The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-29
ONE TOUCH or T q
How Decoration may 10 OhssFvsd Near
sthe yRoatIes Fores.

~ &1&t M BNpD WFUNvI0p R09p0e 4~a
nBAR TINE CENTERS OF CIvILIzA.
~ ti0nf Vie exercises on Decoration Day
AK - 81 aush : large scale that the
veterans, Who aTe ths living exam
ples Or ths hsvoism ths nation remsmbsse
~ sommsmorAtss sinss n - no longer
reward, aTo almost lost - sight In To
crowds u sishtsSsrs and ths marching Or
9Anixstions. Far di6sSsnt 10 u IN Me r.
mooe plaees q the eountSy. There svesy
man who had any part II the euppreasio.
q Nee rebellion Y Known eas 9 nssr. g
port than II u whore u Il sssn more frs-
qpently.
On Decoration day morning, from every
canyon and from all parts Of the prairie
cons wagons Of every description, farm
"a sssG e. e .S:ss ~ s sssss ss .ss 's's 81 v ,:sa's
bring ths contingent Of Tho more psospsE-
on settlers. md sinely and III groups The
hnrseEs. sweep past M slower GOING
same plece. Nc post csuasts1y.n
usnaiiy qaist n~siehborhood il The rendsz-
vous Of al those abls TO como. Knots
gather around The members Of the Grand
Army, and tales that have been told and
heard times without number take . new
meaning. gain ANEW signidcsnos on the
FNWy t0NV M0AtVW0 Observation-Disclosures lu
the presence Of The lowly mounds that hide
from sight only those whose deeds will keep
their memory green % long 10 the dag they
saved floats above them.
The sharp notes OF the Assembly" In the
fort dispsrss the groups, and the veterans
whom ths linz II formed. With ~ nsssio
playing the TROOPS march ont toward The
white fenced "God's-acre,", that II now,
sdSloundsd ~ ths settlers Who have gath
essd 70 do honor 70 the past. On they
swssp. ths pacs somewhat too fast Tor the
gloryinR III their strength. 1 nation's hul-
wArk. The spot IL soon reached. and the
Wfeaths and CROSSES are laid on humble
Rfaves. Those wreaths and flowers would
cause = smile elsewhere, but hers. whore al
aye nature y new. homs.pun 1Ays and
and meaning. and no ono smiles At them,
least Of all those who lingsr within the lit
tie enclosure after the ceremonies are over
and the crowd have gone. They look about
and zee that some familiar face II absent,
and they know where the new maidstone Il,
and wOndor what new grave will be deco-
rated next year; until, stillsd BY tho past.
and awod by the future, they move away
BY twoa and threes, and the place Of tho
Past 10 tenanted once mors BY memories
only.
OXSuVV u 0u0OOS Ouk WIG raw VI VIC
rising sun will eild anew the dsa 'thatin
itself ornm suno rstss their deeds.
The gathering 10 almost O. full of mean
ing a. those In the southern states. for at
the outbreak Of the war many Of the SYM
pathizsrs Of seoession canae to the then new
population was. In q large majority, rebel
In conviction and expression.
Gradually that feeling died away, and
now the Graveg of all soldiers are decoratsd;
old quarrels are healed and new friendships
ceLnented - these gatherings.
semblags in one Of tho northern territories,
AFTER the ceremonies were over and the
crowd was commencing to break ur, two
man came face to face near the graves that
hAd been covered with the symbols OF re-.
newed brotherhood. They stopped trans
other:
ing for you since the war;" The other man
MAYER spoke, but kept looking him steadily
Jim" again oonnsaosd tn. one Who
had spoken, ''the war has kept M long
enough apart; lot ~ be friends again-
brothers once more" as
a crowd had gathered, attracted By the
acens. and ono Of tho bystanders who knew
the speaker said:
'Whas,s The matter, Leonard? i. tia.
b00 OIOtUVE you QNV6 O00U G9llln' &H0utf
Lsonard nodded. And he won't make up
mo, I suppose he can't forget" and
Leonard looked sadly at his brother, who
Was turning to leave him. s4 5E Az
Hold on, stranger" called the By
stander, and the departing man turnsd
around. II want to give You q pointer"
continued he; this brother Of yours has
been my friend since the war, and il 10 did
fight on the rebel side that's nothing against
him now; ome with nae a minute" and
taking his arm he led him back to ths
graves and showed him the name on one OF
''rhere." he said, "you1r brother could
and puts flowers IN his grave, and w that
man when your brother tried to escape
when he was taken prisoner fred the shot
that cost him his log; he acted up to his
convictions and 70 did yonr brother, now
what are yours-oan you 90 away without
making frisndsf Remember % 10 said with
q smile. '''there isn'tas much Of him 70 for
give - whom hs made the mistake Of taking
the wrong. side. and remember, too" hs
added. taking off his hat, what's left
mayn't be here to forgive whom you make
mp your mind You want to-" There was I
moments pause, and then q cheer went up
% the brothers turned way together.