The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1893-06-09

everywhere, and teaches us in almost
constant lessons their use in this di-
rection. After an elemental passion
has swept over the land, devastating
fields, uprooting forests and destroy
ing human habitations, then comes tho
gentle south wind, dropping invisible
seeds from out It's fragrant wings
and 10, in but little while the poor,
SCARED surface of the earth, so
gashedand bare, Is once more healedand
rounded and made whole It's wounds
become only memory, and flowers
bloom and grasses wave where all was
bleak, and drear, and desolatc. So
when the mighty earth Is aroused by
its own passions and the giant hills
are rent asunder to leave a yawning
chasm, a waste OF dreariness, the sun
softly kisses the snow upon the
mountain top, and through that desc
late canyon a stream flashes and dances
and sings, making even the barren.
blaclSened sides of the precipice
tremble with laughter and music.
Ambitions of men inspired them 70
unhoiy conflict. They flew at the
throat of the mother country, wound
ing her sorely before the strife was
done; but, when 1t passed and peace
was come again, there came also the
messengerso of song and bloom TO drown
the memories OF battlefield and hide the
scars covering the nations breast
What is more beautiful than the
gnarled and rugged hand of the vet
eran, disflgured by wounds, shrunlsen
with age, dropping from its trembling
fingers the flowers Of love upon the.
grave of recent foeP Decoration day
itself is of but short duration, yet It
symbolizes feeling that rounds the
year even as the Ave Marin or the An
gelus circles the world. for the evening
of the first ringing is the morning
of the last prayer when Johnny
Comes Marching Home or Marching
Through Georgia. may not be grand
in themselves as are the more stately
chimes of the old masters, but when they
are inspired by the love and tenderness
that fill the day of forgiveness they
become holy. And they are truly
American.
In olden times the conqueror led his
captured enemy back TO his camp,
loaded him with chains and set him ut
work to grind the wheat which was
never TO pass his lips, or TO weave the
beautiful laces which he was never to
wear. To-day there is no war of con-
quest, and the remnant Of that say-
agery which eliminated in our late
civil strife gave to peace It's sweetest
possible assurance in the words OF the
conqueror who said to his subjected
focmcn: Go back to your plows,
your workshops, your Offices We are
brothers still.s
Memorial day Is not a day for hilari-
Gus rejoicing, neither should II be one
of sadness, but only sweet and peace
full meditation; a day in which we feel
that not only natures children but ma
ture herself has given up her music
and her bloom to drown the discord
and hide the scars OF passionate con-
fiict; a day in which we may invoke
the spirit of our common country and
all her children sing:
columbiai strip thy biossomed grovesi
Make bankrupt all thy bowersi
The sword that drunk the nations blood
To-day Is sheathed In flowers
Der verdant plains thy children run
Full handed with thy bloom,
And north and south clasp hands above
One common hero-tomh
Columbian Freedoms queenly childi
Dear mother OF our race
Sweet hope draws all.snstaining strength
From thy o'ersmiling face,
And in the blossoms of thy .Mav"
We drowned the Calling Must
And mect once more, as kinsmen true,
Beside ldnsman's dust
columbiai grandest goddess thou
That ever temple best
For twenty million kings have drunk
Sweet freedom from thy breast
And from thy hands outstretched In peace
Bright garlands fall to-day.
A fragrant shower, 70 rest alike
Upon the blue and gray.
CHARLES EUGENE BANKS,
MIN =.