on the thi thorns of 01 tie rose bushes hu ell children after you ron ore are done with your work worl Ill tell you n n nery very ery short one but one which may touch a responsive cord I In your our breast the story stor or of n young soldier Idler boy hoy It was us grand papa who spoke anti the children were surprised to see him near to n a great plumed lilac bush ne lie had come alon along the soft path noiselessly and until he spoke they thc did not know now ho seas HI In the garden It was very cry evident that grand pain had overheard the complaints made by bJ his All right said his face ence turning red for he tell felt n II bit for huh spoken so slightingly or of the observance of Decoration III Also I o nn unusual pinkness spread over oer checks check ns as she bent her head over oer n a hell bed of 01 I pansies Sa Say you JOu were a once you rou 1 she he asked Just for tor the tb saie nl of something I Ye Yes 1 n soldier who to t with saud shot Ahot and shell not one or of those nit 1111 who perished of oC bleeding I wounds on the cruel erne It be behooves hooves the living to remember the tho dead tenderly Dot Ill return to the house bouse II nod ud await your coming be done 1000 cutting flowers In about half an hour Then DI as astie I We tie weave them Into floral pieces Ill tell you ou the story 0 to 11 I After Arter Willie and Mabel had completed their they tool took the tho severed blossoms In baskets to the house houe and sealed Fentell in III the big III kitchen where thu muss or of broken leaves len CH an and stems stem not I matter they began helnn weaving wreaths and crosses es II and nil diamonds their grandfather directing the work And now no for tor the story Grand papa When ben I 1 Joined the Union Army In 02 there was n duo young oun follow tollow went a l r t r 1 ty 1 1 N J r I ii Il 11 J K NIs 11 ft li fG I 4 L 2 at I The he children sere lu sec near to n plumed iliac bush along with me We enlisted to together anti were put Into tho snIDe seine regiment walking side by 11 side on our marches and sleeping lu the same Ime tnt tent In III short we e remained 10 together inseparable we both lIed lived drew II a adeep deep breath sighing roW softly null and closed his ee eyes liS as if IC recalling n a picture of those days 8 or of which he spoke Well we boll hod been In tho Arm Army one weeL we saw active service whIch is Ie to say or our regiment WM was engaged In a 0 battle It wn was n hard burd fight and more than half hult our forces torce were wert left leH on the battlefield to he quickly burled hurld In hr the ditches on the fol foe ing As AN my dear null I 1 looked about us Ul on the dying sol sal soldiers diers my comrade whispered hoarsely to tome tome me Few Ic people can understand what It means to light lIht for Cor our beloved countr country the world look 1001 over oer this battlefield tonight the tho soldiers sacrifice might he be I I f II better understood and appreciated I One w week l later Inter we 0 were again engaged cn In conflict On entering the tho field mY was and said to me Brother I 1 feel that tomorrow have another man walking nt at your our right Ills voice was ns firm Jut but 10 low and full tull ot of feeling though no fear caused It to quaver In rain i tried to cheer him up See bo how fortunate we were to escape without harm In iii th the battle of oC last week I et cx Ahl Ahi he be nu answered calmlY but there were of 01 them who fell It Is as much our dut duty to die dlo dieas nil as It Is the other mans Why should we e econ con congratulate ourselves on living when so 80 many of 01 our comrades hAil had to perish 7 If 11 so many thousands of men lOon must die dlo well wh why should not I 1 ho Jo ouo oue of oC them Rut But wo we must till pray for tor lire life I In Insisted There 19 home bomo there thew are father rind mother and ether dear ones we wish lh to see seo we have so 80 much to live SO much there Is 10 n life for tor u us you anti I 1 IA A And nd for tor nil all the other they In blue or gray said my mr comrade Well in ID this mood we W stood sill side hf by side ehll grins really ready hearts almost still from the Intenseness of oC the hour I 1 glanced n at t my comrade his eyes shone with unusual brilliance iris his cheek was the color or of ashes My y duty as 08 well nil as I heard him ISn say Just the mo moment moment ment before forc true the order rang out Flee I IIII III the hours that followed nil all thought of wail W 1 driven from the mind LIke Infuriated demons wo we fired Orell and re fire Slaughter was everywhere The ground under our feet red with warm life blood I was blinded ell to every everything eer thing about mu mo tho very cry sun seem seemed ell to shed blackness The roar of the cannon the cries of 01 the wounded and my 01 children never neer will I forget torget them themAs As the night set sel la In the battle waa lle do The boys In blue had boll won on the victory Ictor Then I began belon to look for tor my comrade lie He was nowhere to be seen I wAlked over oer the field 1111 Soon I came upon him bm lying face turned turnell to th the stars a smile on his white feco My y ditty ns as aswell well ell as through my mind And he be had performed his part or of the sacrifice anti perhaps another man lived lIed through his death voice olee snot 10 low anti tears teo tenell on his ep eyelashes lie Ile paused In winding ln n wreath pressing II a white rose rost against his breast That comrade In war nr was WIlS hy by beloved brother I James he bl softly And his hi grave rIO It is unknown Au ou the many mony lying In graves In our Military Cemetery a milL mile from our town lies that dear boy who 1 a short hour bour his hIli death declared that It was his hi as well OK nit to 10 todie die llie for or his country Instantly and ond Mabel were nl at side their arms twined 10 loc about his neck Forgive I me Grauel pain whispered I never neer knew really meant to to beo bea soldier From this It shall bu be my work worl every erY Decoration Day to place n a beautiful floral I tribute on each grave In the tho cemetery Ono One or of them Is Uncle JAmes And I nm am ashamed ot of the Impatient things 8 I 1 said Bald In the tho garden this ovenin bravely 01 declared rell WillIe sister I really never took look tho time to think sacrifice or of the brave broo boys who died to RIle our country colin coun try And nd In thIs loving position childrens arms arm about the old 01 form ot of who In turn hall had his hili arms about them the childrens mother came sweetlY b what n lot ot of lovely flowers for tor tomorrow I I llo do bopo wo we will ba bare e n beautiful day for tor decorating the graves or of our beloved dead And our beloved heroes or of war said Willie his voice olce full Cull ot of emotion And Aull then mamma was told why the tho wor work on tho wreaths hall had stopped so suddenly and she too caressed sed the dear old man whoso whose story or of war times had holl reopened n a wound that could never heal belll completely |