Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1891 — I’m Not Here for Fan. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

I’m Not Here for Fan.

I was wandering up, one of the principal streets of Indianapolis one Decoration Day when I met a rugged old farmer from the interior who seemed to have lost his way. As he wandered aimlessly along I approached him, and asked: “Do you enjoy tho exercises of the day?” “Wall, so-so,” ho answered; “but I ain't hero for fun. 1 come up to go to the buryin’ ground up there on the hill. My jt?oy’s buried up there. Ho was in the

tho army, you know. He had to lie about his age to get in, but tho angels 11 forgive that one lie. Lord, how he* did; fight! I’vehearnthe | other soldiers xell' about it. Wall, ho! went Into the battle' of the Wiidcuess and got wounded awful. They telegraphed 1o me, an’ I went right down.* Ho wanted to bo took home, an’ I fetched him. On the

way up ho grew worse, an’ ho said to me if ho could only live to get home an’ seo his ma, he wou d bo satisfied. Ha kep’ getting weaker, an’ weakor, but ha held on till I got him home. His ma tried to nu'se him back to life, but ha Ivop’ on running down. Ho called mo up to liis bed ouo night ’bout sundown, an’ said, sez ho: ‘Pa, I wanter be buried up in town’(meanin’ hero in Ingianoplis), ‘an’ I want you to keep my grave green.’" Here the eld farmer wiped the tears from his cheeks with his big brown hand, and then brought it down on my.shoulder in a determined manner, and exclaimed. “Ah, mister. I’m a-goin’to keep that grave green if I have to’ paint it!” — J. Whitcomb Riley.