The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-14
DECORATION NIGHT.

Written for The HeraldJ
Today decked Johns grave with flowers
And wet them with my tears.
FOR we had been together long,
For five and forty years
Yes. five and forty years we lived
AS loving man and wife.
And when John died and left me here
Mine was a lonely life.
We had two boys. In sixty-one
Tney went off to the war,
And both returned within year.
Without scratch or scar;
bu uL naa not neen at home month
And they left John and I alone
TO tight the south again.
Dan M,y was big, tall, strappfng lad,
Joe was the oldest of the two
just twenty to a day.
And they could work-why. bless your
hearts,
They never seemed to rest;
Joe was the home bird of the two,
And liked the farm the best
Dan spent two winters all indoors
He taught the village school.
And he was either at his books
Or working out a rule.
But when the summer term was through
He started in to NOV,
And he could cut a wider swath
Than either dad or joe
We had letter every week,
From either Dan or Joe,
That always told how they did wish
To meet in with the foe;
They did not like the idle time
They wasted on parade
They'd rather be home on the farm
To work with hoe or spade.
At last the news came-Dan had fell.
A-leading on his men;
For he had been promoted some
He was a captain then;
But Joe-poor Joe!-we never saw
We lost both of our sons;
For he was entered on the roll
Among the missing ones,
We could not tell what missing. was
John says to me that night:
Perhaps we might find what it meant
If we asked Parson White.
"Oh, yes" said White; ''tEat's easy told;
Your boy has run away
You need not fret, you'll see him soon
He may be here today
A great nard lump stuck in my throat;
But John was worse than me
Big drops of sweat oozed from his brow.
And he shook like tree.
1T is liep' he angry said;
II never had a son
That would turn his back to the foe.
Or like a coward rum,
And | was glad that dad had spoke,
And told my feelings too;
I'd rather have missing son
Than one that was not true
Yes. ten times o. er, If it could be,
I'd give my life today
Than think for once | bore a son
That ever ran away.
I know where Dan rests safe tonight:
Thev decked his tomb today,
And fired .volley Ger his grave
q hD+ ytlfat f1nxy
But Joe! poor Joel no flowers were spread
Or planted Ger his breast
No volleys ratified Ger the grave
Where missing soldiers rest.
But when / decked Johns grave today
There was another one
A grave where lies the unknown dead
A mothers missing SON
And as / spread a few flowers there
And paced them in a row,
could not help but shed tear
When / remembered Joe!
I'm all alone No one is left
That now does care for me;
And my poor eyes are getting dim:
It's hard for me to see;
| cannot live nluch longer now,
| know ny end IS nigh;
But / have hurt no living soul,
Or made one heart to sigh
Perhaps next year when spring comes
round.
And birds are singing gay.
And flowers are spread upon the graves,
AS / have done today,
And soldiers are drawn up in line
Or pass in grand review
may be home with John above,
And Dan, and poor Joe, too,
How soon go do not care;
There's little pleasure here;
Nor do l wish to live alone
throughout another year,
But l will bide the Masters call
That sent me here below;
But l will weary to the time
He says that l can go.
JAMES DUNN.