Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-29
THE RUTLAND HERALD,
THURSDAY, MAY 90, 1873.
THE CONTRAST.

Rutland will, tomorrow, aptly Illus.
trate two different phases OF the clylllz-
alton of the nineteenth century. Friday,
the thirtieth day of May 1878, will,
hencefoth, be a marked day in our an.
nails for strange contrasts. The day will
be, measurably, a holiday, business will
be, for a time at least, suspended, and
solemn calm will prevade our streets,
broken only by the muffled drum and.
tread of those Fastening to join in
tribute to the dead. The voice of prayer,
the notes of funeral hymns and the elo-
quence of oratory will be heard in the
Town Hall in commemoration OF those
who went out from among us but re-
turned not again All'that is noble, gen
erous and sympathetic in our natures
will be appealed to by tile appropriate
ceremonies of the day, and the thought
willabe forced home to us all that it is
not fading honor to die for ones coun-
try. A procession will be formed, and,
with draped colors and the outword
habiliments of mourning, proceed, with
measured steps to the beat of the muffled
drum, to the narrow house appointed for
all living. Here comrade will testify that
the memory of cemrade is deathless
here citizens will show their apprecia-
ton of the worth, services and sacrifices
of those who, taking their lives in their
hands, went out to battle in their be-
half. Flowers will be bounteously strewn
over the graves of those who wrestled
for the championship in the great strife
between union and secession, loyalty and
treason, freedom and slavery. In this
contest they gave up all, even life itself,
and won the championship of immortal
ity. 1t is meet and proper that we
should thus revere their memories and
honor ourselves. 1t is an illustration of
the best and purest civilization of the
country and of the age. 1t needs no
special inducements to persuade citizen
or soldier to join in the observances. Its
performance springs from the heart, and
the inducement to unite therein comes
from the same source.
While these solemn ceremonlals are
taking place in our Town Hall, our pub
lie streets and cemeteries. which appeal
so strongly to our judgment and the best
aspirations of our hearts, Rutland and
her citizens will be prominent as actors,
or interested spectators, in widely diff
ferent scene. Rutland's soil, to be sure,
will not witness the act, but the central
figure therein is from our midst, and he
will be accompanied, cheered and en-
couraged by the plaudits of citizens of
Rutland and Vermont. A public hall,
too, has been engaged. but it is not open
to all who may wish to attend. Oh, no!
Heavens pure air is not selected for this
observance, neither are the doors thrown
wide open so that the multitude may
gather instruction, wisdom or sweet
memories therefrom. One dollar is
necessary preliminary for an observer
and fifteen hundred dollars for the par
Elephants. Special trains and half fare
will be provided, so that the attendant
expenses of the seekers after wisdom
and instruction may be as light as pos
sible. The championship, in this scene,
has not yet been won, but remains to be
decided. 1t will not be championship
which carries with it an Immortality Of
glory, but will have its crown in "belt'
and three thousand dollars in currency
This exhibition of another phase of civil
ization will be a wrestling match, "col-
lar and elbow, best two in three fair
back falls, )" if any of our readers are
wise enough to know what it means. We
are told that the excitement is intense,
and that sporting men from all parts of
the country are to be present in indie
finite numbers. We care not to COM
ment further The contrast, if purposely
arranged for scenic effect, could not be
greater Such and so different are the
paths of civilization Such and so di-
vergent are the tastes of our citizens.