Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-28
CHAPTER II,

CHAPTER II.
The little village and surrounding townships
turned out very creditably the next day to
decorate their soldiers graves. The sun was as
bright and life-giving as if it had never seen
funeral; there were two or three companies of
soldiers. commanded by numerous officers. one
OF whom had succeeded in becoming colonel in
time Of profound peace; there was a brass
band, which might have reconciled the whole
population of the cemetery to DEATH could they
have awakened long enough to hear one tune,
and there was large number of citizens. not
caring particularly for public display of grief,
but many of whom kept their offerings to the
country in this little place and now wanted to
typify their thoughts and feelings toward them
with the most beautiful flowers that it was pos
sible to find.
Among these was sturdy. Manufactured old
man who might have been Cromwell, a Bis
marck or u Gladstone if blessed and cursed
with the same environments. who had many of
the elements of greatness within him. more III
tense. perhaps, from the limited scope of their
display. Many Of these were shown with the
features Of this old semi-mOuntaineer, bat that
distinctly New England product-determina-
tion-was the most prominent one. The reticent
soil and unbending climate of his lifelong
home had conspired to make this the most no
ticeable portion of his nature.
His wife a motherly woman who had evil
IDENTITY started out in life with disposition of
unqualified sweetness, but had from year to
year absorbed some of the granite of her hus-
bands character. 1t is impossible for q sharply
contrasting couple to live long together in peace
without obtaining more or less Of each other s
qualities. Nor had her own influence been idle
all these years. There was an occasional line of
tenderness among the marks of time and emo
in oil fuen N thf.x- hoo
there with mild but logged perseverance and
chung in spite of everything.
'.Poor, poor Albert" sighed the motherly
woman. they drove toward the cemetery. Il
do not know whether they will let u, decorate
his grave or not. There was so much talk against
even our burying him here when We brought
him home from the south"
But he was buried here. all the same" said
the old man. bringing his teeth together firmly.
Its my cemetery lot, and there wasn't enough
fanatics i'll town to keep our own flesh and
blood out of it." And the same old hand that
had forwarded q fathers curse to the only son
because he had joined the confederate army
came down with crash upon the arm of the
wagon seat. in defense of that same son-or,
rasher, of the old gentleman him elf
Poor. poor Albert, repeated the old lady
He couldn't help doing what he did. He
thought he was right"
"Well. l amt 30 sure of whether he even
thought he was right" objected the old man.
giving his favoiite road horse two or three
gentle but decided touches with the whip. ..Im
inclined to think (an' to hope. too that he
let others do his thinkin' for him (And his
heart added. if not his tongue: He ought to
have let Inc do it for him; then it would have
been done right" The old gentleman's counte-
nance and manner showed that he was perfectly
ready to do the thinking for almost anybody
The wife did not answer; Il sudden little
storm q tears had swept across the blue sky of
her eyes. 1t came as il having a right to. for it
was daily visitor. Every mother knows that
there had not been single waketul hour when
she had not thought of her only son.
well. we're here, said the old gentleman at
last in dry tone. He did not like display and
could not help making little sharp, biting.
Yankeeish remarks when he saw it,
1.-The soldiers are ell out" he muttered ats
the same old story again-war in the time of
peace. It's queer how many fellows there are
who love to put ROSTERS feathers in their hats
ard march about whenever they carf get the
chance. Some Of these chaps know how to
march, though-they did it in the army; all
commanded now by peace officer
The sweet-faced old wife did not say any
thing; deep problem was in .hc- heart. She
had brought along few bouquets to place upon
the sOldiers graves. and fine one had been re-
served for that of the son whom he had loved
and lost She could not bear to think of all the
other soldiers getting wreaths and her son hiv-
ing none. And vet, in conversation that morn
ing. her stern old husband had decided that the
boy was not worthy OF any flowers; thu. al
though the young man was hi; own son he
should be made an example of even in his grave.
1t was the Roman father act brough. into New
England
The procession was good one for country
town, and the soldiers made very credi able
display. There was also among their number a
society Of Odd Fellows, a company of firemen
and long line OF school boys and girls - all
anxious to do their share in decorating the
graves of the dead heroes. Although il was a
holiday, il was Il mournful one, and seemed
much like great open-air funeral. The day
had not then become as il has i'll many places
since, leisure time Of pleasure and festiyity:
the graves were too new; the deaths were all
recent.
This field of the dead was not all filed with
tombs. portion of 1t on one side still
vacant country, very suggestive to those who
might some time reside in it. Par. OF il was in
deed occupied today, but by living people. A
small stand had been erected for speakers and
musicians, and this was surrounded by the
large crowd that gathered. The glee club
turned for the day into dirge club, sung a &C.
lection, half hymn, half song, praising the fallen
heroes; prayer was offered by the most
popular clergyman in town, and then came the
Grafton by neighboring judge. who still bore
marks upon his face of the fatigue which he had
experienced in trying to keep politics out of it
| at last; another song was sung, entitled 1.-The
Nation Weeps and Mourns Today" in which
the comedian basso seemed singularly out of
place, and then occurred hush-almost us
painful rs that at funeral when the conductor
Of the same rises to say that the congregation
will now view for the last time the departed one.
As II in sympathy with the feelings OF the peo-
pie mist, something like that Of the evening
before, which had been slowly gathering all the
morning, became now deeper and deeper, and
Allied the place. 1t was as il pale, dropping
| cloud had died and been brought to the ceme-
terry for burial.
The marshal Of the day arose, drew his sword
from the scsbbard with peaceable-if-can,
forcible-if-must flourish, and said:
Fellow citizens, we have now come to the
saddest and yet most important part Of the
duties Of this day. II b TO strew flowers upon
the graves Of the soldiers who lie within this
cemetery. In order to do this gracefully and
in order we have arranged the following plan:
'..swe have here three committees Of young
ladies', who took charge Of the flowers that were
contributed to the occasion have the names
of all the brave soldiers who sleep in our little
cemetery. win read the names In the order
In which thAv are Wrikt0n dovu in the lisf Az