Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-06-17
NUMBER %.

ing, generous, noble hearted young man
who fell in the struggle follow her now
along heI pathway ia life, and witness
her trials and sorrows As she gathers
around her lonely iircside ct night with
her little ones lowering about her. while
she gazes into the glowing embers upon
the hearth before her, in sad recollection
her thoughts go back to other and brighter
days. She remembers the time before the
war called her husband from their bounli-
ful home; she calls 10 mind the happy
days then spent, when her heart knew no
care, for then she was protected and cared
for by that one to her more than all the
world besides She remembers the day
when he came home TO tell her he had
enlisted and the dreadful anguish it
caused her; she rccoIects the sad hour OF
parting and the many woarisome, watch
iul days and nights while waiting to hear
from the fight; and she forgcts not that
other unwelcome moment. when after the
terrible engagement the sad intelligence
reached her which made her widow and
her helpless children orphans. As she calls
to mind all these recollections, tear alter
tear bedcws her checks, and with 4 sad
and heavy heart, she asks, "Wil my
countrymen forget all my sorrows?"
Again, think OF the loss these fathcrless
children have sustained. The pathway
of youth is besct with great trials and
temptations, and the child that loses the
guiding hand of father early in life,
meets with bereavement not easily 10
be estimated. As we, to-day, remember
| these stricken ones, let us anew, solemnly
pledge ourselves TO them, that while life
TO us remains we will never forget them,
but that we will, so far rs we may have
tho ability, see that they are provided
! for
Another topic claims my attention here.
We meet, from some sources objections TO
these ceremonies OF decorating the graves
of the ilustrious dead. The reason given
for these objections is, that such things
tend 70 keep alive rccolections Of the
war.
Keep alive recollcctons OF the war,
Who of this generation can forget them
Why, there is scarcely house in all the
land where there IS not one dead fot the
| holy cause A vacant chair around the
fresidc, vacant seat ut the table, IN un.
occupied bed in the chamber, tell our
people of the conflict in language that
requires no reminder Can YOU call these
men back to life again? can You give that
wife back her husband? can YOU restore
to that bright eyed boy his father? return
TO that mother her darling SON? Oh,no.
Then talk not Of reminding Us OF the var
by what we do to-day. We say, let the
people forever keep all these vecolleclionS
! fresh in memory, but never in u spirit Of
revenge. would counsel you on this
occasion to cultivate u spirit of forgive.
ness towards all those who iolghl against
you, that may show by their works =
desire to be forgiven. individuals bound
By all the cndealiug ties Of the pure,t
friendship have many times through
misunderstanding, quarrclcd, (anl such
quarrels are generally the most bitlcr0
but when either or both have felt to ask
forgiveness. and confcs, the wrong done,
how quickly the difficulty has been
adjusted SO, my friends, let the unhap-
pay difficulty which came 50 near blotting
out llom among nations, this, the best OF
AL governments, be always put far away
from our feelings, so long rs our brothers
of the South shall in the future show they
are willing to obey the laws Of the land
like good and true citizens. Were there
no other relies to remind us Of the war,
these graves, numbering nearly three
| hundred thousand, would not let us forget
it. Have You ever thought how sacred
these graves make our soil? Our brothers
that fell in the struggle. lie buried from
Maine to Texas. From every field of the
war they went down in their bloody goEe.
Along the quiet Potomac, the Rappahan-
mock, the Chickahominy and the James;
from Manassas, Malvern, South Mountain
and Antielam; ut Fredericksburg, Chan
cellorsvlIc and Gettysburg lat NicSsburS,
Shiloh and DonelSon at Nashville, Chat
tanooga, Chickamauga and Atlanta;
along the Mississippi and the Shenandoah,
along Grants frey track from the Rapidan
to Petersburg; along Sherman's march
from Atlanta to the Sea; aud through
the Carolinas, too, these mounds in
mournful numbers rise TO tell Us where
our heroes lie. What grand Army Of
Martyrs transferred from this 10 that other
sphere, where having assumed shadowy
forms, they now parade through the
celestial fields Of that bright realm beyond
the river, where there is no need ofpicket
lines to guard them now no wearlsome
nights or toilsome days, trouble them IN
that beautiful land, for there they are at
rest in peace. In fancy. we behold them
gathered on the Plains of Jehovah rejoic-
ing over the land they saved from ruin.and
as they worship day and night before
tho Throne, who shall say their robes are
not brighter, and their crowns more
beautiful on account OF the glorious