The San Francisco call., 1896-05-31

thronged with ladies, gentlemen and chill
dren, nearly every one of whom bore some
individual floral tribute to lay upon the
grave of a departed soldier, sailor or friend
Everywhere were stacks of flowers of vari-
Gus hues and varieties, and it was
remarked by II. T. Hobbert, a grizzled
veteran of Lincoln Post No. 1, that during
his fifteen years experience as chairman
OF the decoration committee he had never
before seen such profusion. They came
in wagon-loads from the public schools
and the churches, and were picturesque
witnesses to the sacredness in which the
community holds the day.
The formal exercises were at Odd Eel
lows Cemetery, under the auspices of
Lincoln, Garfield, Cass, Meade and Liberty
posts of the q. A. R. At the Masonic
Cemetery the decoration of the graves
was especially seen to by Garfield Post No.
"a, at Laurel Hill by Meade Post No. As, at
Calvary Cemetery by Cass Post No. 46, at
Golden Gate Cemetery by Liberty Post
No. 1873; but at the Odd Fellows Cemetery
the services were of a general character
and emblematic of fraternity, charity and
loyalty. Buried here in the Grand Army
plat alone lie the bodies of 12S soldiers and
sailors, who shed their best blood in the
defense of their country. Thousands of
Grand Army men died IN 1895, and each
year the number OF the survivors grows
smaller, but the observance of Memorial
day will be continued by grateful people
long alter the last war-worn and weary
veteran has been mustered out.
1t was midday waen the Grand Army
column yesterday arrived al the cemetery.
Amid the booming of minute-guns the old
soldiers, with arms reversed and colors
draped, marched slowly through the taste
fully decorated gateway and at the plat
where they are buried gathered reverently
around the graves of their fallen comrades
II a.
Thee" played by the Veteran Firemen's S
band, an earnest prayer was offered by the
Rev. DR.. z. r. Ollie.
twenty-five years ago to-day" said
Commander Henry w. Mortimer of Lin
coin Post and chairman of the day, "this
marble shaft, the monument to Califor-
MAS patriotic dead of the War of the Re-
of the Republic upon an occasion similar
to this, and to-day we are again assent bled
to perpetuate the memory ana offer our
tribute of flowers to Nations heroes.
"As with bowed heads aud reverential
mien we gaze upon these grassy mounds
wherein repose all that is left to remind
us of those heroes, all over the land, in
cities, villages and hamlets, columns of
veterans may be seen vending their way
to these silent cities of the dead where re-
pose so many of the heroes of that magnifi-
cent army called into existence by our
beloved communicating chief, Abraham
Lincoln, who, his own life's work accom-
plished, sleeps with those other heroes
who, like himself, laid down their lives on
the altar of their country's welfare, who
died that the Nation might live.
"Each advancing year makes this annl-
versary more deeply impressive, because
the greatness OF the object for which these
men fought and died becomes more appa-
rent. In our war we compressed into four
| fQrrIh1U fIIll Snhllma deals
than fill centuries of the history of all Eu-
rope. We know that history does not
show anything 10 compare with the record
made by the American volunteers from
| 1861 TO 1865.
1--WE are here to-day on this hallowed
| spot, where so many Of those who make
/ a Nations history are peacefully reposing,
our hearts filled with gratitude to these
| patriots who gave up their lives that the
J Nation might live, to deck their graves
with beautiful flowers, symbolic of purity.
/ The deeds of our fallen comrades are en-
shrined in our hearts forever and their
names are recorded upon fame's immortal
tablet. The day will soon come when our
country's defenders, who loved the dear
EN- mblem of true liberty, will pass away.
| Promise them to stand by the Nation and
! to keep it forever the land of the free.
! Can you forget how we toiled and con-
tended to uphold untarnished the red,
! hAtlc dLQ w III lOu piOlCCb ChCl y
star from dishonor? Remember that we
saved this great Union for YOU"
! Lillian Plunkett Ferguson read an orig
inal poem. of the quality of which the fol-
/ lowing stanzas are fair samples: p
! So blue the sky SO sweet the air
With breath OF coming June,
The morning smiling everywhere
welcome to the noon;
so peaceful is the scene, so fair,
That it would almost seem
The dread alarms of battle were
The memory OF dream.
Our soldiers sleep; above, sound
Dsturbs their calm repose.
They sleep; in silence deep, profound,
Unheedtng friends or foes.
No trumpet call, no hurried beat
of drum can mar their rest;
They may not feel the blossoms sweet
That TO their graves are pressed.
They sleep. And yet we love themso
That we would fain believe
! They wRken long enough TO know
The reason why grieve:
/ That with unseen but seeing eyes
| They look into our own
Through ell the tangled wreaths OF bloom
With all their mounds are strewn.
Our dear and martyred deadl For them
No faltering human tongue
Can chant fitting requiem;
The song will ne'er be sung
| Nor vet how sweet. nor yet how grand,
Nor reverent It's notes
Nay, though IL echoed through the land
From sixty million throats.
Forgiveness, friendship. love and peace;
on, nation of our pride,
| We pray the blessings ne'er may cease
For which our heroes died.
In grateful homage bend we here
! Above their hRlowed sod
Forgetting all save this: One flag,
One country and one God
."My Country 'Tis of Thee" was sung by
the audience, and the Grafton of the DAY
was then delivered by the Rev. j. H. Ma
comber, United States Army. An idea oi
its general drift is given in the annexed
! citations:
Comrades OF the Grand Army, ladies and
gentlemen, and fellow citizens, we are assem-
! bled here on this, our Nations holy day. not tC
| advance the Interests of partisanship nor for
self agrandizement, but Tor a holy purpose
Forgetting for the day party, creed and sect
we mingle and commingle as is being done in
/ like gatherings all over the Nation that we
| may bear some humble part, that we may share