The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-05-26

putting . certain lot to rights all the
morning.
Decoration day came bright and
beautiful. The sky smiled down as
blue as the myrtle blossoms. 1t seemed
as II everything was conspiring to
make the day success. Hon. Horatio
Bigelow came on the morning train
and Deacon Miles brought him over
from the station in his buggy. He and
the minister were going to head the
procession In Esquire Tonnley's best
phaeton.
started. They were followed by the
squires gray team and the deacon's
double carriage, with the four 'old
veterans" that Cranes Corners pos.
sessed. Oh, dear me! l 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
mot 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 tho
brick church, and then Hon. Horatio
Bigelow made 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, 'Tis 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 a large monument put up to
their memory-the largest in the GENE.
terry. The procession marched to that
first The band played softly: "Tent-
ing Tonight" while the children laid
wreath on each grave and the boys
planted their flags. During the cere.
mony all heads were uncovered and at
its 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 q
good old age, and died u 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 hint toward an
appropriate Word over the grave in this
far away corner Esquire Tonnley
looked back at him with blank face.
He did not kn ow who was buried there.
Hon. Horatio Bigelow decided to
take matters into his own hands. and
made 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. Ho 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.
When she stopped there was not a
dry eye in the crowd.
Esquire Tonnley was wiping his eyes
with big red bandanna and saying to
Deacon Miles that he remem bered as
distinctly as if it WAS yesterday. 1t
was John Aliens boy Ro bert-as good
lad us ever lived" =.
Then Hon. Horatio Bigelows clear
voice rang out:
"Fellow citizens Brothers! Patriots!
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 ambition
to raise stone to her son has not been
gratified. Let me tell you-do some
thing more than weep-raise the monu-
ment for her. Maks the widow happy
and do honor to her boy hero!"
Here the speakers words were
drowned in wild applause, and the band
broke into 1.-The Star Spangled Ban.
ner." In the midst of it all Nellie
found herself in the crowd with Hon.
IIoratio Bigelow's silk hat in her
hands, and men and women, young
folks and children were doing Their
best to fill it, raining in bills, silver
and small change
That was several years ago. The old
lady still lives and is able to come on
her annual pilgrimage to her boys
grave. The year after this first Deco
ration day at Cranes Corners, Nellie
and Mollie Dent, Lulu and Fred Ash
ley were waiting for her at the train
and escorted her to the little cemetery
behind Deacon Miles gray team, with
the deacon himself driving The mar
BILE monument that stood over hel
soldier boys grave could be seen tow
ering slim and white half mile away
The children had written her about it
but it was more beautiful than she hat
dreamed.
And to this day there is not lot Sc
beautifully kept nor grave so con
| stantly coyered with flowers as the on.