Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-05-30

We walt with unfOrgetting hearts,
Till, comrades, We shall come
One sleep to share while DER each grave
ihahk God! the starry mag shall wave!
Marion Douglas.
On last Sunday the opera house was
filled to an overlooking condition with
men, women and children who had an
swered the public announcement that
the Hon. Alex. Hughes of Bismarck, N.
D., would deliver IN Grafton on Me-
mortal Sunday. The local part of the
grand army appeared in u body with
their flag properly draped, and as they
marched into the hall-all gray haired,
some stoop shouldered, others lame, and
all more or less bent with age-the fact
more than ever impressed itself upon
the mind that the days OF these heroic
veterans were few in number, and that
soon they will join in that silent march
on the other shore. On the stage the
speaker WAS associated with Revs. Car
hart and Coffey and DR.. w. J. Comfy,
the latter acting as president of the
meeting. Mrs. Hughes and daughter
Helen, accompanied by Mesdames w.
J. Comfy and f. w. Miller, occupied
seats to the left OF the stage.
The services opened with song by
the choir composed Of Rev. O'Reilly,
Judge Blair, NJ. B. Kent, John Glenn
entsOn, Truman AMes and G.. d. Luf-
kin, after which Rev. Carhart lead in
prayer. Mrs. Hughes then recited u
selection, patriotic in spirit and full OF
pathetic thought with reference to the
veterans OF the war. The lady is a
natural elOcutionist, and rendered the
selection In very impressive and ef.
fective manner.
After another song by the choir, the
speaker of the afternoon was intro.
duced 10 the audience, and he began by
saying that he felt rs though he needed
no introduction; that the faces of his
audience were familiar, as he hau
spent the best part of his life with them
in the twelve years from 80 to 80. 1t
was rare pleasure, he said, to greet
them once more in public capacity.
In looking In their faces he recalled
the struggles Of pioneer life, when the
men brawny and strong In the prime OF
their vigOr, now bent with age, HAD
gone hand in hand through famine and
flood In their efforts TO carve out the
destiny of this now magnificent county.
He remembered when the predictions
we're rife that the soil was at fault, that
nature had ordained that this land was
not for mans use. But by perseyer.
ance, by that tenacity which has en-.
nObled the AngIo-Saxon race for
q thousand years the land
had been made to blossom like q rose.
Comfort and plenty were abroad in the
county, and prosperity with ali her
Over-lndulgent generosity had blessed
these valleys until they had become
worldly paradise.
theme, the heroes of the late war. and
kept the audience spellbound with his
matchless eloquence. He traced the
inspiration OF the hour when the young
men answered the call for aid with
we are coming Father Abraham lOO,-
oO strong Oh, the fever OF the
hour! How the blood raced through
The veins In those days when the ma
tion was 10 peril and Old glory dragged
~ the dust. How the eyes Of the SOL
dlers glistened like steel in the noon
day sun when they gripped their guns
anu made charge on the enemy. 1t
was Tor home and the native land. 1t
was Tor the perpetuity of the republic,
ana all hell could not stop the charge.
1t was death or victory, and the blood
o! thousands was sacrificed upon the
altar OF our country. Like the lad,
MORALLY wounded, gasping for breath,
lying on the banks of the Potomac.
when the news came in and the bugler
on his horse cried out in the camp Lee
has surrendered, aud Richmond Is cap
tured." The lad arose on his elbow
and cried out, Thank God, l can die
IN peace, and fell back dead. That's
the spirit which makes nation i'm
mortal, and it Is the spirit abroad in
the land today. Thus the speaker con-
tlnued. 1t was an effective address,
and many OF the veterans called into
use their handkerchiefs in response to
their feelings. Even the speaker
seemed wrought up, and when he be-
gan to describe the battle OF Gettys-
burg he could hardly contain himself.
Although on Sunday, the old veterans
held tn fairly we'll at first, but towards
the last they broke out In rapturous ap-
plause as II 1t was the only salvation
for the pent up war spirit of '65.
The afternoon was concluded by an
other song, after which the benedic-
ton was pronounced by Rev. Coffey.
At the N. E. Church.
Sunday morning In honor of memoir
ial Sunday the local post OF the grand
army marched in n hof1v RI tho II q