Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-06-05
AN HONORED CUSTOM.
Decoration Day Generally Observed
Throughout the Country.
4 Tribute of Gratitude Laid on General
Grants Tomb.

New York, May 3l.-Decoratlon Day
was pretty generally observed as a holiday
throughout the country. The President
reviewed the procession on the way to dec
crate the tomb of General Grant Presi-
dent Cleveland left the house of Secretary |
Whitney at eight O'Clock, accompanied oy
Secretaries Whitney, Endicott, Nilas ana
a number of others. The party was mel a'
the Brooklyn end of the ferry by the Ia
nous Twenty-third Regiment, the hand
of which struck up, "For He's Gong 10
Marry, Yum-Yum Yum-Yum Hupireds
of small BOYS escorted the party to thu res
dence of Joseph +. Knapp, where ioDal
Grand Army Post had made arrange
ments for the Presidents reception, lie
passed rapidly through Mr.. Knapps house
disappointing the uniformed and the MOB,
by which it was filed, by leaving 10 Ten
eral John A. Logan the irksome task OF
handshaking, and took his positior at the
front of the large receiving stard, Mr..
Cleveland stood erect and solemn and un-
t,ipching before the gaze of two thousand
people and seventeen cameras, amateur
and professional, that leered at h'n from
every available bay window p1rlha
halt in the parade the Presideu' was
asked if he thought he was eq"al 10
the fatigue of being present at the cere-
monies AFT General Grants tomb. MI
Cleveland replied: II am here TO 90 Wuao
the people of New York want me TO oo'
, and | shall not grumble at any arrange
ments Won make, but remember l have a
long night before me-" 1t was hhaly
arranged that the fatigue would De 'oo
much, as the President had done carry
morning duty in Brooklyn, and would
F., have to be present in the evening al
= the Academy of Music, So it was agreed
. that at the conclusion of the review tht
d President should be driven to Secretary
n Whitney's house under escort OF the oI'
d Guard, and thus enable him to secure
t. rest and recuperate, The tomb of Genera
y Grans was magniticently decorated VIII
l. eyergreeus and flowers A platform OIL
l. four stages had been built on each SD
4 of the tomb, and at daybreak the bus
r. ness Of arranging the floral decoration
10 on and around the latter begaf
RS The front of the tomb was drape
I'd with ivy sprigs so thickly as aImo'
e, to hide the brick work. On each side
in the gate were beautiful wreaths OF lille
@ red and yellow roses and ferns Ihe ire
he bars of the gate were entwined VIII
tn SPRAYS of smilax mixed with roses. Oyt
to the gate was crown of magnl
cent lilies and other flowers, with
white dove descending on it, al
round the half-circle Of the arch was Il
It's inscription Faithful Unto Death" Il
We lettering composed of white Christm
IN roses. Over the keystone of the arch sto'
re floral cross of arms, Easter llIacs, rus
cd and smiax. The interior of the tomb W
IRE mass of palm branches, foliage plan
Iil- and ferns, madenhair and Others On ca
ire side of the gateway, on the exterior SIC
nd were disposed scrolls of white immortelI
,as bearing in purple lettering tho "o'
rlv ..Finis' and Peace and in front OF I
ut. entrance was a three-inch gun, compos
eat of white immortelles with carriage
Id, ivy. A white dove perched upon tne III
ac- zle. The members of the Grand Arr
en- Posts, military, etc, who took part in
it'll ceremonies at the tomb, went
md the Hudsonby steamer to One Hundred
illi- Twenty street and marched thel
OF to the spot where they arrived aool
ery n m By this time Riverside Park in T.
en- neighborhood was filed with vast thr'
Z of people, stretching away from the c
tral object of interest in every directl
The order of march to the tomb embra
S Of many bodies of military t. a. ~ +. E
,ths and civic societies, both from New Y
SSh ,,l n. hap nj