The Portland daily press., 1896-06-01
THE NATIONS DEAD.
How Their Memory Was Nonored in
the Forest City.
VISITS OF VETERANS TO THE
GRAVES OF THEIR COMRADES.

The imposing Parade and the Evening tx
ercises-Eloquent Addresses by Differ
emit speakers-Observance of the Day in
Westbrook, Deering and Other Towns.
Saturdays weather was TYPICAL of
Memorial Day-smiles and tears. The
Heavens shed both upon Portland, and
the expectant crowds, just enough of
the rain to refresh the dropping flowers,
SO that they shone with added lustre
when the rays of Old Sol beamed upon
them. The elements were indeed in SYM
pathy with the day, in which the nation
mourns its honored dead; shedding tears
for the brave boys in blue who died that
the nation might live and smiles of glad
ness at the outcome of their heroism and
sacrifices--a reunited, inseparable, free
government.
AS each Memorial Day is added to the
memories grow more holy. One has but
to watch the fast thinning ranks of the
veterans of the great conflict to realize
that the day of the active participants of
the great civil conflict is fast passing
away, and that these acts Of loving COM
memuration must ere long devolve upon
a grateful posterity.
Memorial Day is dey when one may
we'll give vent to all the Americanism
which is within him, day on which he
may glorify the great and glorious insti-
buttons of a free and enlightened govern
AMI Iou v1I,s oI o&D, tho
noble achievements OF the mighty host in
blue which preserved government "of
| the neople, for the people and by the peo-
ple."
How the thoughts turned in retrospect
yesterday to the boys of Maine who
marched away with proud hearts and
great ideals, never to return; to fall upon
some Southern field or to die in prison
or hospital; to Grant, Sheridan, Sher-
who have CROSSED the silent river, and to
those eloquent mounds, In Southern
States. which mark the sleeping place of
thousands of boys in blue who fell that
"old glory might wave.
No CITY has greater reverence for the
Grand Army than Portland, and Memo
rial Day always has an appropriate OBJ
seryance here. Saturday was no excep-
tion to the rule,
| The headquarters of both the Grand
Army Posts were astir early in the day,
and were soon fragrant with the floral
| tributes prepared by the loyal women of
the Relief Corps and Ladies Aid Socie-
| ties.
The morning was occupied by the visit
of attachments of the two posts to the
| various smaller cemeteries.
| To the Western Cemetery went a squad
! from Bosworth Post, under Comrade A.
NJ. Sawyer, where prayer was said by
Rev. /. G. Rogers and ia graves We're dec
GRATED. Wreaths were plnced upon ia
resting places of the soldier boys.
Quite an imposing procession made the
trip to Calvary Cemetery under Comrade
David d. Hannegan. Chandler's Band
headed the column and the Montgomery
Guards and Sheridan Rifles acted as es-
cort. The trip to the Cemetery was made
in the Cape electrics. At the buryine
ground the column entered the church
and the wreaths were placed on the altar,
where they were blessed by Rev. Father
McCloud, who said mass and delivered
an eloquent and touching address.
While the work of decorating the graves
was carried ON the band rendered an ap.
propriate dirge. When this was completed
the band proceeded to the graves of two
of the deceased members of their organ.
ization and played a hymn. In all 16e
graves were decorated here.