The Rock Island Argus., 1883-05-30
SLEEPING SOLDIERS.
A Proper Observance of Decoration
Day in Spite of the Weather.
The Exercises Take Place in the Court
House Instead of the Open Air.

House Instead OF the open AIT.
The Soldiers Monument Beautifully
Decorated.
THE EXERCISES.
A fine programme had been arranged
hv the executive committee of the Rod
man Rifles, but il was somewhat shorten
ed by the disagreable weather which pre-
vailed. The ceremonies commenced at 10
O'Clock in the morning. by the Rodmar
Rifles decorating the soldiers monument
in the court house ward Beautiful
wreathes and snow roses were used for
the purpose From ahe top of The mon
ument were stretched four garlands,
reaching to the tour different corners of
the fence surrounding the stone pedestal.
After the work Of decorating the monu
ment had been completed. the Rifles
marched to the Armory, and from there,
formed in line, in full dress uniform, and
after short march, filed into the court
house. where the exercises took place.
The exercises were to have taken place in
the open air, and a temporary stand had
been erected for that purpose, but the
rain interfercd, and an adjournment was
had to the court house. The exercises
consisted Of music by Bleucr's Band,
opening prayer by Mr.. f. M. Sinnett, re
marks by DIR. Gregg. Major II. c. Connel-
ly and Capt. J. j Parks, and benediction
by Rev. Dr. McCord. Capt. Abel. of the
Rodman Rifles, acted as chairman.
After Major Connolly remarks he read
the following beautiful poem by WIN.
Carlton, which seemed to be fully appre-
ciated by the audience:
Cover them over with beautiful flowers;
Deck them with garlands those brothers of ours;
Lying so silent, by night and by day,
Sleeping the years of their manhood away:
Years they had marked for the joys of the brave;
Years they must waste in the sloth of the grave.
All the bright laurels they fought to make bloom
Fell to the earth when they went TO the tomb.
Give them the need they have won in the past;
Give them the honors their merits forecast
Give them the chaplets they won in the strife,
Give them the laurels they lost with their life.
Cover them over-yes, cover them over
Parent, and husband, and brother, and lover:
Crown in your heart these dead heroes of ours.
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the faces that motionless lie,
Shut from the blue of the glorions sky.
Faces once light with the smiles of the gay
Faces now marred by the frown OF decay
Eyes that beamed friendship and love to your own
Lips that sweet thoughts of affection made known
Brows you have soothed in the day of distress;
Cheeks you have flushed by the tender caress
Faces that frightened at wars stirring cry;
Faces that streamed when they bade sou good
Faces that glowed in the battles red flame
Paling for naaght till the death angel came
nNaF hRm HON
Parent, and husband, and brother, and lover
kiss i'll your hearts these dead heroes of ours,
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the hands that resting half-tred,
Crossed on the bosom or low by the side
Hands 10 you, mother, in infancy THROWN
tIsnds that you, father, close hid in yoIr own;
Hands where yor, sister, when tried and dsmayed.
Hung for projection. and counsel and aid;
Hands that you, brother, for faithfulness knew;
Hands that you, wife, wrung in bitter adieu.
Bravely the cross of their country they bore:
Words of devotion they wrote with their gore;
Grandly they grasped for garland of light,
Catching the mantle of death darkened night.
Cover them oVer-yes, cover them over
Parent, and husband, and brother, and lover;
Clasp in your hearts these dead heroes of ours,
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
Cover the feet that, all weary and torn
Hither by comrades were tenderly borne: |
Feet that have trodden through love-lghted ways,
Near TO your own, in the old happy days;
Feet that have pressed. in life's opening morn.
Roses of pleasure and deaths poisoned thorn.
Swiftly they rushed to the help of The right.
I tirmly i they :. stood in the saoek OF the fight
SUMMON them forth from their death-gaarded |
camp;
'er till Fternity's buglc shall sound
Win they come out from their cOnch III the ground.
Cover them over--yes cover them over
Parent, and husband. and brother, ana lover,
Tough were the paths of those heroes of ours
Vow cover Them over with beautiful flowers.
over the hearts that have beaten 50 high,
5eaten with hopes that born but die;
ieafts that have burned in the heat of the fray;
1earts that have yearned for the homes far away; |
Hearts that beat high in the charges loud tramp,
1earts that low fell in the prisons foul damp.
once they were yelling with courage and viii,
Tow they are lying all pulseless and still;
lnce they were glowing with friendship and love- |
Sow the great souls have gone soaring above.
snvely their blood to the Nation they gave
'hen in her bosom they found them grave i
over them over-yes, cover them over
'arent, and husband, and brother, and lover:
'ress To your hearts these dead heroes OF ours
md cover them over with beautiful flowers
,ne there is, sleeping, in yondcr low tomb.
Worthy the brightest of fow're that bloom
eakness OF womanhood's life was her part;
'enderly strong was her generous heart.
'rayely she stood by the sufferers side,
hecking the pain and the life-bearing tide;
lghttng the swift-sweeping phantom of death.
.asing the dying mans futtering breath
hen when the strife that had nerved her was o'er
almly she went to where wars no more
oces have blessed her now silent and dumb;
oces viii bless her in long years 10 come
over them over Yes, cover them over
Blessings, like angels around her shall hover.
reasure the name of that sister of ours
nd cover them over with beautiful flowers
over the thousands that sleep far away
lecp where their friends cannot find them ta-day; |
hey who in mountain and hillside and dell
est where they wearied and lie where they fell !.
Oftly the grass blade creeps round their reposs;
weetly above them the wild flow ret blows
yphyrs OF freedom fly gently DER head, /
'hispering names for the patriot dead
D i'll our minds win name them once more z
D in our hearts viii cover them Ger;
oses and lilies and violets blue =
loom in our souls for the brave and the true :
over them oyef--yes, cover them over
aren't, and husband, and brother and hover:
hink of those far-away heroes of ours :;
nd cover them over with beautiful flowers
hen the long years have crept slowly away
ZEN to the dawn of earth's funeral day; I
hen at the Arch-angel's trumpet and tread
ise up the faces and forms of the dead;
hen the great world its last Judgment awaits: y
hen the blue sky shall swing open its gates
nj oar long columns march silently through =
asst the Great Captain for final review: @
hen for the blood that has flown for the right n
fowns shall be given, nntarnished and bright:
hen the glad ear of each war-martyred son, I
rondly shall hear the good Judgment ..sWell
DONE
lessings for garlands shall cover them over
aren't, and husband, and brother, aud lover: o
od viii reward those dead heroes of ourS n
nd cover them over with beautiful flowers
AT LARGE.
To day, the Both of May, all over this
'oad and beautiful country, the people a
e occupied in the holy and praiseworthy Il