The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1883-06-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, June 1st, 1888.
Decoration day is q popular anniyersa-
nv in Washington. 1t is one OF the too
MANY national holidays, days when that
galley slave known as the government
Clerk is unclaimed from his desk and al
lowed to wander at his own sweet will,
in beer gardens. | followed the crowd
that went on Decoration day to the Ma
tional Cemetary at Arlington. Arling-
ton, you know was once the home OF
General Lee. 1t is now an immense
graveyard, looking down upon Washing
ton from the Virginia shore. A Confed-
crate Chaplain once preached to his
warlike Pensioners in the field, that the
way to Abraham's (Abrahams Lincoln's)
bosom was over Arlington Heights. The
way to Arlington Heights from Wash
ingtonis through ancient Georgetown,
across the Potomac, over rickety bridge,
thence half a mile over dusty road and
YOU enter the portals of what is poeti-
cally called "Home's eternal Camping
Ground" between two vertical Column
biads 1t is beautiful spot, much of il
remaining in the wild natural forest
through which the Indian glided not SO
very long ago. The open spaces here
and there are thickly dotted with graves
So thickly, indeed, and with such tire
some precision of alignment that the
poor soldiers seem to have been put un-
der ground to the familiar command, the
eternal ''close up! close upp'
The graves had been decorated, but
looked in vain for the flowers about
which / had heard so much, saw them
on but three graves that bore the titles
of Lieutenant, Major and General, re-
spectiveiy. The other myriads OF graves
were ornamented each one with a little
penny flag, the stars and stripes. 1t
seemed like swindle that could have
been practiced on the living to substi-
tute these tawdry bits OF cambria for
flowers, but the poor clay beneath was
quite as satisfied, | suppose, as if Flora
had emitted her apron. Flora, by the
way, on this occasion was, in most cases,
a colored girl, and by far the greater por-
ton OF those who attended the picnic
were colored people. They wandered
about through the groves, sat on the
grass, munched ginger cakes, and were
in high state Of enjoyment.
Many of the denizens OF the Capital en-
ioyed their holiday in excursions down
the river to Mount Vernon, Piney Point,
or to the other pretty landing places in
which the shores OF the Potomac abound.
Others went up the river to the Great
Falls, while thousands ayailed them
selves OF the excursions given by the eraiE
roads.
Unthinking people no doubt will
blame me for railing on Decoration day,
but the discerning reader will be. acute
enough to see that ] ana not railing
against the day, but against the absence
of decoration, and the burlesqua decora-
ton that has been substituted for real
flowers. The marble statue of Lincoln in
front OF City Hall was wreathed with
pink white paper roses. Execrable taw-
driness was a characteristic OF the decora-
ton everywhere, and this too at the sea-
son OF the greatest abundance OF spring
flowers and verdure. 1t is too evident
that the sentimental Congress which set
apart the 30th of May as q jour dys morts a
day sacred to the dead soldier, and for
floral offerings, reckoned without a know
ledge OF human forgetfulnrss, and legis-
lated farce. The day l. 'njoyed by the
tens OF thousands Of Government EN-
ployees who are ever glad OF an excuse
to leave their desks. bus it is not enjoyed
in q commemorative way, and it is fast
degenerating in a kind OF MONDAY orgie,
that would be more honored in the
breach than in the observance.