Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-06-11

custom ever UeVlseu Oy mn" w Po'f
ale remembrance Of departed worth.
A custom like the tabled PhenIx has
sprung from The smoking ashes OF our
"lost cause" and comes with healing IN
u. winos tn soften our sorrows and sane
tiIy our sufferings. -
Shakespeare The wises, Of philosophers
as we'll as the greatest OF Poets, has
said most truly Sweet are the uses OF
adversely, which like The toad. ugly and
venin Gus. wears yet precious Jewei
in its head" and now a, The close oil
disastrous war and after suferings un-
parallel, We HE people Of The South. have
reason to thank God that the very 'Tlais
and hardships which we have been COM
PEELED TO undergo, have given bHth TO
ceremonial so frsughl with elevsing and
ennobling suggestions that through It's IN
srumenIslty, if we properly appreciate
! it. we may become grsnder and more
sublime as people, than il We had sue
ceeded in establishing separate national
uy, powerful and prosperous with our
banners flaming iu every breeze and our
sails whitening every "ser.
And that We may properly appreciate
! this cuslum 1t becomes US wien We as
seubIed on ibis anniversary 10 ask our
selves The questions Whv have we
come together and what is the true in.
tent and meaning Of this observance !
And first let us say that this is no gala
day or merry making but grand and SOL
emn occasion. We come not with light
heart. 10 spend the day in Joyous iesuvi-
~, TO engage in light and trivial CONVEX
salion and while away the hours with
Jest and laugh and repsr ee, but seriously
with hears filed with a sense of the sol
emn duties We are here 10 perform. As
we stand beside the green mounds under
which our heroes lie. we should remem-
! Der that these sll, nj tenants OF the tomb
were in lie the bravesi and best OF a no.
BILE people That their blood was shed
| for US, that on an hundred stricken fields
where death held high carnival they
stood living rampar, Between our homes
and The Vandal hOrdts t sought 10 over
! run them, and that when al last win
! torch aud brand and all the horrors Of
savage war our enemies laid waste and
! destroyed those homes and scattered our
hopes 10 the winds, they marched to the
| accom- 'i-hmenl Of their direfLl purpose
| over lbe PROSTATE bodies Of our heroic
| dead. 1t tehooves us too, TO remember
tina, We were united 10 our msrlyred slain,
no, only by the srong lies OF common
cause and common sutierlngs, not only by
the sympathy engendered by common
glory and triumpbs, but by bonds slron.
! GER and coser-by the tender end endeor.
, ing ties ofhome and the golden links Of
pure and dlsin,eresied friendship.
Beneath this green sod lie fathers IN
der whose waichful and tender care fam
lilies have been reared TO usefulness and
honor, sons upon whose strong arms
gray haired smes once proudly leaned Tor
support in their declining years. fair hair
ed and besrd!ess Boys once full Of hope
and promise, the darling objects OF
mothers love and mothers prayers.
husbands to whose manly breasts devoted
tenderness which woman alone can feel,
friends as noble, as dsnleresled, as sell.
sacrificing. as Damon or Ores,es. Such
are the lies that war eundered. Such
The dead whose loss we are called TO
mourn. How lightly then should We
tread with unsaDdalled feet and uncover
ed heads for We are indeed on holy
ground.
We should come 10 the performance OF
these rites with souls stlunrd To the occa-
sion, solemnized by the presence OF the
dead and with the chambers OF our hearts
drsped with veslmenis Of mourning for
our departed friends.
Who would follow to the last resling
place Of nature the remains OF valued
friend with laughing eye or jes'lng
tongue The very idea is revolving to
humanity. And is this an occasion less
impressive Time may cicatrize the
wounds which was inflicted, bu, will
they not bleed sfresh when we stand on
this hsllowed -po,! Time has no touch
to wiiher, and change no power 10 de-
slroy our grateful remembrance OF the
deeds OF vslor wrought by our slaughter.
ed comrades, and nothing that this world
can offer can fill the void which their
death has left in our homes and our
hearts. Oh, then, let each one Of US re-
alize lha, he stands beside the freshly
made grave Of failer, brother, husband
OF friend. and treat this occasion, not as
public holiday, but as day Of mourning
and Humiliation.
And now whs, are we lere 10 do To
srew flowers on the graves Of our dead.
Under certain circumstances and 10 those
who look not btnesth the surface, this
ceremonial mlghiseem mesuing less and
Inappropriate. Thee might seem to be
an unnaiursl contrast between the so'emn
ns,ure Of The oCcs.iUn and the brightness
and beauty OF the season, and The bnlli.
ant and pluw!ag hues Of Ihe flowers.
which We scatter here. 1t might seem
con'rary to the use OF nature 20 go upon
mouiulul mission al a tine n hen all tie
earth around Us is sprineing INTO life and
beauty, under the genial rays OF the ver-
nal sun and 10 cIolhe The tomb, which ma.
iUre has invested with gloom and sadness,
with gorgeous and fantastic attire. |,
might seem more In accord and harmony
10 select for the performance of this duty,
"lhe melancholy days" "Ihe ssddes oil
the year, Of wailing winds and naked
woods and meadows brown and sere,"