The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1894-05-01
DAY OF MEMORIAL.
Decoration Of the Graves OF
Old Soldiers.
The Blue and the Gray. Veterans OF Texas
and the War Of IsI2-Fine address.

made last night, the committee on
decoration this morning visited the
cemeteries and decorated the graves
Of Confederate and Federal dead,
soldiers of the Texas and Mexican
war, the war of 1912 aud Indian
wars. On account Of the heavy
rains the parade was abandoned and
the exercises were held in the city
hall this afternoon, commencing at
q o'clock. The memorial services
were opened by the chaplain of the
camp, Rev. Frank Page, followed
by music Miss Nettie Parent de.
livered a beautiful recitation. The
choir again rendered choice
selection which was followed by a
recitation by Miss Virginia Donnell.
After q musical selection Capt. w.
I. r. Bell, the orator of the day,
delivered the following very able
address,
Comrades of Pat Cleburne Camp,
Ladies and Gentlemen; Within
the Holy of Holes of the human
heart there is shrine erected to the
worship of heroic virtue. En-
lightened sensibilities pause not in
the vestlbule of this sacred temple
to parley with cold calculating
reason, but with Bind devotion the
purest offerings of the generous
soul are laid upon its blooustained
altar. In all ages and in every
country of the world, from the
semi barbarous Greek and half
civilized Roman to the Christian
nations of modern times, painting and
sculpture have devoted their crea.
tive energies, and poetry has in.
voked her sweetest muses., to the
conservation Of heroic deeds, and
the embalming of the warriors
memory.
Prejudice and envy are acknowl.
edged opponents of human reason.
We look with distorted gaze upon
struggling truth in the hour of her
trial, suspicion would disparage her
efforts and impugn her motive in
the day of her strength; but at the
grave of fallen greatness we
acknowledge the force of principle,
and re.establish our confidence in
the sincerity of human conduct.
Here the green eyed passions of our
baser nature abandon our bosoms;
all the foul whisperings of cowardly
Islander and detraction cease; while
the soul is left in undisturbed com |
munion with those angel graces that
nestle ever near the tomb of unsul- |
lied virtue.
AT the instance of our committee.
ladies and gentlemen, come to
join you in the ceremonies of
Memorial Day, and az best can, to
give expression TO the feelings of
veneration and pride, gratitude and
love, with which we gather around
the graves of our fallen comrades.
\ ear after year under the tender
of woman, what
pious task. Memory, as a meek.
eyed m@iden, her cheeks still wet
with tears, bearing with her the
emblematic sprig of acacia, comes
with trembling hand and aching
heart, to lead us over ga bridge of
sighs" through the church yards of
the past. She waves her magic
wand; and amid the war desolated
fields Of sunny land; over the
ashes of once happy Southern
homes; among the stricken shrlues
and ruined affairs of conquered
people | stand, to challenge uniyer.
sal history to present sublimer
sDectacles of self-sacrifcing devo. ,
lion than are found in the lives of
our Confederate dead. E
| come to speak in the spirit of ,
universal brotherhood, with peace q
)tfering in my hand, and PRAYER I
or perpetual peace in my heart.
l am aware that words uttered in E
he ordinary expression of grief and
'ride by men standing near the IN. t
marked graves of their sons and
have been caught up By e
PARTISAN press, and made pretext q
or the further humiliation of 9
rave yet conquered people. Forbid 3
hat should resort to intempera.e d