National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-31
THE CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY.
Decorating Graves Amid the Rustic
Scenery of tho Eastern Branch.

The spirit Of Decoration Day manifested
itself early in the morning in the neighborhood O.
| the Congressional Cemetery. The burial ground
| is located on the banks of the Eastern Branch
where city and country dispute for supremacy,
The rambling goat that browses on the common
and the wholesome smell of the cow-shed that is
waited over the fragrant meadows brings to the
mind of the city-bred man his ideal of bucolic
existence; while the grim walls of the jail
near at hand beSpeak volume anent the dark
side Of city life. The beer gardens are shaded by
trees of primeval growth, vines Chamber over the
white walls of the cottages the honeysuckle sheds
its fragrance on the air, and the happy natives
unfettered by the conyentioIalites of the city, ap
pear a holiday in their shirtsleeves. 1t was
through these environments that troops of happy
maIdens, old men, to whom the occasion brought
Fad memories, earnest women who found
MoURNFUL PLEASURE
in the beautiful ceremonies of the day, and
young men who have taken the places of those
who have fallen from the ranks, made their way to
the peaceful Enclosure where the white stones
glisten in the dark green of the cedars and chest
nuts Here and there along the road, whose dust
was stirred occasionally by rumbling coaches,
bringing passengers to swell the gathering, ven
turesoIne spectators had erected stands for the
sale of refreshments where the rustic youth RECALLED
himself on horse cakes and lemonade. And there
were other evidences i'll the gay apparel of the Wis
itors the heavy lunch baskets that appeared to be
the most important part of the outfit of each group
that the day was public holiday. As if in symps-
thy with the beautiful sentiment of the day, the
sky seemed bluer and nature smiled benignly.
TIE ATTENDANCE
was larger than in former years. In fact, many of
the residents of the eastern section of the city, who
formerly joined the throng at Arlington, now be-
stow their flowers upon the graves at the Congress
sional Cemetery, preferring the quiet ceremonies
and the absence of great heated thrOng. Save
that there is a tinge of sadness in the occasion,
the annual gathering at the Congressional Gene
terry partakeS of the nature of big family pic
mic, and after the flowers have been placed
on the sod the visitors dispose of themselves about
the shady grounds, reclining on the grass and give
themselves up to the peaceful reflections to which
the quiet surroundings are so appropriate There
is grassy slope on the river side, from which fine
views can be obtained; but as the place is I'M
shaded, and the mercury was climbing up some
where in the nineties yesterday, there was
LITTLE POETRY
about the hill, though THE REPUBLICAN reporter
sought unsuccessfully to find some inspiration
under an umbrella. The graves of soldiers buried
here, each of which was designated by little flag
stuck in the turf, were decorated with wreaths
bouquets and loose flowers before the formal cere-
monies of the day began. The work of decoration
was under the direction of committee composed
of G. ]. P. Wood, John O'COnnell, Charles F. Smith,
Willie H. Smith, J. NJ. Kline, Mrs. A. NJ. Bielaski,
Mrs. NJ. A. Mccullough, Mrs. A. II. O'Connell, Mrs.
Annie V. Lewis, Mrs. G. J. P. Wood, Mrs. W.
F. Harris, Mrs. Carrie Langhorn, and Miss Annie
N. Wood.
THE FORMAL CEREMONIES
began at ten o'clock and had hardly ended when
the distant booming of cannon announced the
commencement of solemn exercises at Arlington
little platform, capable of seating1bout fifty per-
sons, had been erected on the western side of the
cemetery, right by the plain shaft that marks
the grave Of General Rawins, which, by the
way, appeared to have escaped the attention
of the decorating committee almost altogether.
On this platform were seated the orator and
poetcSs, the committee and the choir, and when
the services began several hundred people were
collected aboutit under the trees. Comrade Wood
called the assembly TO order, making briefaddress,
saying that we hold these services to keep the
memories of the dead, undimmed in the hearts of
these who stood side by side with them when they
went down TO death. Also, that those who have, or
will come after them, may learn to love their
memory as We do, and love the Union for which
they died. An invocation was then pronounced
by Rev. If. Porter Smell, and Te Deum was
sung by
This choir, which, under the direction Of Mr.. F.
S. Deland and composed of Miss Lulu Denison, Or
ganist; sopran, Miss Nellie Deland Mrs. Mary Nc
Intosh alti, Mrs. Dr. D. W. Mcpherson and Miss
Susie Sheriff: tenori, Charles F. Dre1el and George
Judd; bassi, o. V. Shomo and F. s. Deland, gavea
most beautiful effect TO the ceremonies by their
splendid singing poem by Mrs. Maria Barton
Greene, entitled Come Crown Them To-day
With Memorial Flowers" and ringing with pa
triotic sentiment, was read by Comrade John
Williams, of Post No. ?. After further singing
Comrade Daniel Rainey, of Post No. g. was intro
duced as the orator of the day. Comrade Rainey,
though making no pretensions to oratory, de-
livered an earnest, eloquent address, which was
much approved by his comrades. The cere-
monies were closed with a benediction by Rev.
Mr.. Smell. The people, however, remained until
late in the afternoon, picnicking in the shady
cnruerS of tie cemetery.