Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-05-31

lOlLY pIuUdCiC Vi LuclI EANSiSHNOs ~ ~
not be the martyrs that they were, but we are
encouraged, by their examples to live not for
ourselves alone but for others good, to labor
to elevate the race to be true to our sense OF
Justice and right and to the duties imposed
upon us. This never-fading twilight OF
sunken sun, this prolonging and blending OF
life departed with life existing, IS the rieh-
est. earthly reward OF a noble manhood and
the most priceless boon which it can leave to
posterity.
olives of great men, all remind US,
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind US
Footprints on the saads OF time
Shall we, then, who have quaffed 50 freely
of the crystal waters of pure happiness which
thew have poured out for us, who have basked
so delightfully."- in the sunshine of liberty, which
they have spread above and around us, who
have. in the record Of their lives and the mans
ner Of their death, lesson, which, being
studied and followed will ennoble and exalt
our motives and actions shall we heed the
sarcastic reflection, the cold, feelingless pills
osophy Of the poet? Shall we. in the pres
ence Of these lonely widows, these afflicted
orphans these weeping maidens, these sobo
bling mothers and fathers, these mourn-
full brothers and sisters, these Borrowing
friends and relatives, these honored comrades,
loyal, tried and true, deprived of limb, COW
cred with scars and pierced with bullets, neg
Iect to pay the dearly purchased tribute Of
gratitude and praise, to those dead yet deaths
less heroes. No No.!
Pensions may be literally bestowed. Sol
diers' Orphans Homes may be erected by
such noble women as Mrs Harvey; poets may
wake their inspired muse and orators may ut
ter their enrapturing eulogies beautiful cere~
monies NAV be observed and sweet songs may
be sang, bands mas play their mournful dirge
| and the heart be filled with sorrow, magnifs
cent mausoleunis ard SPLENDID cenotaphs in
grayed with the annals of their magnanimous
conduct and their glorious death, may deco
rate the earth, all the passions of the soul, all
the powers of the mind, all the beauty and
| energy of language, all the endowments of
genius, all the attractions and adornments of art,
all the varied wealth of nature, everything
which can be felt, thought, said seen or made,
may be given towards the payment of their
claims upon us and vast sum will still remain
due. We are bankrupt, helpless debtors, but,
| trust, honorable and grateful ones. Their
| homes, their wives, their children, their pa
rents, their beloved companions cannot be re-
stored to them. Their sacred ashes can never
more be touched and animated with the bril-,
liant spark of life. No tears of sorrow, no
wishes Of gratitude can collect their scattere
| bones and wasted blood
"By fairy hands their knell is rung
By fol ms unseen, their dirge is sung
| They have been crowned with everlasting
| glory and are enthroned in the 'windo wless
! palace of rest" breathing celestial odors.
amidst the melodies of angelic chors.
| We may, however, receive much satisfac-
| ton from the consciousness of a willingness TO
pay this debt, if we could; and since we can
not pay it, at least, to recognize it, by an
nually meeting here to recount their deeds to
] hymn their praises and to shed few tears
and drop few flowers upon the monument
| inscribed with their names. Doing so,we not on
| " acknowledge the claim of those deiied pat>
riots upon our gratitude, but enoble our lives,
elevate our Thoughts and dignity our nature by
the contemplation of theirs
May the glorious orb Of the Heavens, bath
ing the earth in genial light even as our soul
are bathcd in the light Of these departed
| spirits,never rise to shine upon that disgrace
| full That fatal day, when the American citi>
zen shall be SO destitute of love for his couns
| try and of thankfulness to those who saved
it for him to fail to cherish the memory, to
celebrate the virtues and honor the deeds Of
the brave boys who wore the blue. And may
we, as are carried along in the fast mov-
ing chariot of Time, farther and farther from
| the scenes of to-day and nearer and nearer to
| the peaceful haven of rest on the shores OF
eternity continue to swell louder and louder
the anthems of praise, to strike deeper and
deeper the chords of sympathy, to raise higher
and higher the columns Of glory, till we have
crossed the golden bridge on the great river
of Life and are summoned to behold Their
splendor in the land bsyond the skies.
Following the address was Quiclstcp by
one of the bands and the choir then sang, "No
More the Bugle's Stirring Blast"
After this music the ladies and little girls,
who were chosen for that purpose marched
from the court house to the monument and as
they decorated the monument the bands ac.
companied with dirge.
TIE DECORATION POEM
When the decorating ceremony was ended,
the reading of poem, at the Monument, by
Miss Emma Sprague, was announced. The
poem was written by Mr.. j. Allen Coombs for
the occasion Of the Reunion of the soldiers Of
the 9th Wisconsin Battery at Avoca last week
and was there read. On the motion of the
editor Of this paper who thought it a beautiful
] poem and wen suited for Decoration Day, Mr.
Coombs had been requested to produce copy
1
written. AS read by Miss Sprague there were
two or three slight changes of words that
were applicable in the Re union butnot in the
| Decoration. 1t was ehArmingly read and was
intently listened to.
The years may rush forevermore,
Like ocean waves, upon the shore
Of Time, and leave their changes,
And on each brow may leave their mark;
But hearts that glow with friendships spark
No flight Of years esrspgcs.
The memories of angry strife
Awake sad pictures into life
We can forget them never
But crimson tides have ceased to flow,
And Friendships bonds shlll stronger grow,
Forever and forever
No more is blred the glitterng steel
No more with BATHS shock we reel
NJ more Deaths fires are burning
Comrades again stand side by side,
And Memorys doors are opened wide,
'On golden hinges turning
flushed is the bugles blast,
flushed is the roll of drum,
Silent the shrek of shell
And the deadly cannon dumb.
The sleeping hills and wales
Repose from the battles roar,
And the camp res light illumes the night
In our stricken land no more.
The peaceful song is heard
Where the crimson sabres clashed,
Where the charging squadrons rode
And the rafting muskets flashed.
flushed is the sound Of strife
flushed is the martial strain
Lifted the smoke and the bondsmans yoke,
And shattered his CALLING chain.
The reaper reaps the grain
VIII ere flashed the hero's sword,
And the purple violets grow