National Echo from Burlingame, Kansas • 1

4 DEVOTED TO THE SONS DAUGHTERS OF VETERANS. Out lotto: "Salicc toward none, Charity for all, and 'The Fla oar Fathers Justice to the Veteran, hU widow, orphan and dependents." Volume III. takr BErlingaine, Cscgc Counly, teas, FcknarlSDl. Vm.e Si laitsifer Yccr. THE NATIONAL Ifyr T1a National Echo.

Our Farewell Poem. By Sallie Ktanbcry. The day is quickly drawing nigh we, "the charming eight" fijoll rvirn-vf nnnl rM cjoxr IV Vx TTk" Like a "Bear upon a' when the rain begins to foil Through a. cavern in which Sip Van Winkjeonce had There to discover, like poor like misspellt scrawl. So seems to me quite plain, as time ever onward speeds, Like Walt Whitman's "Grassy Poem wreathed in glory; As also "Our its people and its needs.

Darkness setting in to end my Poem's story. LeoJSpitzcr uuuii iiicci) vjjujC uiuig tv.onjr jwjlvj And then prepare for Fate. And, dear girls, when we have parted To tread our different ways, Will our thoughts not often wander back To think on other days? Our different ways! What will they be? There is none but God can know, And may He guide us through this life, Who marks the leaves that blow. We cannot hope for sunshine and song, For happiness every day; But we can Jbrighten our lives and others, As we journey on our way. We will come to narrow passes Where all seems dark and drear, When we feel as tho' our hearts must break With the sorrows we cannot bear.

Sorrows such as we never knew In our happy school-girl life; Sorrows that will pierce us through and through Keen as a sharp-edged knife. Passes through which we cannot see -Oiie of the things most interestingto me, was a square hair-covered trunlt that belonged to Uncle Jadk, -aunt Ruth's sailor brother. Ever siuee I can renieniber, it stood at the side of the room below the eastern window. Its hairy coat was rough from the frequent kicks, and acratchea it had received and the brass ails had become green and tarnished. But Its unsightly was fully compensated for by the curious and beautiful things it contained While 6u Ms voyages, uncle Jack liad chtaind many interesting relics from over the sea, ana aunt Ruth Itad kept, a number of them in his old trunk.

There was a curiously carved bamboo cane Xrcan Palcutta; numerous Japanese fans and Jmdkerehlefs; pair tusks taken from a noble African elephant; del-icrte silky plumes from the South American pampas; -pair of dainty -slippers decorated by the deft fingers of some-darkeyed Turkish lady and away down in one was a purse oi soft -deer skin, da whieh lay a single dollar; Jack had given It to aunt whenbe sailed away 'on his last voyage. "Keep it, Ilnthic," he had said, "until I come back and then you shall have gold dollars, e-nough to jfill it." That was twenty yers ago and uncle Jack -had not returned, but aunt Ruth never gave up the of see ing him sometime, although it -might not be "the sea gives up her From the three windows of the room there was as fine a view as any one could wish for; Miles upon miles of smooth hard roads where light carriages and heavier farm wagons were travelling all through the day, now plainly 'in sight at the top of a hill, and then lost from sight at its foot or behind a grove of maples or oaks. There was Crawford's red orlck house landing -on liilland sunwnded by beautiful, green weadows and fields; off to the east we could seethe river -winding along like a silver xibbon, Its foanks bordered with willows md aiders-; and a quarter of a mile down the road lay the quiet little village of Beech- vood with its neat white houses and iows of waving beeches. Altogether, it was a 'scene to delight the eyes of an artist, ind you may be tJoat.it had wondrous attractions form. No looked so cool and-inviting lanes and paths eo pleasant, and no fi-elds so green as those seen through the misty Tain-spattered windows of aunt Ruth's garret Florence JtiLeUe JSmermi So dark is all around, When we wish that We might go to sleep' In the silent churchyard ground.

Though all onr ways will be different, Such sorrows we all shall find; But God will be gracious and merciful, Loving, tender and kind. For us, many joys and pleasures He has given to Fate to keep. How often in looking forward We have longed for only one peep. But if she should open her casket To let us look within, Twould not be all joy we'd see But sorrow, pain and sin. For The National E4ix- Aunt Ruth's Garrct.

Aunt Ruth's garret tras one of live most delightful play-rooms to be found, and on every rainy day aearly half the children in Beeehwood were gathered there. -Unlike other garrets I have seen, it was not dusty and cheerless, for aunt Ruth would not have it' so; it was carefully swept and aired as was her parlor. No long cobwebs garlanded its white-washed walls, and no strings of red pepper or bunches of herbs hung from the rafters. The small square-janed windows were bung with Wat certains which were drawn back to adroit the feright sunshine or the softer light of a rainy day. The contents of -the room -made one think of "The Old Curiosity articles innumerable were to be found within its four walls.

At eithser side.of the room stood a massive chest of drawers, where, packed away among lavender and Tose-leaves, were garments worn by many of the dead audi gome Barrets. There was a heavy silk dress, with a quaintly, cut bodice, and lull, stiff skkt, that great-grandmother had worn at La Fayettels ball, grand aunt's wedding gown of heavy brocade whose glistening richness cannot be eqtualed by amy modern fabric. Grand-tires and uncles contributed their share to the well filled drawees, and the velvet knee-breeches, coclfed hats' and low buckled shoes formed a pleasing addition to the wardrobe. Aunt Ruth rarely allowed tbs io up" with these old customes, but when we were given this treat, it was as though Father Time had turned his glass kick-ward a hundred years. The garret with its manifold treasures was transformed into an elegant reception room, where grave "squires bowed to smiling dames, and then' led them the.

minuet; again it became a cozy sitting room where the matrons, busy with their spinning wheels and their tonguesdiscitssedlistress Blank's new gown or about the minister. So it is best it should be closed, And as: we journey along Have the Hitter pain and the anguish Mingled with gladness and scng. So we will leave our fate with God And though we. may stumble all, He will guide us through the turnings And will not let us fall. And when all is He'll take U3 To that Home of his so blest, "Where the wicked cease from troubling And the weary are at rest." a.

For The National Echo, Eoepectfully Dedicated to Oct Venerable Poet, WALT WHITMAN. While to-day, amid the "Leaves Of Grass1' in Cental Park I sit Thinking of Walt Whitman and of the 'Days gone by," Of how the "Blade of his truly eacrcd writ, Proved conclusively that on Him ia all times we could rety. Although fickle money, its influence from Him kept,.