Flags and sunflowers, sunflowers and flags--a combination so popular that she should always associate the golden emblem-flower of her State with the glorious emblem of her country. They had devoted more time than usual to their decorations, for, the following Monday being Memorial Day, they had turned their “last day” exercises into a memorial service. Owing to the naval victory of scarce a month previous, patriotism was at a white heat, and patriotic selections of spirit shared the honors with tributes to the dead--both the Blue and the Gray, sectionalism being forgotten in the new union of the North and the South. But it did not require recent victory to stir Sidney’s enthusiasm; she was at all times intensely patriotic. As a small child, a mere babe, she had listened enthralled to her father’s tales of the Civil War, through many of whose terrible battles he had passed. She invariably chose patriotic selections to speak. Such a deed as described in the “Dandy Fifth” made her forget herself. And now, of all times, to fail to-day! The school were singing softly: “Cover them over--yes, cover them over-- Parent and husband, and brother, and lover: Crown in your hearts those dead heroes of ours. And cover them over with beautiful flowers.” How she would love to lay a tribute of flowers upon the graves of the Dandy Fifth’s many dead heroes! And, oh, shame! she had failed to give them even the tribute of honor due them--failed miserably! “Lying so silent by night and by day, Sleeping the years of their manhood away.” That meant the most of the Dandy Fifth. She could see the gaunt, silent forms, fallen at their posts in that awful hour that “tried men’s souls.” But theirs stood the test--stood it grandly. “Swiftly they rushed to the help of the right, Firmly they stood in the shock of the fight.” Stood firm--firm? Did they not? Why, they made a glorious stand--none braver in all the war, none more deserving of honor!--and she had left them with their courage unproven, with the scorn of their comrades upon them, before they had been given a chance to make their derisive epithet a name to be proud of for all time. Oh, she could not bear it! she could not bear it! She must save the honor of the Dandy Fifth.