Connecticut western news., 1897-06-03
MEMORIAL DAY.

of General Sedgwick at Cornwall Rol- low on Monday. The day was beau tiful one, bright and sunny, but not too warm. Quite number Of flags were displayed in various parts of the town and several places of business were hung with bunting.
 The D. S. Cowles G. A R. Post and Woman's Relief Corps left the G. A. R. hall at about 2 45 a. m. on their round of visits to the different meteries. The cemeteries at Ashley Falls, Clay ton, Canaan Valley, East Canaan and the lower cemetery were visited in the order named. At all the cemeteries, ,ex- cept the last mentioned, the school children attended and carried out pro- grams consisting of songs and recita- tfons, and then the placing of flowers on the soldiers graves was done by the children. One old soldier expressed himself as deeply touched by the sight of the little children strewing flowers on the graves of the soldiers and thought that the custom would imbue the chill dren with sentiments of patriotism and love of country. At Canaan Valley the children decorated a cenotaph in mem ory of the "Unknown Dead"
 At Clayton MT and Mrs John Jackson entertained the members of the Post and Corps and others with a generous collation.. consisting of ice cream, cake and coffee. as he also did last year. Also at Canaan Valley the veterans and ladies were treated with welcome hospi- tality by George Thompson, who dis pensed iced cider and home made beer Mir and Mrs Jackson and Mir Thom pson are connected by the closet ties of kim dred with soldiers of the Union army, and these acts of kind hospitality were thoroughly appreciated. It must be noted that at all the cemeteries there were gatherings of the people of the re- spective villages to witness the cere- monies and that at the East Canaan cemetery Rev Henry Uttervick read a prayer from the G. A. R. ritual.
 When the Post and Corps arrived at the lower cemetery they found detacb- ment of Hiram Eddy Camp Sons of Veterns, of Lakeville, under command of Frank s. Gray, drawn up in line to the east of Dr Eddy's grave, also num- Der of the people of Canaan, including the members of Dr Eddy's family, wait ing. A wagon load of beautiful flowers had been taken to the cemetery under the direction of S. o. Beckley and with these the veterans decorated the graves of soldiers on the line of march through the cemetery till they arrived at the Eddy lot. Here they formed in line on the south side of the lot, the other per sons present grouping themselves on the north side. A beautiful program of exercises was then carried out, consist ing of prayer by Rev F. W. Barnett, the ritual service of the $. of ", sing ing by ladies of the Relief Corps and Messrs A. P Briggs and G. D. DeHart, the decoration of Dr Eddy's grave with choice and beautiful flowers and the firing of three volleys over the grave by the s. of V. The other soldiers graves were then decorated and the procession returned to the village, where refresh ments were served to the members Of the Post, Corps and s. of V. in G. A. R. Hall.
 EXERCIsES IN THE HALL
 The exercises in the Town Hall began at about 230 p. m. and the program published in the NEWS of the 20th ult. was carried out. consisting of exercises by the school children, the G. A. R ritual, addresses interspersed with vo- cal music. The stage and hall were beautifully decorated with flags. bunt- ing, pink azaleas and other flowers The entire rear of the stage was cover. ed by large American flag. Portraits of Col. David s. Cowles and Rev D, Hiram Eddy were displayed on the stage. From the center of the ceiling of the hall to the four corners hung broad strips of red, white and blue bunting.
 Commander John Rodemeyer oi David S. Cowles Post, G. A. R., presid ed. The hall was filled to it's utmost capacity, many standing in the aisles and on the stairs. The opening prayer was delivered by Rev Mir Burnaby oi the Pilgrim Church. Rev B. Seeholzer the orator of the day, was then intro duced and delivered an eloquent pa triotic address which was frequently in terrupted by hearty applause. The speaker gave resume of the entire period of the war of tue rebellion, brief ly recapitulating all, or nearly all, ot the principal engagements on land and some of those on the sea. He paid 6 glowing tribute to the valor of the col ored troops stating the large number who enlisted and also the fact that one
 
 made an earnest plea for the purity oi the ballot and denounced vote selling bribery and corruption in politics, say ing to the veterans present That is not the citizenship you fought for" Incl dentally the speaker raised laugh by relating the anecdote of the old colorsd man who prayed without result that ths Lord would send "dis ole dsrkey tur key" but who then amended his prayer to 70 Lord, send dis ole darkey to turkey" with the result that he got on, that very night. The speaker urged that the school children be taught tn, meaning of the flag and to respect it.
 The next speaker was J. Henry Rora back, who spoke with his usual earnest ness and command of language. Fl, | oIa Nf ha