Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-18

Iogus was cool oasis in the midst of a
dusty desert yesterday afternoon. The bean.
lful and impressive decoration ceremonies
attracted vast number of visitors. and the
neatly-kept grounds around the Home = ere
dotted with carriages and people on foot.
Fully two thousand strangers mingled with the
blue coated veterans. and enjoyed the beau
tiful scenery, the fine music, and sympathized
with the soldiers as they laid their garland.
on the mounds where sleep their fallen
comrades.
fromptness is an attribute of a good SOL
der, and punctually at three o'clock the pro.
cession started for the cemetery. Ineludno
the Band and the representatives of Sell,
Williams Post of Augusta, there were some
five hundred men in line. There are now in
the hillside cemetery 2ss graves The drifts
of marble slabs are growing longer and
deeper year by year. Over each grave fut-
tered miniature American banner, and
strong hands had laid tenderly on each little
mound a wreath or cross Of flowers. At
~
erected for the orator of the day, Gen. W. S.
Tilton and friends. and Others This was
very prettily trimmed with streamers of red,
white and blue, and festoons of oak and
maple branches. Soon the swell of music
was heard, and one could descry far down the
leafy vista the line of veterans marching
slowly to the music of the dirge The
men came nearer and nearer until the
space in front of the rostrum was
completely filed by the veterans. A deco
ration hymn was then sung by the Quartette
Club of this city. Afrer this the graves were
decorated, and the men formed in phalanx
to hear the Grafton.
Rev. Mr.. Upjohn, rector of St. Marks
church, Augusta. and chaplain of the Home,
offered prayer. A hymn was finely
rendered by the quartette. Gen. Tilton
then gracefully introduced the orator of the
day, Col. S. C. Oliver, of Salem, Mass, a
disabled soldier and patriotic gentleman.
The address was a finished and appropriate
production, and was listened to with marked
attention. The Colonel began by saying that
the cycle of years from 1861 to 1881 was an
epoch crowded with more real progress than
any other previous century of history. The
Grafton was rather an address to the living
than an eulogium of the departed, and in
this respect will compare advantageously
with the ordinary discourses on such occasions.
He took comprehensive view of the Nation
of to-day, cemented together by the blood of
those who rushed to the defence of the fiag, and
fought for the integrity of the Union when
traitors sought to disrupt it. The present
was prosperous and the future was big with
promise. The war had proved that Ameri-
cans inherited the martial spirit of their sires,
and had taught the world to respect and
honor the great republic of the West.
The crowd returned to the Home, where
they were RECALLED by a choice concert
by the Band. 1t was like a hour of Elysian
to sit on the brood verandahs and drink in
the melody, while the eyes Toasted on acres
of grass grown meadows, sweet-scented, and
colored with blooms of buttercup and red
clover. But best of all was the great, starry
flag floating in the breeze, and mutely tell
ing by its 80 stars and IL stripes the
significance of the day. General Til
ton and his wife entertained their
friends in their usual hospitable manner.
After the concert the visitors returned home,
satisfied that the memories of the departed
will be kept green and fragrant through the
future years.