Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-31

simply suffered aud prayed These were never
absent from the thoughts Of the boy In blue on |
those Questions when his courage, fortltrde or |
patience wns severely tried.
some years after the close oil the war was
told by gallant oi.icer who, by his merlior,9us
services, mad won his star that on one OCCASION
when he was in command of regiment IN
pat.le, and, in obedience TO orders, had his men
lying on the ground under. a gazing ~ .ae
thought came 10 him that II he were me- eiy, q
private soldier, nothing could keep hiit ~
Huca trying position, he would incvh lhenuy
rua from IT, But being an otiicer, ne ieis ih
PEELED to remain at his post come wha' would,
for fear of casting disgrace upon ms inenus
aud family. We're he to run he would there-
ait be ashamed TO go home snc iouk ~, nls llis
ever served in the ranks he wculd nave fpoWn
himself and the soldiers uuder his eomhaha
better than to have wondered at their courage
and endurance He would have known that
the fame thoughts ny whicn he was inhueAceu
Aa an officer would have controlled MN ~ IN
enlisted man. When all else fnfis the soiuief.
and he feels the blood rushing back upon ms
heart, one thought OF the eyes that VIII sparkle
&c The story OF his valor. aud tne cheeke. tMnst M
would blush with shame no the tais 81 ms
eOwArdiee, will often nerve his arm and iire y
spui for the supreme effort tnaS turns the tiue
of battle.
These patient and Loving wives, mothers, sis
tefA and sweethearts, so ntly represented here
tc-day. who watcned frvm distance the course
o. the sfIngsJenu land ana ser, sc,rc'ly Knew
fbe potent iuiftieuce they exelted over tue
healis 81 those WAC bore HE brunt OF tut strife.
With y hat AnSious solicittde the waited for
the tiroy news from the boss Il. pluel And
when ttdinge Of II great victory were thrilling
the Air, how all other thoughts were swallowed
up in the fears that agitated their gentle
bosonis What had happened 70 him, the IDOL
of the household, or the knight whose gallant
form was treasure ed up in the heart OF the gen
tie maideng We're those lips that gave the
parting kiss now cold and pale under the seal OF
death osdistorted with pain and parehed with
thirst. gasping in dying agony? We're those
bright eyes dimmed aud lustreless forever,
robbed of their sunshine or gozing hopelessiy
fanp N Il
dead, wounded aud missing was published,
with what bated breath aud aching hearts they
sr1nned the lines in search Of the beloved
ns.rne And wnen doubt was dispelled by. sad
certitude, how ALT the light seemed o fade from
heaven and earth,. leaving nothing to
agnt for since he had fallen allen tp' 9pa' aootbs ms
roll. there were still the woundeu--
might Il not be there? If SO, with what ago3ized
yeayning the arms were stretched toward tne ne
sunplication to the sweet heavens. HOW the
afflicted soul cried out at the barriers which
barred the way to her suffering darling, and
rendered her tender hands SO impotent to min
lister relief to his sufferings. But even though
he may be spared the pain of wounds, there is
still the roll of the missing What frigktful pos
sipil.ties Of hope deferred. Of prolonged misery
are bound up in that fatefu word which burns
the eyes and stabs the. heart of anxious atfec,
tion7 Days, weeks and months roll by freighted
with alternating hope and foIebodings, ana still
no tidings. The air is filed with dismal &C
counts Of the suiferings OF prisoners, all in the
nina OIL ye0TnlER lOVe, nhNluB IL uebIlDB per
sonal to eobject Of it's own solioitude. And
when all is over the cruel war is ended, her
boy must die airesh 10 her, as the joyful home
coming OF his surviving comrades brings at last
the n,ournful news of psiuful captivity and
lingering death. 1t was thoughts OF such SAD
scenes as these that somb bered the merriest mo
ment OF the young soldier and sailor. and shall
we not now remember those gentle, loving
martyrs with special tenderness? The records
of the dead, whose graves have this day been
decorated somewhere in the land they helped
to save, are brilliant with names that shall
shine down through the annals of the future,
beacon lights to the brave who have country to
fight for. Baker, McPherson, Thomas, Cauby,
Grant, Hancock, Mcclellan. Logan and host
OF others These names shall not be forgotten
while history endures
But there is one tomb that should be crowned
with the richest garlands that art can design or
that skiliul hands can weave. Let bower,
bush and trellis be despoiled byreverent hands
speak to the heart of deathless fame. Let them
be entwined with fragrant roses, upon which
the first rays Of the morning sun have kissed
perfumes rise like grateful incense to heaven.
As the wreath is woven, let the tender blossoms
be spanged with delicious tears OF gratitude
and love: for the hero. the martyr who lies here
was gentlest among the gentle; truest among
the true; bravest among the brave wisest
among the wise; greatest among the great OF
the children Of men; bearing in his own bosom,
sensitive as that of a woman, the burden Of all
| the agony of four years of ffatricidal strife,
looking forward to the promised land OF peace
without turning aside from the toilsome, blood
| stained path by which alone the goal could be
| reached; without faltering even when clouds
lowered most threateningiy; with patriotism. Y,
| as his compass and love of humanity as his
| guiding star His foot had hardly touched the
borders Of that promised land for which his
| great heart had SO long and so earnestly
| air was thrilling with the echoes of his kindly
majestic words-s'with charity for all and NAL.
ice toward none" fell. And IN that hour no r. It
land was demanded as = crowning sserifiee TO
/ seal lasting peace. No power on eartn can
undo what under his leadership 80 mas been &C.. & ae
| universal liberty. He lived, thank God, to see
his country united, under flag unsullied, that
| should in truth be the banner OF the free. And
to-day we strew our fairest flowers above his
In n thus IGNORING his memory we pay. loving
eseFy sed e wao o For
| held our heart strings in bis hand. We knew
hin. as our true comrade, our big-hearted & {, q
| his slumbers, and fade less his memory.
General Fremont then introduced the poet OF
the day, L. Z. Moshsr, who read the following
| poem:
| ODE TO OUR HEROES RESTING.
| How sweet they sleep, our heroes.
| Each like a babe upon its mothers bosom,
| Lulled by the silken rustic of her robe. b
No bug1e start1es them at night, tl
/ When hfgn and far the white moon
Seems shouldering her way among the stars,
| No thr0b of drum frets them into EFFORT
No blank OF sabre and no Shrek OF she'll
| Pierces the weight of silence, lying
Upon their pulseless hearts.
Dawn creeps over the bill-tops,
| And, with its ruddy light.
Smiles on the dew gem med grasses
4 And Kisses the fragrant meads;
| Yet still our brave sleep on,
No neigh OF steed nor voice commanding
Reaches the changeess quiet where they lie.
.H
Clouds gather and the dun sky
Weeps above their faces; the rain
Gullies the knolls that show us
| Where they're resting. Across the
/ Forests and the fields the wind sweeps,
sobbing in the trees like mourners
In the streets; yet still they slumber on
Our brave whose hearts are hushed.
Absent in the farther Southland
Amid the marshes and dark morasses--
BY the rivers drifting TO the sea-
Upon the mist crowned mountains where
Gaunt pines, like spires, pierce the upper air,
They rest in unknown graves.
No shifting bGyoneu gleafn in the
summer sun--'tho We're 1t so
They could not know-their hearts are hushed
Yet once was wsfl That awful noun
OF fire and OF DEATH Long cleaning lines
OF steel threatened the laud. The wheels
OF cannon made furrowsin the fields
Where once the song Of birds
Flooded the pulsing space. bugle's trill
Rent the glad air OF morning, and night
Was born amid its brazen echo
with lance and sword, with musKet and carbine
Columns wheeled into place; around the
Gildcd eagles and the Haunting flags
The battle swirled, ana brave men
Fell from the lead-swept ranks in
In desth. upon the Geld Of honor.
Andthese, and those who died since
Pegce came crowning all with laurel,
Robe we in the sweetest flowers of Spring.
upon their quiet graves we lay
Hoses and lilies and blossoms blue,
The blended colors Of she flag they bore.
The sunlight glitters on our tears
For them, the trHest, bfayest, best OF earth
AS all alone we leave them, sleeping,
Each Ike babe upon its mothers bosom,
Lulled BY the slken rustic of her -obe