Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-05-24

four o'clock and had been raking and
putting a certain lot to rights all the
sncrning.
Decoration day came bright and
beautiful. The sky smiled down rs
blue as the myrtle blossoms. It seemed
as if erything was conspiring 20
make the day success Hon. Horaffo
Bigelow came on the morning trsin
and Deacon Miles brought him oter
from the station in his buggy. He end
the minister were going to head she
procession in Esquire Tonnley's lest
phaeton.
At ten o'clock to the minute they
started. They were followed by the
squire's gray team and the deactr.'s
double carriage, with the four ''old
veterans that Cranes Corners pos
sessed. Oh, dear me! / forgot the
band That headed the procession, of
course. and it did credit to all of its
practicing. too! After the veterans
came the citizens in line, and last. but
not least, by any means, the girls and
boys, laden down with flags and
flowers.
The exercises opened with a prayer
from Rev. Mr.. Doolittle. pastor of the
brick church, and then Hon. Horatio
Bigelow made a speech that added
luster to his already famous reputa-
tion-to this day the Cranes Corners
folks speak of him in the same tone of
awe-struck admiration that they use
in speaking of Daniel Webster and
Gladstone. Then the band burst forth
into MY Country, IT'S of Thee" and
the procession began to move.
There weren't very many soldiers
buried in the Cranes Corners burying
ground. There were Squire Tonnley's
two boys who were shot at Bull Run.
There was large monument put up to
their memory-the largest in the cenae-
terry. The procession marched to that
first The band played softly: Tent
ing Tonight" while the children laid
a wreath on each grave and the boys
planted their flags. During the cere-
mony all heads were uncovered and at
it's close Hon. Horatio Bigelow made
some appropriate remarks.
Then the procession moved on to an
other grave and another. even stopping
at old Mr.. Deans grave, who ruined
his health in the war, but lived to
good old age, and died peaceful death
many years after it was over. That
was the last grave-the last that had
been marked for the children to visit.
Nellie Dent and Fred Ashley were at
the head of the column. Nellie still
carried beautiful bouquet and wreath
over her arm. Fred still held his flag.
They turned out of the broad drive
way, down into the side path and all
the rest of the procession followed
them. The paths were too narrow for
anybody to keep step with anybody,
but they followed just the same until
Fred and Nellie stopped at their sol
dier's grave.
Hon. Horatio Bigelow looked in vain
at Squire Tonnley for a hint toward an
appropriate word over the grave in this
far away corner. Esquire Tonnley
looked back at him with a blank face.
He did not lin ow who was buried there.
Hon. Horatio Ri gelow decided to
take matters into his own hands, and
made a way for himself through the
crowd up to Nellie and Fred.
WAS this soldier relative Of yours?"
he asked, softly, as he saw the tears in
Nellie's eyes.
Then Nellie poured the whole story
into this great mans ears He listened
to it with close attention.
Don't be afraid" he said II want
you to tell that story over again, just
as you have been telling it to me-" and
before she knew it he had lifted her
onto the front seat of the deacon's
double carriage that was waiting in the
driveway to carry back the veterans"
and she was telling the story over again.
ho SfonnoA fharo q
dry eye in the crowd.
Esquire Tonnley was wiping his eyes
with big red bandanna and saying to
Deacon Miles that he remembered as
distinctly as if it was yesterday. 1t
was John Aliens boy Ro bert-as good
a lad as ever lived"
Then Hon. Horatio Bigelow's clear
voice rang out:
"Fellow citizens! Brothers.! Patriots!
Your faces tell me that you are deeply
touched with this little story. You are
grateful to these little children who
have saved one of your heroes from
neglect to-day. You weep with the
widowed mother whose fond am bition
to raise a stone to her son has not been
gratifed. Let me tell you-do some
thing more than weep-raise the monu-
ment foe her. Make the widow happy
and do honor to her boy hero!"
Here the speakers words were
drowned in wild applause, and the band
broke iato THE Star Spangled Ban
ner." In the midst of it all Nellie
found herself in the crowd with Hon.
Horatio Bigelow's silk hat in her
hands, Iand men and women, young
folks and children were doing their
best to jill it, raining in bills, silver
and small change.
That lHas several years ago. The old
lady still,lives and is able to come on
her anMual pilgrimage to her boys
grave. 'Yhe year after this first Deco
ration day; at Cranes Corners, Nellie
and Mol Dent. Lulu and Fred Ash
ley were HAiting for her at the train
and escort NJ, her to the little cemetery |
behind Deyfan Miles gray team, with
the deacon himself driving. The mar
BILE monurh bent that stood over her |
soldier boyis grave could be seen tow
ering slim and white a half mile away. |
The children had written her about it. |
but it was more beautiful than she had |
dreamed.
And to tlzis day there is not a lot so |
beautifullyn kept, nor a grave SO con- |
stantly covered with flowers as the one |
with the tall monument inscribed: |
Robert Allen. aged eighteen years. |
of Company G, Fourteenth infantry. |
80 -. Il 1t I. nl>