The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-31
FOREST HILL CEMETERY.
Exercises and Speeches in that City OF
the Dead.


The services at Forest Hill cemetery
were under the charge of Commander
Smith B. Mott. Two regiments of boys
and girls. representing the pupils OF
schools No. 27 and 2S, sang America
in the opening exercises, after Which
Comrade f. w. Pearce read the roll call
of the dead Forty girls, each carrying
flowers, took their positions at the
graves and pledged themselves to the
flag.
Mrs. Eta L. Pearce. president of the
Women's Relief corps, presented
beautiful floral pillow dedicated TO
1.-The Unknown Dead" and graceful
response was made by Rev. n. f. Stahl.
The Sons of Veterans also made their
offerings to the departed soldiers.
Colonel F. l.. Hitchcock made ain elo-
ouent Grafton, in the course of wnich
he said:
II old Father Time swings his scythe
with remorseless hand through the W.deh-
ing ranks of our comrades, so that the last
sad march, the mutiied drum, the mus
kerry volley and the bugle sounding taps,
are almost ever present as the quickeninS
mace of the years move on, let us rejoice,
let us rejoice that he deals more gently
with the dead Behind the grim-visaged
specter let us rather behold the ereal DEATH
angel, whose tender office 1t Is to call us
from the scenes of life's battles to the
tented fields of the unseen world, TO make
our final encampment amid calmer skies
"where there shall be no more night, ana
sorrow and signing shall flee away
Shakespeare has said:
1.-THE evil that men do, lives after them;
the good is oft Inferred with their bones."
Takes Issue with the Poet.
take issue with this old and oft-repeated
apborism. The poet gives 1t utterance as
polsoned half-truth to inflame the pas
sions of a mob. While It is true that the
evil that men do lives after them, 1t Is not
true that the good that men do Is ever, or
can ever be, buried with their bones. The
good that men do Is born of God, and as
He Is eternal, 1t likewise must be eternal.
We are not here today to pass fresh euo-
gies upon our sleeping comrades. but fol-
lowing the loving example of nature all
about us, we are here to strew their rest
ing places with garlands of flowers, to re-
call their familiar forms and faces and
for a brief time hold communion with
them.
We have placed upon each grave a min.
1HtuTe copy Vi olI WHoSt
silken folds they marched SO well when
country called. This little emblem tells
for them a story of patriotic service, and
sacrifice that shall grow brighter and
richer as the years roll by. 1t Is part
of the great story of love and patriotism
which has ennobled humanity In all the
ages and in which our own beloved coun-
try has so grand n share.
From all over our happy land, this
Memorial Day. more than million specter
faces are peering oft upon us from the
shadows of the unseen world. Three hun.
dred thousand fathers, husbands. brothers,
sons, laid down their lives on the battle
field, of whom q multitude sleep I'm un-
known graves. A million more perished
in hospitals and prisons; many amid
scenes of sufferings and privations which
shall not be described today. Another
million brought home the seeds and scars
OF war. to take up the unequal struggle of
life, and have fallen under the burden
These are the loved ones whose memories
we recall and who speak to us today
From them comes no message of repining
glad were they to give themselves when
country called; no drop of that stream of
blood, nor an ounce of the burden would
be recalled If It could. 1t was given that
tho country might live, but It's undying
condition was, and is, that blood-bought
life should be preserved. That is their
message to us today. 1t is the blood
legacy from the dead to the living, and
woe be unto the living IL they shall ever
forget It, The country they fought to save
was that country whose foundation stone
was the equal and inalleniablc rights of
all men,
Hope That WIN 10 Endorsed.
IT was laid in the blood of the fathers
and cemented by that OF their children
Let us hope that It had It's final baptism
of blood In the great struggle Of the re-
hal