Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 179, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1919 — The New Decoration [ARTICLE]

The New Decoration

By IZOLA FORRESTER

(Copyright, 191#, by the McClure Newe- . paper Syndicate.) r The little gray frame house stood behind a row of maples on what people in Bethel called the “Old Wood road.” Laura Coles Itttd lived in It alone since her father’s death. In the summer passersby saw her out at the old well sweep, or bending over her flower garden. la. the winter she was a welcome aid at the village social centers, pretty, cheerful, tactful, a born organizer. When the first spring came after the war. Bethel, as usual, felt a treihor of anxiety because it had no soldiers’ resting places to decorate. Four miles away was Sanders Point, close to the shore, and here they held services in the little white meeting house, and trailed spring flowers down to the old burial lot to mingle .with flags above the mounds there of old G. A. R. former residents. “It always seems sort of pitiful,” Miss Atkins said, folding up her apron the Thursday before, at the close of the sewing circle’s session in her home, “sort of pitiful that Bethel has to trot over every year and celebrate at the Point. Where in tunket were x all our boys anyhow when the call come in ’6l? It always riles me when I see the date ahead of me, and know I’ve got to listen to them folks tell of their heroes, and we haven’t got so much as a tattered flag here.” Laura heard from the wall closet, where she was putting away half-fin-ished comforters. The apple trees were in blossom outside the open window and a riotous bluebird swayed perilously near to give her a friendly hall, but she scarcely heard it. How could they all think of sixty years ago and the little petty rivalries when the great world war was just arm’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 fourteen, with the full burden of the motherless family on her shoulders and 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 of the family! They had always been sweethearts, ever since the old days of playing post office and clap-in, clapout, at parties. It had been understood that, 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 he had gone into, the last action. Only when Elsie sent her his letters to read oler did she know what was happening, and she was too proud to ask why he did riot 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 little station, no flag wavings, nothing but Elsie driving down in the oftl ramshackle wagon behind Major, the. Barstow standby. “Think 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 Anally, 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. * It had been Walt’s idea, sending him out to Ohio ■ to visit his brother to get a new angle on life.” “Dad’s been tied here for thirty years," he had laughed. “I may have a game ICg, but, by jlmminy, I think I know how to make the farm pay. Tm going to send Elsie back to school. Where she belongs, and the twins can visit grandmother in the summer. We’ll put new spirit into things around here,” He had not told them what was hidden in his heart, the hope of putting them all on a safe footing, and then marrying. But when he dared even to think of all Laura had meant to him, the limp reminded him that he had litthe»right to hold her to her promise.. Sue, the liveliest twin, happened to glance from the window, and beheld a strange procession approaching from the road. There were flagS waving in the morning breeze, and children with flowers, dressed in white. Behind came, in little groups, neighbors, Miss Atkins and her brother, who drove the mail wagon; the minister’s wife and her two little girls dressed all up with pink sashes and wild crabapple branches over their shoulders; Tuck Fisher and his faother, who always went to the Point because her brother was buried, there; these, and more.

Walt half shut his eyes, looking at them turn in at the gate, wondering what was up, until he caught sight of Laura’s face, last of all. "We thought we'd hold a new kind of decobation, Walt,” said Tuck joyfully, "seeing as how we had a survivor and a hero in our midst, we reckoned we’d come over and shake hands with you, and tell you we’re mighty proud of you, boy, mighty proud.” After it was all over, the singing and laughing and eating, Walt found himself out by the old well, helping Laura draw up a bucket for lembnade. And somehow their hands met on the rim of the old bucket, and he found it marvelopsly easy to tell her all he had not dared to write. “Because I’ll be lame all my life, they tell me, dear, and while I’m going ahead and win out as I never had the heart to before, it’s going to be awful if you aren’t with me, Laura.” "Coming with that water?” called Miss Atkins, as she balanced two lemons deftly. Then, happening to glance toward the well, she gave a hasty exclamation, dropped the lemons and sent Sue and Tommy hustling in an opposite direction. “Time something was happening sorter definite,” she said to herself. “Soon as they get through kissing and tell us, we’ll celebrate some more. Guess this time the Point is behind old Bethel.”