Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-06-09

Shut from the blue Of the glorious sky.
Faces once Iii with the smiles Of The gay,
Faces now married with the frown Of de-
cay.
Eyes that beamed friendship and love to
your own,
Lips the sweet thoughts Of affection
made known.
Brows you have soothed in the days Of
distress,
Cheeks you have flushed with the tender
caress.
Faces that beamed with hopes so high,
Faces that streamed when you babe them
good bye,
Faces that glowed with the battles red
flame,
Paling for naught till the death angel
came.
Parent and husband, father and lover.
Clasp to your hearts those dead heroes
ofours,
And cover them over with beautiful flow
Cover the hands that are resting half
tried,
Crossed on the bosom. or close by the side
Hands to you mother, in infancy,thrown,
Hands that you, father, half-hid in your
own.
Hands that YOU, sister, when tried and
dismayed,
Hung to for protection and comfort and
aid;
Hands that you, brother, for faithfulness
knew,
Hands that you, wife, wrungin bitter adieu
Brayely the cross of their country they
bore,
Words of devotion they wrote with their
gore;
Grandly they grasped for a garland of
Light,
Catching the mantle of death-darkened
night,
Cover them over, yes cover them over,
Parent and husband, father and lover.
Cover the hearts that have beaten so high
Beaten with hopes that were born to die;
Hearts that have burned in the heat Of
of the fray,
Hearts that have yearned for homes far
away.
Hearts that beat high in the charges
loud tramp,
Hearts that low fell in the prisons foul
damp.
Once they were swelling with courage
and will,
Now they are lying all purseless and
still;
Once they were glowing with friendship
and love,
Now their brave souls have gone soaring
above.
Bravely their blood for the nation they
gave,
Then in her bosom they found them a
grave.
Cover them over, yes, cover them over,
Parent and husband, father and lover.
When the long years have passed slow
ly away,
Zen to the dawn ofeartl's funeral day;
When at the ~arch-angel's trumpet and
tread,
Rise up the faces and forms of the dead;
When the great world its last judgment
awaits,
When the blue sky shall fling open its
gates.
And our long column march silently
through,
Past the Great Captain i'll silent review,
Then for the blood that has flown for the
right,
Crowns shall be given, untarnished and
bright;
Then the glad ear of each war-martyred
son,
Proudly shall hear the glad plaudit, "well
Blessings for garlands shall cover them
over,
Parent and father, husband and lover,
God will reward these dead heroes of
ours,
And cover them over with beautiful
flowers"
And so we have strewn flowers over
these graves to-day, and so may we
strew them year after year. One
solemn truth may have impressed you
members of George D. Summers Post,
as you 5edecked the graves of your
comrades. Time has brushed the
roses from your cheeks and furrowed
them with care and the frosts Of many
winters have broughtth the silver threads
among the gold. Some who answered
to the roll call one year ago, to-day
are sleeping in their silent graves,
have enlisted in the great army of the
Dead. One by one the boys are fall
ing. Tramp, tramp, tramp, they are
marching to the grave. Your post
will soon be mustered out. Keep step
to the music. Shoulder to shoulder,
elbow to elbow, as you faced your
country's foes, fight out the battle of
life. Be found, when your summons
comes, in the ranks, with your armor
on. when you stand before the
Great Captain in grand review, may
you hear from him the welcome
plaudid, "well DONE and be mustered
into the grand army above, and there,
Beyond the parting and the meeting,
BEYOND the farewell and the greeting,
Beyond the rack waste and the river,
Beyond the frost chain and the fever,
Beyond The ever and the never"
you shall pitch your tents on the plains
of immortality, and enjoy one blissful
Memorial Day" forever.