The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-31
THE NATIONS REQUIEM.
Soldiers Graves Made Beau
tiful With Plants and
Flowers and Flags.
GENERAL OBSERVANCE OF THE DAY
Civilians Join With Veterans in
the Celebration-Many Festi-
walls in the Evening.

Decoration Day came with dull. heavy
skies without the promise of clear
weather and with a gloom chilling the
enthusiasm of patriots, old and young.
Many face clouded in sympathy with
the skies as through parted curtains was
revealed the disappointing veil OF clouds.
At nine o'clock the first large drops of
heavy shower fell and everyone was
ready to give up all hope of pleasant
day. But the shower was soon over and
then the streets quickly were dotted with
the veterans in their modest uniforms
and carrying light canes.
On every corner you met veterans.
Some of them were old and infirm and
their canes became stats for their
wearied and feeble bodies Others
walked firm and erect. with jaunty step
and clear eye, their canes held lightly in
hand as a finishing touch to the gala day
attire.
On all corners were venders of flowers,
and pinks. geraniums, hyacinths and
roses waved delicately in the dolorous
east wind that, moaning, gave the first
chord of the days dirge Strangely beau
tiful these masses of flowers seemed, ,on the
corners usually so busy with the unsenti-
mental CONNER Arabian, now given over
to the most unselfish sentimentaIism, the
regard for the dead. Wholly lovely the
thought of it. this great warm love for the
quiet souls who have passed away, SO diff
ferent from all other loves that II the dead
do know and care at all what the earth
has for them they must smile softly and
long to return for moment to the pains
and torment of this unsatisfying life.
BRIGHTER SKIES.
AS the skies grew lighter and the local
weather prophets. incident to every block,
began prophesying clear day, all the
horse cars carried loads Of flower-Iaden
people, and the way to the quiet resting
places of the dead. where the wind whis-
persamid the long, cool grasses softly and
Observation-Disclosures from boisterous
crying on the outside world-these ways
became thronged with widows in their
long black wells, and sad-eyed mothers of
dead. aad little children, half laughing at
the holiday.
Then after, when noon came the shrill
and piping sounds Of flies came, heard
family with the beat of drums from The
distance and louder as they came nearer.
until strong now they played out boldly
as the veterans, two abreast, walked by
on their way to show the dead they are
not forgot, and behind them wagons
freighted with flowers, the gifts of many
hands, and little flags. the dainty, pretty
national emblem, hallowed as it has been
When the afternoon grew longer the
crowds which rhronged the streets and
crowded the cars were OF different COM
plexion, laughing faces and loud hearty
talk were theirs and they showed that
pleasure and not pain was their portion,
for a day at least. They were bound for
the picnics held in the various parks and
Ior the numerous pleasure resorts.
During the afternoon nota livery stable
in the city had rig for hire. All the
available horses and buggies, phaetops,
dog carts and all Kinds Of vehicles, in
fact, thronged the streets, and the popular
driveways were crowded until late at
niRht.
Towards evening the dust covered and
muddy veterans tramped wearily home
ward behind their equally tired tifers and
drummers, and the dead were once m ore
left alone with weeping nature and the
nurmurlng of the winds.
So at night when the moon looked down
through a mist it cast its sllvery glances
on many. flag waving delicately, and
many flower blooming as witness to
loves triumph over death.