The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-02-11

IRE not ours; they cannot be our low.
cd ones. They were SO strong, 50 full
oflife. They left us in, such pride and
glory. How could they dic2 We can
not take that frozen clay in place Of
our warm-hearted loved ones. Yet we
must, for it is all. And oliftthe head
too /! Look, and let wailing cease!-
See the blood clot on the hair the
lpowder-bprh on the brow; the big,
generous breast so bulletstorn! Thanks,
greht God! Evermore thanks o'It is
our dead4-itis our belovodI Who else
could. so have dieds-+gloriohsly, face to
the foe, shrinking hot yioldingahot,
glad to die for libertyl,n .,-El i6gin,. p,
+ Bend yet againI before the deadl--
Again veil the face, forothey are mar
ltyr dead J So let them come, our loy-
| ed oncs!i Bear them slowly careful
ly, reverently, through. the land they
died for They ennoble as they pass.
Sacred shall be the spots where they
have been. Solet them come for bur-
ial with us Wind the banner Under
which they died around their cofins,
and,let the funeral drum sound thro'
our streets as they are borne along,
for so a solemn hush will come over
mems souls, making them bettery more
self eonsecrate'for these new witnesses
of self4consecration? 9iSo let them
bcone hwLet their ashes make more
tsacredi our burial grounds ~ We wo'd
sleep Oup last sweet sleep beside them
--we-wouM mingle our poor dust with
And soTnc will never come back in
life or DEATH THE hearts that wait
Flor them Shall waitlinlvain. Theeyes
that watch are dim with watching,
but they>will not come. 'Iist hear
ye not the old music; the loud football
like his willInever make music for
1your ears again. But faint not bear
fbravely onl BeS&orthy Of youfhero!
WALK firmly, proudly, as ye walk
Ealonel Mourn not for those who como
4 mot back, ,ior if We cannot do otherwise,
,hthen mourn since the nobie sare gone,
1.-THE beautiful departed, the excellent
{laid low; triumph as ye'm6urn, since
they fell for country and for freedom,
la sacred priceless heritage. They
Esleep where they fell Fitresting7
4 Ipla6e taeir tomb1a ibattle1feld.l Ye
I'n1ay not guard their dust, but "a ma
ttion guards it. Ne may 'not shed a
tear upon their graves, but millions Of
these for whom they died, will boaew
fthem with grateful tears Generations
/ yet unborn will visit them with rev :
erent spirit as they recall their deeds
of glory and of mil ght. 7IJot this as
Fsuage your grief, even if they come
mot back. !uhr "fT .I'HYDr i9dpil /
Some will come baelsw with new, life
Fand strength, hardened for new life
and strengh, hardened for new tolls,
Iheroic for fresh conflicts with wrong f;
better, worthier mon than they went
forth; ;gcntlcr, teadeper, moGe appre-
ciative in their homes; larger minded,
more unselfsh, and generous, and
Christ like in their whole lives. .,,I
Others will come back-will come
back. Better they had fallen in fight,
than so come back. Far better mourn
the dead whom yc may honor, than
the living who are your shame. May
God in mercy grant, dear reader, that
these may not be the Objects of your
love; the idols around which your
soul has twined, only to be chilled and
blasted in their heart, felt shadows.
I z. IT. p.