River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-06-24
Decoration Day, 1886.

[Read AZ the Memorial service held by A. NJ.
Howard Posi- Rock Elm, WIS, May ~
Once again the changing seasons bring the
When our giiis of tears and gariands on our
heroes graves we lay;
Field and garden yield their treasure, masses
fair Of beau .eOus bloom
Each message Of remembrance bearing 20 the
lowly tomb;
Emblems are they Of the fallen, whom the
sprlnging gases hide,
oftheir hopes. 50 fair aud glowing. witnered in
their MONDAY prize;
] ing :heir sleep aud deep their sIumber thro'
ne yea Oa mcnhood's prime
Glorious years, whose splendOr brightens the
kaleidoscope of timel
sim their spectre hands have swayed us, reach
Jag upward from the grave,
Aud they shal, sdide the Nation, which ,hey
gave their lives 70 save
For they did the deeds of Titans, and from
shining sea 70 sea
Ls-. our starry banner floating Ger land
redeemed and free
And whe.e'er their bones are resting, though
their names no mortal SHOWS
lAbery snrine is keep 1g where the fire Of
freedom glOws,
Aud the mounds axe growing thicker % each
sWift--eturning year,
And they sleep who stood beside US when the
last swee- May was here.
Soldiers o. The seat Grand Army! you W once
s,OOd side by side
With tae comrades VINO are sleeping Meath the
in, tor which they died;
You who Rrcaed through hailing bullets and
stood face to face with death,
Yet escaped from his embraces though you felt
his fiery bread n,
q the love YOU bore the comrade who fell by
your side ha. day,
And your glorious Old Commander in the fOray
Guard the memory Of the fal en-keep Il free
f-Om every stain;
Lei no euviOus tongue detame them and no
t.di ofOus heart arTaign:
Yours the triumph and rejoicing and he vie
tors crown o bay,
rfta - hn eFNHa N NJ ha gfla md hsa
lOw-arcned crown o. clay;
Yours the joys of use and LABOR, bat beneath
you ma ching -eet
lie her M hOut pride and valOr, and thei-
hopes SO fl II ard sweet;
Hea.ts that beat with love and daring, hands
ma. held a sacred trust,
nd fulfilled it nobly, g-andly, now az only
Since YOU nus 'ched with them % ba tie, shared
Their danger and their pain,
You are he's Of all their glOry-let them not
Soldiers Of me Silent Army! You whose half
told DAYS shall shine
On the calendar of ages with a radiance sub
lime.
You whose memory is the anchor Of our coun-
t-y's stOsm- tosSed baik,
Binding her 20 truth and freedom, though the
skies q e yelled and dark,
You whose sighjless eyes behold us, aud whose
saadowv forms are near
Rouse your sOii IS from their slumbess and our
heaT.fe't Dled es hea;;
BY The SKY which arches DER you, bright with
summer 5 ioveliest blue
By me geVls IDS that we bring you, smiling
through .hesr Gears o. dew,
Bv each fond remembrance clinging 70 the
earthly forms you woe,
BY each heart tbst broke with an, uish when
you fell TO rise no more,
BY Z. c hope tina faded with YOU from Loves
sh ming morning sky,
BY each life whose Joy departed when you laid
You down TO die,
By he nanner that you gave US, fee from every
spot aud s,ain,
Move While tie crimson Wga-blood courses
sw .lv-lhlough each vein,
Shall the land which You enfranchised bea-
tyrsnt or slave,
While It's soil supports fooistep or its depths
Afford grave!
NETTIE NJ. LowATER.