Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-01
Flowers, Anthems and Pray
ers Over Their Graves.
The Beautiful and Poetic Custom
Acquires New Favor With
Time,
A Wealth of Fragrance Fills the
Air.

either for pedestrian exercise or for
groupiug quietly on the grass beneath
the shade.-
At an early hour in the day large
number of people wended their way
to Elmwood to decorate graves and
weave garlands about the soldiers
monument. They accomplished this
work Of love in the same appropriate
manner that has marked their labors
for several years past on similar occa-
siOns, and by the time the regular
visitors began to gather, near noon,
the floral adornmeut was complete.
Many family burial places, where no
soldiers are inferred, were decorated
in conspicuous style, and curious
strollers by the thousand viewed and
admired these evidences of the loving
remembrance of surviving kindred.
Among the most conspicuous of these
was the grave and monument Of the
martyr maiden, Matte Stephenson,
the gentle hearted English girl who
left her parents in Illinois and came
here to "die for III" in the sickly DC.
tober days Of 70. The spot where
rests the mortal remains Of this angel
of mercy is near the principal entrance
to the cemetery, in the fork of two
avenues or promenades, shaded by
lovely grove of beautiful trees. The
kindly hand of a public spirited citi-
zen had caused the marble figure rest
ing at the head of the grave to be
secured white, the grave itself was
tastefully adorned with flowers and
emblems. The grave was surrounded
by visitors during the entire afternoon.
Another notable feature was circular
garland of colossal dimensions inscrib-
ed 1.-THE hero Of Grenada" and hnng
over the grave of the late Butler P.
Anderson, who died at Grenada, Miss 4,
during the plague Of '78. No nonu-
ment as yet marks the place where the
brave Anderson lies, but the handi-
work of loving friends and former
comrades give proof that his memory
is yet green and dear to many hearts.
Between the hours of noon, and four
in the afternoon, the time fixed for
the opening services, every method of
conveyance was crowded to its utmost
capacity with people desirous of visit
ing the cemetery. A large number Of
extra street cars we're run on the
fernando or red line, the extra steam
trains. on the Memphis & Charleston
road, were as full as they could
carry. A line of omnibuses had
all it could do; and even the cars of
the Vance street line were taxed to
their capacity for several hours. Be-
sides this, hundreds of both men and
women walked all the way out and
back again, and also all sorts of We
hicles, including carriages, furniture
cars, spring wagons, and even drays,
hauled loads of people out and back.
Hundreds of visitors came from the
country, thirty and forty miles away,
and there seemed to be a spontaneous
outpouring of the populsce, Of all
classes, from every direction. 1t is
claimed to have been by far the largest
attendance ever at the cemetery on
any occasion. The return home in
the evening kept cars and other con-
veyances busy until long after
dark, while the roadways leading
from the cemetery to the
city were lined with pedestrians, who
appeared to prefer this method to that
OF being jammed upright in an over
crowded street car.
The order Of exercises which were
fully carried out in the presence of
the immense assemblage, opened at
the hour of 4 o'clock with a solemn
requiem by Arnold's brass band. Fol.
lowing came the well known hymn
by the choir, Nearer, my God, to
Thee" Then an appropriate prayer
by the Rev. j. II. Evans.
An original poem by Miss Frazer is
spoken Of by those who heard it as hav
ing been meritorious and appropriate
composition, but it could not be
heard far beyond the edge of the stand.
The spectators noticed, however, that
the lady was exceedingly graceful in
her gestures and they felt satisfied that
she was equally eloquent. After the
recitation Arnold's band followed with
an elegy. Next came hymn by the
choir, entitled Asleep in Jesus"
The oratiop by the Hon. Henry
Craft followed. 1t was production
equal to the high reputation of its
author, ho.h in matter and method,
and it paid a fitting tribute to the
memory of those who fought and fell
under the stars and bars between
seventeen and twenty-one years ago,
not only the martyrs lying be-
meath the sod Of Elmwood, but
also to their comrades lying in
other cemeteries. THE Soldiers
Grave" by the 0ctette Musical Club,
followed, then a prayer, next the Dox-
ology by the choir, and then the bene-
diction by the popular, eloquent and
scholarly Rabbi Samfeld. The mu-
sical exercises were conducted by Mr..
James Kirkland, with his usual skill
and accuracy.
Throughout the exercises the strict
est order and decorum was observed.
The only features complained of by
any was a lack of sufficient seats
around the grand stand, and the van
dalism Of a lot Of strollors, who de-
spoiled graves Of flowers and other
solemn souvenirs, with apparent lack
Of respect for the dead and of feeling
for their living relatives.
The arrangements were perfect.
There was plenty of water in barrels,
their rims hung with dippers, the
grounds were in perfect order, and the
thousands Of visitors came and went
peacefully and without restraint.
All the onmmitfape did THAR