The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-11
the following ode, composed for the occasion,
by gentleman of this city:

Bend o'er your sleeping dead.
Oh. bowed and stricken state
B.tears, Ike pearls OF memory, shed,
Andhalio@ed ever be the bed
Where thsY who for our freedom bled
The better life.await F.
! Lesnot the rolling:years g..
yTheir memory eer edace;
: Letnot our cr0wdiqg cares and fears.
! NorftiendIy!fr nor toreisn leefs'
Nor aughtforbid r.tr1bute tears
Their grateful time and place.
Forget We mIaht forget
10 weak. ipconstant thought
II Gratitude's behest were met,
And all the story Of our DEBT
On some aspiring shaft was set,
From fadelesS marble wrought.
But not to breathless stone
May We the- record give
IT'LL many weary day has noWn,
This sad memorial ts our oWn:-
In warm and breathing hearts alone
Their 'deathleE nsmesshali i've.
Forget Il fron1r6elands,
TheRinObiy .diedeU save;
Fair Peace had srnose The tyrant hand;
II Falsehood, and not Trufh were oannea,
We might, with zeal less hoy, stano
Beside each hero's grave
But now, the soil they trod
With free, unfettered feet
Lifts up appealing voice to GOD
For pailsnce 10 endure His rod
Though welded at despot's NOD
And all HIS will to meet
From out oppression's 1loomi
From silent Law aud right;
From rule as merciless as doom
Let protest claim indignant room
On every sleeping pairl IT'S tomo
Against unhOly rlgh!l
Bend low. oh azure sky
Above our holy task.
We know that wrong may right deny-
That earthly power may earth de!y;
But lstice may on Thee rely,
And more we do not ask.
And bloom oh sunny sell
With flowers or teemsng spring;
That eager hands with welcome toll
May every lesser purpose foil,
And AL thy richest hAunts dsspol
For dear Loves offering ....t.
Another memorial ode was next sung
during which the decoration of the graves
began. The wreaths had all been deposited
along the northern side of the enclosure, an6
the young ladies' of the Home and OF the
Normal school were In waiting to perform this
duty. At q certain verse the young ladies be-
gan their work, and soon each grave and
headstone was decorated with fiowery crosses
and evergreen chaplets. The wresths we're
mostly placed upon the headstones, and gave
a uuiet and beautiful effect to the cemetery
As these labors were concluded, the ladies
walked along the paths of the cemetery ar
rauging here and there the flowers and
wreaths. During this ceremony solemn
stiffness, save the singing, pervaded the whole
assemblage until the choir had concluded the
ode.
At length all had been done, and the Rev.
W. g.. Bowman dismissed the assemblage with
q benedlclIon. Then the moving away began,
and hundreds, as they lett, turned to take q
parting look at the cemetery where the slant.
Ing rays of the sun fell upon the long rows oi
graves, and lit up headstone, mound, chaplet
and Cross as If with halo of returning hope.
The long trains were then speedily filed with
passengers and sped swiftly toward the city.
Crowds waited another trip, and all arrived
safely as the dusk drew on.
The Ladies' Memorial Association extend
their earnest thanks to all who aided them In
their celebration of Memorial Day, particular
ly to those gentlemen of the committee who
worked for and with them;-to the presidents
and superlntendents OF the South Carolina and
Northeastern Railroads tor their accustome ed
kindness in running trains, &C.; to Messra.
Jackson and Afford of the Charleston aud
Pavilion Hotels, and Mr.. Graham and the
Mills House Stables, and Mr.. Lee, for their
use of carriages, wagons aud omnibus; also
to the Express Office wagons; to the Masons
for the melodeon, and to the gentlemen OF the
press, the Courier and The DAILY NEws, for
continued favors; to Mr.. Ecke and the ladies
and gentlemen Of the choir; to those gentle
men who kindly furnished hoops for the oc-
casIon, and to Mr.. Purse, keeper of the Gene
terry, ior assistance in various ways.
The young ladies of Miss Kelly's school
contributed one hundred and twenty -four,
and those of the Widows Home two hundred
wreaths, garlands and crosses for the oc.
casion. These young ladies, with those of the
Home and Mrs. Laurens's school, united their
sweet voices ia singing the memorial odes.