New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-30


Grafton was delivered by the Hon. George &; Halle
ton, Of Wisconsin, and the poem read by William
Winter. as follows:
800 ELEGY IN ARLINGTON CEMETERY.
WASHINGTON, D. c.
Decoration Day, $780,
/.
If this were ALL it, lost with those that persisted
Der whom these winds Of summer softly sigh
Our hopes were buried with the hearts we cherished
Aud life were nothing but to toll and die;
What sadder scene than this that blooms before u.s.
With Natures garlands decked, could earth dis
play!
What nockery were this heaven that's bending Ger
us,
Glad with the sunshine OF the glitterlng Mayl
But here, where late with naked branches striv-
ing
Wet with the icy tears of wintry grief
Across this lonely field of SORROW driving,
The angry tempest whirled the withered leaf;
Now swings tho pendant bloom; now opening roses
Woo tie soft zephyr with their balmy breath;
Bouphs wave, birds sing, and silver mist reposes,
In bliss, above these emerald waves of death.
And sure His band, that ont Of desolation
Can thus the arid wastes Of earth rcIume,
Meier meant the crown of all His vast creation
One hour Of woe, andthen tue eternal tombl
Bnt, werc this all, were hope with being ended.
In these dark cells that shrine our sacred dead;
We're all our prayers and tears in vain expended,
Our passion, labor, faith. forever sped;
Who would not yet all selfish impulse spurning,
Live for mankind, and triumph with the justI
Who, from the field Of honor backward turning,
Would trail n sulled ensign in tho dust!
Though Fate were cruel, human will undaunted-
Supreme DER torture, regnant over time
Can auel tho bitterost foe that ever Wanted
This mortal frailty, which were Natures crimeI
It may be-cvcry generous trust forbidden
That. while these bcauteous orbs Of ruin roll,
From the dark sleep in which the dead are hidden
A flower can wake, but not the human soul:
Yet. sweet is every love and every longing;
Yet shines tho dream of heaven IN chlldhoods
eyes;
And troops Of angel phantoms got como thrOnging
To Fancy's vision, in tho twilight skies:
Yet stirs the heart with namolcss, vague emotiOnA
When moonlight sleeps upon the summer seaI
Yet forest depths and lonely wastes OF ocean,
And noun ain voices set the spirit free:
And. borne on wings Of glorious endeavOr.
Man yet can soar above his baser clay
Throned IN high deeds, forever and forever,
That cannot die, and will not pass awayl
High wero their deeds DER whom our hearts arc
wecpingl
Safe bides their fame, in all mems love and praise
IIallowed the mould in which their dust is sleeping,
And sweet tho memory that has crowned their
days
All ! once for them young Hope unveiled her splen-
dOrl
All once for them Time ran in golden sandsl
They knew affections accents soft and tenders
They felt the touch Of loving lips and hands.
They saw the awful face Of sovereign Beauty;
White arms Of proud Ambition lured them on
But in their hearts breathcd low the voice ofduty-
They heard it, and they answered.: they are gone.
The midnight wind was cold upon their faces
Pale in tho silence of the crimson sod;
But who shall paint through what Respondent
spaces
Their souls sprang upward to tho light of God
No more for them, in summer twlight's glimmer,
Shall distant music srnite the chords of pani
No more, Us evening shades grow slowly DINNER
Shall wandering fragrance pierce the tortured
brain.
No more of lingering doubt, nor stern denial.
Nor baiaed toll nor slow, embttering strife
But now, at once the crown Of earthly trial
The long, long summer Of eternal life
Calm-fronted, staunch expectant, and mistaken,
Who darcs the worst that any fate can bring
For him, by iron purpose meier forsaken,
The grave no victory has, and death no sting.
We can but serve some by the instant giving
OF all that hand could do or heart could prize;
Some by q meek, labOrious, patient living
daily toll, an hourly sacrifice.
We falter on, now hoping, now desPairing,
And hour by hour drag out life's little span:
They passed. in one tremendous deed of daring
They lived for Honor, and they died for Man.
Pile thick the amarantb and the myrtle Ger them
For whom our laureled banners fash and flow
Roses that love, and panses that depore them,
And lilies, weeping from their hearts Of snow
Breathe low, ye murmuring pines, ye whispering
grasses
Ye dews Of summer night, fall softly herel
Be sorrows sigh in every breeze that passes,
And every rain-drop be amOurners tearl
And oh, ye stars, 20 holy lights that cumber
The deep of heaven pour benedictions DOWN.
Shed your sweet incense on tins sacred slumber-
Bright as our love, and pure as their renOwnl
Breathe our farewell alb, very gently breathe it,
Like oceans murmur In the coral shell,
And tender as the sea flowers that enwreathe it
Forever and forevermore, Farewell.
WILLIAM WINTER.
THE HONORED DEAD OF WEsTCHESTER.
The grave of Lieutenant William j. Gra-
ham, Eagle Troop of Mount Vernon, In Green
wood Cemetery was decorated yesterday by Leutenans
Emory and Marquand and Sergeant MoCArtin,
committee appointed for that purpose To-day the
sfvf 81 VeFnOD.