Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-06-05
1Dort Gnbacco Ginres
PORT TOB ACCO:
Thursday Morning, June-...~.....-5, 1878
Written for the Times.1
Scattering Roses.

Scattering Roses.
Judging from the papers, the custom
of annually decorating with flowers. and
evergreens the graves of soldiers has been,
this year, generally observed. It is beau
tiful suggestion, too, which annually de-
votes the years early season of singing
birds and fragrant blossoms, the first fruits
of the budding time of Spring, to the pious
memories of those who fell in fratricidal
fight and are sleeping now the quiet sleep
of death. A graceful giving of memorial
honors to the nations dead is touching
tribute to departed worth, and sanctifes,
with hottest halo, the soldiers humble
grave. This strewing with flowers and
decorating with natures fairest growth is
something more than mere cemetery cere-
monial, for it brings to our minds happy
invocation for charity's kindliest thoughts
of the past, and beauties, anew, the bless
ed promises of Hope for the future. ASH
death there is no distinction, so, from the
hands of life, should fall the floral offerings
alike on the graves of all, as impartially as
descend the dews of Heaven. For him,
who came from the cold cline of the busy
North, as for him, who came from the sunny
land of the dreamy South, the great battle,
at last, is over. Some are resting in the
bosom of the earth, far from their ancestral
graves and some are sleeping, many fathoms
deep, in ocean waters. Alas we know of
several who died at sea, and we remember
well the impressiveness, so awful and, O.!
so solemn. of the midnight, moonlight
hour, when we stood, with uncovered head,
upon the deck of the ship, "Illiuois," list
ening to the simple burial service, far off
at sea, and witnessed the plain funeral rites
OF three prison comrades, who were buried
by moonlight together, many, many miles
from home. For these, nothing but affec-
tionate remembrance and friendships true
tears; for those who fell and died on land,
bright fiower-wreaths and choicest gar
lands, to deck their lowly monumental
mounds. Only the political bigot, whose
very act is mad mockery and brazen bias
phemy of the christianity he parades,
would seek to know, in discriminating
spirit, whence this or that dead soldier
came; whether from the high hills of the
hardy North, where the climate is cold
and harsh gales blow, or from the lowlands
OF the balmy South, where the lovely mag
nolia and the sweet-scented orange exhale
precious perfumes to the air, and where
every breeze is burthened with the fra
GRANGE of intoxicating odors. Towards
the dead no harsh thoughts should be
cherished; towards the living no revenge
full feelings should be INDUCED. Admira-
tion for valor and forgiveness for error
on Whatsoever side displayed-make up
fitting mantle for the dead past, and
should be the inspiration of all who, in
this floral season, take tender tributes to
decorate and beautify the soldiers last
resting place and home" Surrounded
by the dull, dismal draperies of death,
surely the human heart should grow heavy
in its grief, and the meditatiye mind pom
der, with profit for the future, the errors of
the past. The very winds whisper more
gently, and moan and sigh more sadly,
where the mournful cypress and the odor-
ferrous myrtle blend their shady branches,
and melancholy Philomela trills her most
sorrowful songs and plaintive melodies
where the dropping willow tree grows
The clinging vines Irvine their tender ten
drills closely and lovingly around the rude,
rough head-boards of Confederate and
Union alike, and under the soft influences
of such gentle surroundings mans enmity
to man should cease. A noble humanity
would here assert ITSELF and, rising supe-
rior to political prejudices or sectional
jealousy, would, with pretty flowers, with
wild violets, and pansies, and roses, and
lilies, and hearts ease, with the pure YER
hena, and the sleeping mimosa, and the
sweet-smelling mignonette, scatter fra
GRANGE over and around the graves of the
grey and the blue alike. The same blue
sky canopies all, the friend and the foe,
the living and the dead, and, in the bright
nights of this season of flowers, may the
living wish, with Moore, that, Cooking
upon the moon so bright, tonight so beau
tiful," each may read upon its shining low
illness soft and sincere messages of mutual
forbearance, mutual forgiveness and per-
feet brotherhood.
s'From the silence of sorrowful hours
The desolate mourners go,
Lovingly laden with flowers
Alike for the friend and the foe;
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the roses the Blue,
Under the lilies the Grey.
s'Sadly, but not with upbraiding,
The generous deed was done,
In the storm of the years now fading,
No drawer battle was won;
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the blossoms the Blue,
Under the garlands the Grey.
HWe find the following in the Marl-
boro' Gazette of this week. Judging from
the size of the type used-the smallest-it
is no doubt intended to type-ify Gerry