River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-06-12
MEMORIAL ADDRESS.


honoring of our nations dead. This
is the day Of all days when the old
soldier counts the graves and thinks
of the new ones since last they met to
perform like duty. They look at the
thinning ranks and cannot count them
for the gathering tears.
Their minds 60 back to-day to the
enlistment, the first sad good byes;
the first march, the welcome halt and
campfire, the inconsistencies that
gouid come, no matter how they
struggled to be brave, the first letter,
the wishing for "mother's grub" and
the snug bed at home. am sure
their thoughts take them back to their
first battle, its victory or defeat. To
the weary days of waiting, and they
think proudly of the good stories and
the grand old songs that stirred a ma.
tions pulse. All this and more that
we cannot know is living again in the
heart of each hero here to-day.
You will pardon me if, in my remi-
niscences, | allude only to my own
family, for l was only years old
when Co. G.. of the brave old 4th Wis
consin marched away. / remember
as plainly as though it were yesterday
just how the hand bills looked upon
which their names were printed. and
of spelling them out until | came to
that of the favorite uncle of my child
hood. l can see the name yet. The
story of his tears mingled with those
of his aged father. leaving their traces
upon the ground the day they left
Hudson. was to me the first sad tale of
that long, long chapter.
Do any of you remember when the
time came that your eldest brother be-
gan to plead with father and mother
to let him go! How he would sit by
the south side of the old barn-in the
spring sunshine-you would come up
ON him there in your childish romps
and disturb his dreams of valor.
Have you forgotten the pain that
came into your mothers face every
time the question was asked, "Mother.
can go!" Was there not a sadness
in your fathers voice as you knel.
with him at family prayers. and he
asked to be "led Alright in the path of
duty!" That was the way it was in
our home when our 19-year-Old broth
er begged and begged to go. At last
the answer came, full of pain and
tears-''Yes." Did you follow him
in his last stroll about the farm as he
bid good-by to his dumb friends. We
did, and hardly knew why the Jumps
would come so in our little throats
when we saw him caress for the last
time, it may be, his favorite black
colt. We picked the June roses and
gave him the morning he went away.
The years passed slowly-everyon
knows the years never were so long.
How eagerly, yet with what dread we
scanned the lists of missing, dead and
wounded, until under the latter we
saw our brothers name. That mem
DRY will never be effaced. 1t was at
the time of the last call for "more
men," There was war meeting on
the opposite side of the river. The
question was ever before our parents
should they let their second son gol
so young" they said, mot quite
seventeen" At the meeting that
evening they were to decide and his
name was added to the roll. Ii was
in the spring, the Kinnickinnic. from
recent rains, had risen to its greatest
heighth while they were at the meet
ing, and in trying to get home our
soldier brothers loved black colt
went down, never to be seen again.
AS We came trooping home from
school the evening after, saddened al
ready by what we knew, we were not
surprised to see our mothers face as
white as death, but it wore new ex-
preston of pain that we did not
know, and with a voice l think can
never be forgotten she said, "Children
your brother is wounded, we know
not how badly" 1t proved only an
ankle wound at the capture of "Sue
Monday" The 6Ist, in which our
younger brother enlisted, never left
the state. They returned after an ab.
sence of six weeks. But think you it
cost any less to let that sunny-haired
boy go away from home aud their
care! They knew nothing of how,
where, or when the war would end.
All through our great country it
was the same story, the same heart
ache, the same terrible battle be-
tween duty and love. think the bat
ties at home were full and strong,
and will count when the last great
| reveille is sounded. Not only pa
rents sent their boys-fathers, many
of these gray-haired veterans here,
put the baby away for more than the
! first time. before he could go, and
there w.,are tears on baby's cheeks that
he never shed.
Husbands pressed the brave, loTSi.ng
wife TO their hearts and tried in vain
to comfort and be strong. Can you
go back with her into those empty
rooms, where every foot fall seems to
echo-death! Lovers, how would it
be with youl
Many, many, we know, babe adieu
to friends as loved as ours who never
came back. But we thank God for
those who were returned to US when
the strife was over and our land was
free. And it is for these and those
who were then the wife or sweet
heart, now grown old by the side of
the husbands and lovers of their youth,
of the fathers and mothers, who were
the tower of strength to our nation,
that l wish to speak of to you my
young friends here to-day.
Do we appreciate their effortsi Do
we realize their self denials! Why