The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-06-08

/ ooi'Su 90 III " i'lldSc; Iut VlSiONS Ol
battle an 'nrmoil faded away and
in its place came the plough boy
whistling at his work, the merchant
at his desk. 1t might have all been
a dream all seems so peaceful.
The silent trea oI over quarter
of century has pr, ssel down the
earth over the loved ones who left
father mother, wife and child, and
with heroism born of true devo-
ton to country, offered themselves a
sacrafice and died that not one star
be blotted from the blue field of the
grandest banner ever raised as a
National emblem; that slavery's
claim be broken link by link, and 4
millions of the human race stand in
the sunlight Of liberty knowing no
master, but the Prince of Peace.
Yes back from the fields came the
Grand Army of the Republic, brave
hearts but Scared forms, unmindful
of all else save the stars and stripes
and home. That Grand Army
stacked arms, beat swords into
ploughshares, and spread out like a
great fan over the country. | say a
a tribute of respect is due them and
we would repeat over the graves Of
those who fell in the battle and
those who died a lingering death of
sickness:
o sleep, faithful soldiers within the silent grave
o sleep the sleep Of peace, with the loyal, true
and brave.
o fa.h'r and brothers, o SONS and husbands too
. sleep the sleep of peace in 70 If faded coats o.
blue.
call,
Yet our God is watcning over one an | all;
he careth for the spirit of soldiers brave ant
true,
A,.horgh the form be dead in its faded coat o
bl1e.
ressn ble soldiers, o rest and sweetly sleep
Beneath the Fathers care, who DOH tender Wig
Us keep.
iie stnnl you and know you when in tn
I I 'Lr.n6'reSfeNr sssf
He will call the "sol lier boys" in ttcir fade,
coats of blue,
Thank God that the dark days o
81 to 50 are over and that peace
has spread her wings over the blue
and the gray. We are reunitet
people knowing no North and X
South.
! You, members of the Grand Arm,
: gather here on this Decoration Da,
with thmned ranks. Other armie
can be repleniShed but with til,
Grand Army Of the Republican, ney
companies enter its call, no fresl
commrades take the places Of thos,
who have fallen. You are met b
2 an invisible enemy who thins you
) ranks. There are more graves to b
decorated each passing year and few
er of you to strew the flowers. Yo
; appear here with more and deepe
wrinkles on your faces, with white
; locks, and soon the last musket wi
be stacked, and no drum beat c
bugle call will awake you. You wi
Il be taking your final rest never agai
: to be disturbed by the din and nois
q of battle, no more will wars alarl
u arouse you from your lowly be-
I You will be sleeping that sleep thf
Il knows no waking, the calm still slee
I of death. The coming generatio
/ though they write with the inspire
5 pen of an apostle, and speak wit
4 the flaming tongue of an arch-ange
> they cannot pay fitting tribute
'' you who fought beneath your raggt
e tattered flag while it bore a sing
u star, and walked undaunted to yo,
b graves by the light that flashed fro
e the grim cannons mouth. You wi
be gone but never forgotten.
e And if perchance. the future gel
3 erations, in strolling along amor
y your graves. may come upon son
IL marked unknown" and shrink bat
s at the inscription. The mute silen,
: of that grave will answer back SUI
e known in name only"
On succeeding Decoration Da
+ loving hands will scatter the brigb
a est flowers of the year on your grave
Many floral tributes will gra
le the unknown soldiers mound. II
IS loving hands that place the annu
u tributes will "care not what pompo
is tombstones say" but will pla
NJ their flowers, often moistened wi
e. their tears, upon the graves of Il
known and unknown alike, fc
1t whether you are known to fame