Evening star., 1897-05-31
Decoration Day.

Iney went from tne tents OF tTe nelu
To the little green tents Of the grave,
The south with a cause to uphold,
The north with a country to save,
And under the smoke of the battle
That clouded the smiles of the
Twas Conscience that ordered each charge
And pointed each terrible gun.
Each struggled for its side of Right
All fought for the homes Of their hearts,
And they went into death like the scent
From the freshly strewn flowers departs.
Oh, Peacei Thou soother of hate!
The kisses that fall from thy mouth
On the lips OF the conquering north
Fall alike on the lips Of the south,
-CLUSKEY CROMWELL
The day of tender tribute to the memories
of the valiant heroes who defended and
preserved the institutions and the liberties
of the nation has come again, and again
the American heart has poured forth its
wealth of gratitude to the soldiers of the
Union. Everywhere that patriots graves
are assembled the people have gathered
and strewed sweet flowers on the grassy
mounds that cover the dust of the private
soldiers, or garlanded the granite shafts
that rise above the ashes Of those who
achieved greatness on the fields of carnage.
But wherever rosebud was dropped or a
wreath of lilies was reverently placed the
inspiration was the same. While the fndi-
vidual honored might have been personified
in part in the offering, the tribute paid was
to the American soldier and sailor, whether
his dust lay in sacred ground marked in the
records of his country, or whether it had
been scattered by the plough in unknown
fields or mingled with the sands a hundred
fathoms deep. This is the sentiment that
makes the day significant above all days in
the holiday calendar of the true American
The great gathering at Arlington, the
assembages at Congressional cemetery
Soldiers Home and everywhere that the
Union dead are buried, paid the homage of
their devotion and gratitude to every man
who followed the stars and stripes into the
struggle that resulted in perpetuating the
glory they represent. And the tribute was
no less to the dead than to the living. No
true heart could have failed of being
touched today when the gray and grizzled
survivors of the Union legions hobbled out
again to drop their tears and their flowers
together over the dust of their dead COM
rades, whom they are so soon to Join in
the camp beyond the grave, and, while il
was sad to realize how soon the day would
be celebrated only by the descendants of
those in whose honor 1t has been made
memorable, it was uplifting to feel that
even when all the soldiers were gone to
their last long rest the nation would con-
tinue with increased zeal and deeper rever-
ence to pay its homage on each recurring
Decoration day. This consciousness was
inspiring to the lover Of his country,
for with it was the knowledge that, come
what might, INe lesson Taught ON tne
great holiday would never be unlearned,
but that each succeeding generation would
be more and more ardent in its love of re-
publican institutions, and would renew on
protect and defend them with the courage,
the bravery, the devotion and the self-sac-
rifce of the grand and glorious soldiers of
the COS.
The Sun Appears.
The clouds that overhung the city in
.r-.--
may the legions, young and old, who had
prepared to celebrate the day. There was
misgiving, perhaps, that the rain would
fall and interfere with the programs ar
ranged but there was no hesitancy in any
heart about the performance of its duty
to the heroic dead. AS the day wore on the
sun at intervals broke through the wells
that tried to hide it, and seemed to smile
in promise of the assistance nature would
give to her children in the heart-work be-
fore them. The streets were populated
early with celebrants. and few were seen
who were not burdened with flowers. From
the residences of the rich went emblems of
rare cxotics, while from the homes of the
humble came modest flowers grown in the
surrounding plots, but the meaning of both
was the same and the inspiration behind
them identical.
Following these early movers came the
stirring sound of bands, playing the lively
airs that stirred the now puseiess hearts
of the heroes of the war in whose honor
Memorial day has been made momentous
and living soldiers marched proudly to the |
strains, glad to join in paying homage TO
those who left such noble example for them |
TO follow.
Arlington was. of course, the converging
point for the great crowds Of the day, be- |
cause 1t was at this great national ceme-
terry that the leading events of the day |
were held, but there were lines of grateful |
and expectant people strung to Congress
sional cemetery. to Soldiers Home, to Oak |
Hill, to Holy Rood, to Northeast Temple, |
where exercises appropriate to the day |
were also held.
Arlington was early alive with people. |
and before the sun rose there were widows |
and sons and daughters already there low |
ingly paying tribute at the mounds which /
covered husbands and fathers. Hundreds |
of graves were thus decorated long before |
the general decoration began. and this was
commenced early, too, for 1t was not yet
0 o'clock when the Ladies of the Loyal
Legion devoted themselves to this tender
duty and placed the flowers on the graves