Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-03-18

! ! ! ! !" ! !
shSAIM. of this city, VIZ S
AzMMzlEnn, published last week
,EIsfR1 T=1InnIlW H. in the Beacon, and
IlADiEEss h#Fby request of til e
GIIEH1lIIIf1 DRT writer we reproduce
STNlfTIfTiEE it in the DEMOCRAT:
MHf Ill u mo doubt t b e
readers of this article will say that +
am an old man whose sun is passing
down the western horizon of life, whose
step is not so buoyant as in days pass
ed, whose locks have whitened with the
weight of many wintry SHOWS, and
whose eyes are dimmed by times swift
gliding chariot; that l am behind the
times, because my heart is stirred by
the ingratitude of an organization that
childish hands once pointed to with
with song; that grown men once ap-
plauded with wild huzza's that seemed
to reach the very gates of Paradise.
''Yet wish to ask-yes more, l wish
to bend my knees before the Great
Army of the Republic and beg them to
answer me truly. as they will one day
answer before the Grand Master of the
Universe, why have you smotherd
every flame of gratitude? Why have
you buried every spring of love7 Why
have you entombed every sentiment of
brotherly affection upon which you
boast that this great order is based?
Has time effaced from your minds the
gloomy time of sixty? Have the months
and years blotted from your memories
the roaring of the cannon about Fit,
Sumpter on the east and Island No. 10
on the west, Appomattox on the north
and New Orleans on the south? Have
you forgotten that valley of death.
Libby Prison? Have you forgotten the
groans of the living and CHASTITY up
turned faces of the dead in Anderson
vile? Have you forgotten those nights
of pain when we lay behind our earth
works with no roof but the vault of
heaven, no floor but the frozen sod?
"Why should you, in this state of
ours in which our camp fires are burn
ing almost the year around, neglect to
attend the last sad rites of brother
soldier, Michael McCaffery? Was it for
the reason that he did not belong to that
sacred order of which you boast SO
much? He was carried to his last rest
ing place without the presence of single
one of your lodge members except G.
N. Moses and w. H. McGreevey to pay
tribute to his memory You open each
meeting with a song and prayer to that
great glyer of all that is good. Do you
think your prayers reached the gates
of the Golden City on that evening that
you neglected this sacred duty to a
brother? Did Christ say as his eyes
were glazing in death, as he was dying
upon the cross: To-day thou wilt be
with me in Paradise If thou art G. A.
RI" No, he said to all men-''to the
least of these" He gave US united
brotherhood, the survivors of the re-
bellion united with links that should be
stronger than any ritual or empty cere.
mony, and the words "Cain. where is
thy brother" should ring in the ear OF
every c. A. r. member of Great Bend
until they partly atone for this display
of heartlesness.
"And l believe that when tile great
world its last judgment awaits and the
ga ties of the golden city are thrown
back. when the sea gives forth her
dead, and when all mysteries are cleared
| away and the long columns march
silently to their reward or condemna.
| ton, then for the blood that has flown
for the right. bright and beautiful will
be their crowns and they will probably
not bear the inscription sc. A. r.
But beware that as you pose before the
judgment bar, lest you hear the word:
from Jehovah's throne, s'Cain, where is
thy brother?"
LOUIS ZIMMEHT.
Charlie Montgomery, of Clafiin, wa