Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-06-10
COMMUNICATED.
KANSAS CITY, KAN, May 30, 1898.

another Decoration day have been
closed and assigned TO their place In
the archives among the things of the
past. Another Sunday has been set
apart in which TO spend al hour in
Memorial services, It's exercises passed
and recorded in the eternal book of
records. On Sunday last l saw the
old veterans silently, slowly vending
their way toward the house of God,
there to bring their offerings 10 the
altar of the Father at Peace, in menu
DRY of departed comrades, and mingle
their tears of sorrow and sympathy for
their widows and orphans-some with
canes, others with one and some with
two cruichcs to steady their faltering
steps, all more or less gray, bent and
with wrinklel hrows, showing that the
weight of years through much hard
ships is slowly creeping upon them. /
looked again, and behold, the aged
grandmother with bent form leaning
upon her staff. followed by the widow
and her tathcrless children sadly and
slowly moving toward The same house
to hear the good mau ot God speak
words of sympathy and pleasant mem-
cries of the h0nored son, the devoted
husband and the loving father. i fol-
lowed and with the throng entered the
sanctuary. heard the beautiful songs
sung by that choir of young people
whose hearts know not the horrors OF
civil war; songs that were written and
| ~, md
fought battle field before they were
born. When I heard those songs and
looked upon those old veterans my
heart was sad; my thoughts went
back to the fife and drum that called
us around the old flag, to the taking
leave of the dear old home and the
dear ones there, To the young mans
firm step as he took his place in front
Of the enemy OF himself and his
country, TO the ordcrof fire, the bugle's
sound 10 charge, to HE tall back or the
feeiag foe, Ia the crir- al the wounded
for water, help and Tor mercy, TO the
gr0ans OF the dying and Ihcir last re.
quests to be- ,rit Ia the loved ones al
home: aud ali these caused feeling
TO come over me that cannot tie de-
scrihe,l and nome but soldier can re-
aliZc. When | lnukrd again and saw
the young lady and the Younger chill
dren with the bloom Of yoatl and the
bright intelligence bcaluing in their
faces. Thanked the God OF love that
orr beautiful fair land and country
was undivided aud peace and plenty
were abundant blessings from shore 10
shore While that choir was singing
one uf those beautiful songs that in
spires the hearts of the odd soldiers SO
much 10 hear, | fancird the white
winged angel Of peace nigh; well he
lowering just over that c"nsecra'ed
altar with beautiful wrraih Of eyer
greens hanging on either Srin: IN one
hand the olive branch, IN the other the
palm of virtnry inscribed "Peacc on
earth. good will to man" While these
thoughts were following each other
through the mind, the preacher arose
to invoke The divine blessing, which
proved more OF a cur>ing than bless
! ing. He thanked GOd that while our
!
that in the North H. well as in the
South the iron heel Ut the power of The
law enacted b. the devoted lovers Of
| civil liberty WAS III firmly fixed in the
| reheliious Skeleton that hc miabt never
again raise his head 10 brighten tie
lovers uf liberty and nniom. Such
statements might d. Tor political
rally in time II canpaign. IL one
should chOo>e Ia express them, INT
they wer. most certainly cut at pla e
and out 81 harmony on Memorial
Sunday. Then ralIc ihc discourse. M
stead of being Ia meinoriaiu at the
fallen heroes i was devoted 10 Sec
tional strife. The preacher seemed TO
think that his mission on that special
occasion was To-
"Prcss down thu poisoned links in'o his ilcsh,
And tear ugap lha, rc.,iins wound ufrrsh."
| Before he had said bali d hundred
words he hai Srnt arrow, poisoned
with political dem ,go2v III that how
erimg angel al pence ANIL wounded
and bleeding in many places II was
COMPELLED 10 retire antl seek cnver be-
hind The smoke ui such Old fussilized
expressions d. ''vOle RS you -hn!," aud
"bcgin now aud cease ioi your vigil
lanrr until the enemies Of law and
order are hurled from power and the
party OF law and order is again in-
stalled tn The honor and glory at the
country" thought, in The language
of the Texas politician, "Whut ARE we
here for?" Then looked NJ the man
aud asked myself The question. is he II
preacher or disappointed politician?
| Then | thought. 'Behuid, how good
aud how pleasant il is (would beg for
brethren 10 dwell together IN un'iy;'
''and the wolf aud The lamb shall dwell
together. the lion lie down with the
kline. aud a lilrlcchihl shall lead them
.r.;,, s.l,.,c- Inu,.Iitttl ~ Than tllnt