The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-05-30
ABSOLUTELY PURE
MEMORIAL DAY.
Again Are Gathered the Patri.
Otto Citizens to Honor
the Dead.
Tokens Of Tenderness and Beau.
ty, MoiStened with Tears, Be-
deck Their Graves,

deck Their Graves.
To-day, May 30th, Memorial Day,
with all it's touching memories, brings
us to a realization of the rapid, on
ward, ceaseless roll of time. So rap
idly speed away the days, weeks, and
months that a full realization can
hardly be awakened, and yet it is all
too real to be dispelled in the realm of
dreams. The gathering hundreds
from hamlet, hill and dale, the droop-
ing, half-mast flags, the endless profu-
sion of garlands, the muf1led drums
sad roll betoken the return of this
eventful day. It is a day grown into
our very existence as the great day of
days in the life of the nation. Yet it's
return brings a pang Of regret, feel
ing of sadness. The mind sweeps back
to the great drama of more than thirty
years ago, on this day, with a startling
vividness, and the long lines of blue of
twice a million men arrayed in all the
terrible splendor of war, are moving
again in mighty tide over the southern
plains, crushing the flower of chivalry,
the naughty rebel hosts, that defed
the power of freedom, and sought to
trample the folds of "Old Glory" for
ever in the dust. That vision always
awakens a vibration of love for our
country, and honor for those brave
men, that reaches to the tiniest fibre
of every patriotic heart.
But their great work place thou
sands OF little mounds all down the
Mississippi valley. Under the pal
metto and under the pine, on Georgia s
plains, in dismal swamps, on rocky
heights, on Virginia's historic ground,
they sleep their final sleep and their
bones are quietly mingling with the
dust. From Hampshire's hills to the
placid Pacific the little green mounds
whose curtains never outward swing,
are myriads, to which, the relentless
hand of the grim reaper is ever adding.
Many who stood with bowed heads to
drop a tear on the graves of comrades,
last year, are sleeping in soft repose
little needing the trials and tolls of
comrades yet uncalled. Today a little
flag, the Stars and Stripes, marks their
last resting place and shows loving
hands where to put their floral tributes.
Forty thousand more of these little
flags are required this year than last
to mark the new mounds An army
corps gone down to the grave since last
we gathered, a year ago, is the report
from the various pOsts-a decade, or at
| best two of them, and the ranks will be
thinned to a skirmish line, who will
gradually yield to the resistless on
slaught of time, and a few additional
years, will destroy the last bone and
sinew of that mighty army; but they
carry with them to the great beyond
the happy assurance of faithful re-
mem brance, while hope bends DER
them q bow full of promise in their
march to that mysterious realm be-
You'd the stars. Sons of Veterans, loyal
young blood to the core, now join in
carrying out this days offerings, and
afford positive assurance of a perpet-
uation of the pretty custom of decorat-
ing the veterans graves.
FORENOON.
W. II. Rines Post 142, G.. A. r., Gen.
Custer Camp 50, S. of ", and K. O. T.
NJ, will form at corner of E and First
streets at 8 o'clock A. M, and march to
the cemetery on north side of river,
and decorate graves therein.
AFTERNOON.
All orders will convene in opera
house at o'clock P. M. sharp. The
following program will be carried out:
Song-''Now Again We Gather
Here" by Memorial Choir.
Prayer-Rev. G. D. Moore.
Song-''Where Sleep Our Heroes
Brave" Memorial Choir.
Memorial Day Address-H. A. Nor
ton, of Minneapolis.
Song-''Sleeping in Their Tents,