The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-27

eNcTyWnere, anu teucnes ub III hiihooe
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 the
gentle south wind, dropping invisible
seeds from out its fragrant wings
and 10, in but little while the poor,
SCARED surface of the earth, SO
gashedand bare, is once more healed and
rounded and made whole. It's wounds
become only a memory, and flowers
bloom and grasses wave where all was
bleak, and drear, and desolate. SO
when the mighty earth Is aroused by
its own passions and the giant hills
are rent asunder to leave yawning
chasm, waste of dreariness, the sun
softly kisses the snow upon the
mountain top, and through that desc
late canyon stream flashes and dances
and sings, making even the barren,
blackened sides of the precipice
tremble with laughter and music.
Ambitions of men inspired them to
unholy conflict. They flew at the
throat of the mother country, wound
lllR ntT SoTtlN thS stiiAS was
done; but, when 1t passed and peace
was come again, there came also the
messengers 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, disfigured by wounds, shrunken
with age, dropping from its trembling
fingers the flowers of love upon the
grave of recent foe? Decoration day
itself is of but short duration, yet it
symbolizes feeling that rounds the
year even as the Ave Maria 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 oonqueror led his
captured enemy back to his camp,
loaded him with chains and set him at
work to grind the wheat which was
never to pass his lips, or to weave the
beautiful laces which ne was never to
wear. To-day there is no war of con-
quest, and the remnant of that saw
agery which eliminated in our late
civil strife gave to peace its sweetest
possible assurance i'm the words of the
conqueror, who said TO his subjected
foemen: "Go back TO your plows,
your workshops, your offices. We are
brothers still"
Memorial day is not day for hilari-
Gus rejoicing, neither should 1t be one
of sadness, but only sweet and peace
full meditation; 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 a passionate con-
fiict; day in which we may invoke
the spirit of our common country and
all her children sing:
Coumbial strip thy blossomed grovesi
Make bankrupt all thy bowers
The sword that drank the nations blood
To-day is sheathed in flowers.
Ger verdant plains thy children run
Full handed witt thy bloom,
And north and south clasp hands above
One common hero-tomb.
Coumbial Freedoms queenly childi
Dear mother OF our race
Sweet hope draws al-sustainng strength
From thy o'ersmiing face,
And in the blossoms OF thy MAY"
We drowned the CALLING ''Must'
And meet once more, as kinsmen true,
Beside q kinsmans dust
Columbial grandest goddess thou
That ever temple blest,
For twenty million kings have drunk
Sweet freedom from thy breast
And from thy hands outstretched In peace
Bright garlands fall to-day,
fragrant shower, to rest alike
Upon the blue and gray.
CHARLES EUGENE RANKS.