The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-31
Offerings Laid at the Feet of the
Heroic Dead today, in Gene
terry and RoStrOm.
Gen. j. II. Bakers Eloquent Adj
dress, and the Touching Trib-
ute of G.. n. Andrews.
Hundreds of School Children Join
in the Parade and Receive a
Lesson i'm Patriotism.

Memorial day was observed in a
most fitting manner to-day. The
parade included the children from the
various schools, captained by their
teachers, and bearing flags and
flowers. The girls were generally
dressed in white, and the whole scene
was pretty one. The school children
numbered S43. The Concordia band,
G. A. R. Drum Corps, Alexander Will
kin Post and the city officials and
citizens in carriages made up the
column, which marched up Second
and Broad streets to Lincoln Park.
Fully two thousand people were
gathered there when the exercises
commenced at 1880 o'clock. The day
was fortunately cool and comfortable
with cloudy sky.
Post Chaplin A. J. Wakefield open
ed the exercises by pronouncing an
invocation, after the band had played
several selections.
Post Commander T. H. Andrews
read the commanders memorial
address.
Hon. c. n. Andrews, of Wells, gave
an excellent address. He said that
the parade to-day had been led by a
fragment Of the grand army that had
been led by martial music on through
the smoke Of conflict. To-day they
march with their children and child
ren's children on peaceful mission.
What a lesson the soldier taught
when he offered his life willing
sacrifice that his country might be
preserved. Hitherto the world had
now considered arms a high calling,
but the citizen soldiery of America
immortalized and ennobled the profess
sion Of arms forever. What is more
sublime than that one generation
should teach another duty to country?
You will leave an enlightened man.
hood to the country prepared by the
lessons Of the past for the ardous
duties Of the future
High and low deserve our esteem
alike. Many lie to-day in the common
chamber Of the dead, where they have
long been laid away, and if there is
any preference it will be made by the
divine judgment. There are some
graves where we pause little longer
than at the rest, for we knew them
better and delight to do honor to the
past. The list Of these is long, but at
the top is the name of Abraham Lin
coin, the martyr to cause. Then
comes Grant. There is a leader whose
grave we will visit with love and
reverence. He was the peer of any
man alive in devotion to country-Ex-
Senator Wilkinson. His grave will
we visit and place flowers at his feet.
The list is long Of the names that will
live on for our betterment and instruc-
tion.
The Grand Army of the. Republic
is organized for peaceful purposes.
The God Of nations and of battles has
blessed your banner. You in divine
charity welcomed again the defeated
for united freedom and have united
the blue and the gray in a lasting
brotherhood again. The love of God
and country inspired you to meet the
supremest test of devotion, and to
teach duty to self. duty to country
and to the world.
Peace has its heroic duties. There
is this day call for volunteers as
urgent as in 1861. to purify and better
the public service. A man may be a
traitor to his country in peace as well
as war. The highways throng with
demagogues. The tide of better
principles of government is rising and
is already in view.
1t is not proper that horse races and
ball games should occur on this day,
and every soldier should decry the
perversion of its uses. Preserve it as
day of hallowed memories, peaceful
thoughts and patriotic blessings.
May the blessings of progress, and
the favor of Almighty God attend you
as you go on your way.
Achoir, composed of Messrs. Davies,
John Curryer and Evan Hughes,
sang ''Tenting Tonight;n Chas.
S. Wakefield recited .ssHigh Tide at
Gettysburg" the quartet sang "Cover
them over" and Miss Hariett Mae
Sibley recited ''The Ballad of Splendid
Silence" These were all highly
creditable.
Gen. j. III. Baker then gave the
following eloquent address.