Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-05-26

The nobility of nation may be marked
by the love which survives the tomb OF
It's fallen defenders. Measured by that
standard this grand republic Is above
and beyond all other lands. From the
st. Lawrence to the Rio Grande, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, loving hands
strew the beauties OF nature above the
graves OF sleeping heroes and crown with
chaplets Of flowers the memory OF It's
soldiers. The exercises OF Decoration
Day spread a shade of sorrow over the
passing hours and quiet the voices OF
gayety and laughter, and yet they are
more welcome than scenes OF revelry or
songs Of pleasure.
How sleep the brave who sink to rest,
By all their country's wishes blest!
When spring, with dewy fingers cold,
Returns to deck their hallowed mold,
She there shall dress a sweeter sod
Than tancy's feet have ever Lrod.
BY fairy hands their knell is rung;
BY forms unseen their dirge Is sungi
There honor comes, pilgrim gray,
To bless the turf that wraps their clayi
And freedom shall while repair
To dwell a weeping hermit there.
The Long Dark Night of War.
While the masses have no personal
recollections of the war, its shock and
anguish, all have been impressed by the
lingering evidences of its terribleness.
The conflict was ended before the young
men Of to-day were born, and to them it
Is page in history. The sound Of the
spirit stirring drum" and the ear-pierc-
ing fife does not send the blood tingling
to the finger-tips as it does with the old
soldiers to whom the war is an ever
present reality. To the old volunteer 1t
seems but yesterday that he heard the
call to arms and fastened to the front.
All was hurry and excitement and there
were 80 many new and interesting sights
that he almost forgot the dreadful
nature of the mission he had set
out to fulfill. The march through
strange lands, the stories of the
camp, the ever-shifting kaleidoscope OF
war served as stimulants to the mind.
How differently surrounded was the
mother, the wife or the sweetheart at
home, who with fearful, prayerful heart
dreaded the coming of the news that
might deprive her of LIES sunshine.
Sad, long evenings were those spent by
the hearthstone from which the father
or sons were absent. What tidlngs
might come with the morrow What
tidings the morrow did so often bringl
| Dub VINO VI LILO buINlNOIS Judb ouleIeu
most would forego the sorrowful recol-
lections OF those terrible days IL by 80
doing they must forget the glad time
when the boys came marching home
triumphant, bearing the dear old flag
rent and battle-scarred but q hundred
times more glorious than when it went
away. How wildly all remembered
the day when the men a thousand
strong proudly marched away tc
the war. Mothers and wives anc
sisters and sweethearts had pressed
the farewell kiss on the lip anC
cheek and brow. Words were spoken
the music of which was sweet sound
In the ear even amid the din of battle
Little children were awed by the mill.
tary trappings of the great body Of sol
diers, and wonderful what It all meant
Old men gave their parting blessings
the last good-bys were spoken, hand.
kerchiefs fluttered thousand fond fare.
wells, and the boys were gone. And
how strangely quiet were the homes they
left. Over the doorways fingered 9
shadow, and hope to be darkened oil
frightened by the uncertain fortunes Of
war. Long days and nights dragged By