Decoration Day

"She walked briskly, dressed for action in an old middy blouse and skirt. Over one arm hung a pail containing a small rake, a trowel, garden shears, and three empty quart jars. The other arm held big bouquets of snowballs and lilacs, tulips and painted daisies, their stems wrapped in newspapers which had been soaked in water.

She had picked them in her own yard while the birds trilled a welcome to their early morning world . . .

It was too bad, Emily reflected, turning east to Broad Street, that she had to go so early, for the cemetary on the afternoon before Decoration Day was a very social place. It was full of people putting their family graves in spic and span order . . ."

--Maud Hart Lovelace, Emily of Deep Valley