Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-31

assured that that his informant had
misrepresented Lancaster. He gently
rebuked the noise and lack of attention
by many on the outskirts of the audi
ence by saying that Memorial Day had
always meant more to him since last
August when he had attended the funer-
al of General Grant in New York.
Although the streets were thronged
with thousands in the vast procession
for eight hours, there was less noise
than now within ten yards of him. He
hoped the people here would have as
much respect for their $50 dead heroes
as the people of New York had for
General Grant, their old commander.
He said perhaps in speaking he
would wander from his subject, but
that if his hearers would read the next
Grant County HERALD they would find
a verbatim report of his speech just as
he wanted it. He then delivered the
following
GRAFTON
From the day that Adam and Eve
wept together over the grave of Abel
this has been a world of mour,ing. be-
cause loved ones have been cut off in
their strength and might. Death is no
respecter Of persons, nor of age, nor Of
circumstances. When the old die and
are gathered to their fathers as shocks
Of corn fully ripened, we mourn that we
shall see their faces no more. as the sons
Of Jacob wept for him.
The one holy thing in every mortal is
his a1ections-his heart expression The
Jews had the tomb of David and the
Prophets. Rome had the sepulchers Of
its Caesars. England has its Westmin-
ster Abbey, wherein are gathered the
names or dust of her mighty sons
kings, warriors, statesmen, orators, phil
osophers, poets. ministers and philan-
thropists. To it all the travelled world
wends its way, to stand in the midst of
the mighty names. In America we have
Mt. Vernon, the resting place Of the
great Washington; Springfield, the con-
tinuing city wherein dwels the loving.
tender-hearted, Yet wise President Lin
coin; Cleveland, with its other martvred
patriot President Garfield; last Of all.
Riverside, with its illustrious dust To
these the traveller Will make pilgrim
ages, and to them the nations thought
tenderly turns, when great names are
spoken or great events remembered.
But one town necessitates another in
close proximity; the busy, rushing, surg
ing city suggests its counterpart. the
quiet Greenwood or Rosehill; the cradle
suggests the coffin; the prattle Of the
child, the wall for its loss. The mar
riage bell whose silver tones speak Of
two lives blended into one, bids us re-
member when the same bell shall tell Of
the united hearts torn ruthlessly in
twain. We live to-day. We die same
tomorrow. Are we prcpareda
1t is true that while the nations have
their special tombs, we as individuals
have our graves more and yet more
precious to as. In hundreds of River
sides the small congregations meet and
weep to-day over 4 grave most fully,
surely, their own. We are Ill kindred
in the family of death; each is the heir
of his own dissolution. He that rcmem-
bers this is wise
The story Of the death of Abncr, is
that Abner was the chief of the forces of
Saul. He was true to the son of his old
king, but finally came to David in sub
mission; but Joab, chief of David's
forces. had hatred for Abner, and
claimed to dispute his loyalty to David,
and calling him aside, slew him. as
Brutus did Caesar; as Booth did Lincoln.
But the people and the king were grieved
because of it, and so on the day of Alb.
ner's burial the King and the people were
sincere mourners for the brave and faith
full soldier. And this in ancient days
we take as the token of the popular re-
gard for the heroic dead.
Twenty-Five years ago the discordant,
inharmomious elements developed by
the labor problem Of this nation resulted
in an assault upon the nations life. The
decree went forth that the nation must
| nerish-its aao must be dnfacnd- two