Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-12-21

/ rs we ron Dtth the ltdNtS vi tllHc, anu
review, through the dim vista of de-
parted years, the history we then made.
The pathway is marked all along
with the graves of our departed com
rades; and as we journey on through
life we will, one b. one, lie down aud
leave another mark To guide the traveller
in his search To know whittier we have
gone. As call each of you TO mind,
see you rs you then were, in the Begin
ming of the prime OF life, young and
vigorous; but now, how all must be
changed, instead of strong young men
as we then were, now we are all grow
ing old and gray, and our step Is trem-
bling and our eyesight poor How !
would like to meet with you this fall
and grasp those grand old loyal hands
once more. 1t always seems when |
take an old soldier by the hand | am
shaking hands with more than an ordi-
nary man; it makes one feel as though
he had hold of hand that would be
ever raised in support of friend. You
have crossed over the great breast
works of life into the boundless fields
beyond. Their lips are now silent,
their march has come to halt; but the
sacrifices they made will echo and re-
echo through further generations. We
have passed through some dark days
since we laid off our suits of blue. 1t
has sometimes looked as though the old
soldier was nearly trodden under under
foot hut like ''truth though crushed to
the earth will rise again" the right of
the old soldier cannot be kept down
the hand that strikes him will wither
ere it strikes deadly blow. For the
past two years il has been regarded by
some high in authority that to draw a
pension is a disgrace, and many an old
soldier who has presumed to present
his claim for Justice before that tribu-
nal, has been sent Sprawling in the
! dust. and Sneered at as though he were
an object of disgust. But let us be Of
/ good cheer. for we are hardened by
war and used to reverseS. and if we
faint not by the wayside eternal justice
will yet be ours, and we will come out
more than conquerers, and some of us
will yet live to sec the day when il will
be an honor to the chief magistrate Of
the nation to salute an old soldier. II
will be our lot then 10 carry the glad
tidings TO the boys who have preceded
Us, and Joined the great army above.
Yes, we will continue TO rally around
the flag, and each comtade as he falls
by the way will be messenger TO carry
the news TO the boys who have gone
before that our flag is still there,
/ guarded by the old reserve. Now my
! dear old comrades, while it will not be
my lot to be with you this wear in body,
! | will be there in spirit, and trust that
! | shall yet live to see the day that can
meet you in your annual reunion, al
though | am aware OF the fact that the
day must not be postponed too long.
At each roll call the roster of the absent
ones becomes larger and larger and
those present smaller and smaller.
Year by year as the bugle sounds the
assembly call, fewer ears will hear it,
and 10 them it will grow DINNER and
DINNER until its last echo dies away in
the distant hills. Let us rejoice in the
thought that we will not be forgotten,
for we are raising an army of sons of
veterans who will grid on our arms
and take up the line of march, and hold
the fields we have taken ard keep the
banners there. This is "A grand young
army, and we can safely trust the leg
acy to their keeping, and they will de-
fend il. And now, dear comrades, ere
we part for the night let us all stand
around the dear old flag, and with I'M
covered heads pledge anew to our de-
parted comrades, that as long as life
lasts we will ever be found in line
lighting for those great principles for
which they fell, and rally around the
dear old flag which they died to de-
fend. Should it not be my lot to ever
meet with you, | want you, my old
comrades, to ever remember that the
spirit of patriotism which fired my soul
in days gone by is still alive, and |
know the same is with you, and were
we placed back "a quarter of century
we would all be found in line answer
ing to the call of Father Abraham. If
you should think for a moment that
you would stand back and let somebody
else 90 first, you couldn't do it. The
old spirit of patriotism would boil up
| in your veins aud Won aouldn't ston