Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-06-05

moral and intellectual culture that they
NAV prove themselves worthy sons of
noble sires who died in defense of their
country's flag. To maintain and support
these and like institutions with the same
benevolent and patriotic spirit that
brought them into life is charitable duty
resting upon our honor and patriotism
which we should encourage, and to which
we should promptly respond.
In doing this we honor our brave dead,
perhaps even more appropriately than we
do by decorating their grassy graves with
flags and fragrant flowers. While we are
strewing flowers upon the graves of those
that were brought back from the war,
dead, or came home with disease or dead
ly wounds soon to die, and who now sleep
beside relatives in this beautiful village
of the dead, let us also remember those
that are sleeping far and far away in
Southern soil, whose faces we will never
more see on earth, and whose graves per-
haps we never can visit
son fame's grand battle ground
Their silent tents are spread,
While glory crowds with silence round
The biVOuac Of the dead.''
But should fail in the duty of honor if
I emitted at least passing tribute of es-
TEEN to the many noble and patriotic wO-
men of the land. The sanitary commits
siOns and voluntary contributions with
which they were so conspicuously identi-
fed, contributed great relief to the sol-
dier: also, by converse and correspOn-
dence, she kept alive those kindly chari-
ties and friendly sympathies in the soldiers
bosom which develop themselves into he
roic virtue, and which are indeed the only
true safeguards of a nations Integrity,
virtue and honor.
Nor was this all, many of our noble
hearted and patriotic women were found
in the hospital administering to the wants
of the sick and wounded, watching over
them with mothers care--cheering
them in life and comforting them in the
agonies of death-and can we not imagine
to-day all over this fair land, as she scat
ters wreaths of fragrant flowers upon the
silent ashes of the dead soldier, that her
presence is spiritually felt even though it
be single flower, this to they remem-
brance. But after all most is due perhaps
to the brave soldiers who left home with
all its endearments and associations and
went forth to defend the government they
loved and fondly cherished. For us and
for our country they dashed themselves
upon the bristling intrenchments. For
us and for the preservation of our govern
ment they gathered themselves around its
ensign Of beauty and glory, rearing it
alOft and above the black flag of treason
and blood. Their hopes and aspirations
were far beyond those of selfish aggrand-
izement or personal honor. The long and
weary march, the exposure of the camp,
often with no tent to shelter them but the
blue dome of Heaven. All their priva-
tfons and perils nobly attest their un-
fiinching fidelity to the principles of the
American government.
At the close of Mr.. Creamer's Grafton,
Col. Maynard made a short address, and
Miss Ella Simkins read the poem, entitled
"Cover Them Over, :" appropriate to the
occasion, and read in excellent style.
The exercises were interspersed with
music by the Mt. Sterling Band.
The graves of the soldiers scattered over
the cemetery, each m arked with a flag,
were decorated with flowers and ever
greens by squads of little girls, escorted
by the Ely Light Guards. The people
then reassembled at the mound and elect
ed the following officers for the ensuing
! year, of the Soldiers Memorial Associa-
ton: F. H. Miller, President; Lieut.. j /.
L. Millikan, Secretary; Mrs. j. B. Prid-
dy, Treasurer. The assembly was then
dismissed with the benediction, and the
procession returned to town in order