Connecticut western news., 1884-06-04

held Of GettySburgh, delivering that ln- comparable address, said, History will take little note what we say here, but history will never forget what these men did here."
 How true, how prophetic his words regarding those patriots, heros, mar tyrs. Had his life been spared until now, how his heart would thrill as he beheld the nation recognizing the ser vices of its preservers and honoring its noble dead.
 It Is fitting that as a nation, as states, towns and individuals, we manifest our gratitude to the veterans of the army and navy, for the sacrifices they made, the hardships they endured, the perils they encountered to preserve the Union and our institutions, ,and 1t also becomes us to pay fitting tribute to the mem ory of their deceased comrades and strew with flowers their honored graves.
 AT NORTH CANAAN.
 This town observed Memorial day in a manner that convinced the most skep- tical that North Canaan possesses an al- most inexhaustible amount of patriot ism, even the children vie with each other in manifesting it.
 To give detailed account of the Me morial exercises and report the speech es, uer6atim would be impossible with our limited space, but we will briefly mention them.
 David s. Cowles post, No 50, G. A. R., left their hall in the old Warner house at A. M., and were conveyed in carriages to the following named places, in the order mentioned: Ashley Falls, Clayton, Canaan Valley and East Ca naan. At each of these places they dec- orated the soldiers graves; Post Com mander Van Deusen read the ritual service and Dr Eddy, chaplain of the post, offered prayer, except at Clayton, where prayer was offered by Rev David Phillips. They arrived at Canaan de- pot at Il o'clock and alighting from their carriages, marched to the lawn in front of the Town hall, where theywere met by Holley Manufacturing Co.'S. band, who escorted them to the grove Su front of Mir William Bennett's resi- dence, where the band and post partook of lunch, kindly and thoughtfully pro- vided by Mrs William Bennett, Mrs s. A. Bennett, Mrs s. w Barnes, Mrs Dr Eddy and Miss s. ". Adam.
 The school children, each carrying a boquet, were assembled here, also citi- zens on foot and in carriages. The cav airy company were in waiting at the house of Dr Eddy, where they had par taken of lunch.
 The line of march was soon formed in the following order:-
 Holley Manufacturing Co.'S. band.
 The cavalry company.
 David s. Cowles post.
 The school children.
 Citizens on foot.
 Citizens in carriages, (21 carriages).
 X column halted and opened ranks, the children marched through the lines and strewed the soldiers graves with flow CTS, the post following. At the last grave Post Commander Van Deusen read the ritual service and Rev E. F. Atwood, chaplain of dept of Conn.,, of fered prayer.
 The column was reformed and pro- caeded to the Town hall, where the post took seats in front of the stage, the cav airy company at their right and the De. pot glse club at their left, while the band occupied the stage. The hall was crowded, many being unable to gain ad- mission.
 EXERCISES AT THE HALL.
 The band played the Star Spangled Banner, then the post arose and gave the salutation, Salute the Dead" Dl Eddy invoked the divine blessing. The Depot glee club, assisted by Prof s. A Weaver, sang the memorial hymn, "Dil the Flag Reyerently, the band playing the accompaniment. Post Commando Van Deusen read the ritual memoria address. Prof Weaver sang solo, ''Th Roll CaH," Miss S. W. Adam playing the piano accompaniment.
 REV E. F. ATWOOD,
 the orator of the day, arose to addres the audience and produced from tn depths of capacious pocket, a larg manuscript, but looking upon the SC of upturned faces, on whose every fea ture patriotism was indelibly stamped he laid aside his manuscript and spok as the spirit moved him. He extolle Dr Eddy-told why we should decorat soldiers grayes-gave statistics of tn number who died in the army or wer killed Tn battle-said 'sthe soldiers we1 not all buried yet, for after an elapse ( 20 years their bones are found in thick cts where they crawled away to die afte being ounded"-described the gres battles of the war-said nations do nc decorate soldiers graves, simply becaus they died in battle, for statistics sho that the number who have died on tL battle fields of the world is 35 times th present population of the earth, but W decorate the soldiers graves becau: they died for principle, yes, the pril ciple at issue was worth the sacrifice the war marked an epoch in the n tion and demonstrated that the sla' was a man and not beast" t"-refering Judge Touriee's novel, "A Fools E rand he related the incident there r