Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-06-02
Decoration Day In Extra.

ana lne people from une country Hook
ed into the city to witness the inter.
esting program. AT six O'clock, under
the direction of Comrade S. ID. Harm
the national salute was fired. Until
one o'clock, in the afternoon, the PEG.
pie continued to congregate, at which
time the old soldiers and their wives
repaired to the Town Hall, and under
the direction of Comrade Marshal Ed.
McAfee, formed and with the stirring
music furnished by the Extra Cornet
and Marshal Bands, marched to the
Methodist church which had been pro.
fusely decorated with flowers and art
contributions. This church has been
remodeled within, is well arranged
and is beauty in appearance. At two
O'Clock began the program previously
arranged for; music being furnished
by special choir composed of the fol-
lowing musicians: Mesdames Otto
Witthauer and j. c. Newton; Misses
Bessie Bowman and Lena Harden
brook; Messrs. Dr. j. G. Newton, Ed.
Delahoyde, Bert Leamon, and Otto
Thomas; Mrs. Will Hamler and Mr..
Wilbur Walker Violinists, and Mrs.
Bert Leamon presided at the organ.
Rev. Mr.. Nichols, pastor of the NJ. E.
church, led the audience in most
fervent and pathetic devotion.
A recitation, "The Loss of the
Maine,o by Miss Lucille Connrardy,
and "Call of the Colors," by Miss
Della Baber, were rendered by these
young ladies in the very best mood of
their splendid work. Then followed
. Meaning of the Colors,u by Misses
Klea Odell, Mary Campbell and Flor
ence Clure. These little girls perform
ed their piece well and with good
effect. Then came the address OF the
day by Rev. H. l.. Wissler, pastor of
the Congregational church. He inter-
ested the audience most approximately
for the space of forty-five minutes,
eulogizing our nations dead and liv-
ing heroes and emphasizing the unan-
unity of our whole country, closing
with an eloquent and touching apos-
trophe to "Old Glory" Then a solo,
. A Soldier Boy in Blue" by Miss
Bessie Bowman, nicely rendered and
well received by the entire audience.
In closing the entire congregation sang
America" whereupon Marshal Nc
Alice formed the procession. with Old
Soldiers, Extra Cornet and Marshal
Bands, School Children and Citizens
in Carriages, on horse back and on
foot, when all marched to the Gene
terry where the graves We're decked
with garlands and roses in the most
approved manner, closing with several
well directed short addresses.
We are glad today that sectional
lines have entirely disappeared in this
country. The writer has resided for
time in each of six different States of
this Union within the last twenty
years and have, therefore, had oppor-
tunity to hear the patriotic expressions
of widely different localities, but this
was the happiest, most social meeting,
greeting and visiting of the people of
all these years, and the most pleasant
universal goodwill expressed for all
sections of our common country. Our
people have accepted the faith and
goodwill of the people of the South,
For by their fruit We shall know
them" The young men of the North
and the South, sons of men who wore
the blue and the gray, are keeping step
to the same music, marching under the
same flag. God bless these boys, they
shall never know any cause but to love
each other. Our people are one people
Thirty-three years of national lite
without slave has made us all old
time abolitionists, and we hail with
joy the opportunity of carrying free
dom to the poor tyranized of Cuba.
Porto Rico and the Philippines. AT
the head of our columns we have the
grand old gray haired generals of the
Union and Confederate armies, with
the grandson of the immortal Grant on
the staff of the gallant Lee, all soldiers
in the cause of liberty. We are broth
ers in blood, in heart. in hand. a whole
united people. A splendid and jubi-
liant patriotism has welded the people
of this nation with indissolubie, un-
breakable bonds. 1t shall come about
that on Memorial Day the grlzzled,
blue-coated veteran shall make his
labolious way to the cemetery as OF
yore. All ages will march with him.
Earnest orators will ring forth
their eloquence. The theme will be
the nations heroes. They will speak
OF him whom we call the Father of
our country, whose life is beacon of
liberty that will illuminate the world.
Putnam, Mad Anthony" Wayne,
Gates; the men who demonstrated the
fact that the Americans are the great
CSU SiIlOl lighters III Gue WOrlQ, Baary,
John Paul Jones, Biddle, Whipple,
Perry, David Porter, Decatur, all Shall
be remembered.
A people bound together more close
ly than any nation of the earth can
clasp hands over the graves of Grant
and Lee and glory in their mighty
genus, their magnificent courage, their
sublime devotion. How great were
we in opposing each other, how ire
mendous are we together" The people
OF the South can strew flowers on the
graves of Farragut and Worden and
rejoice that from the training of these
men comes our Dewey, our Sampson,
our Evans and those men who are
securing the seas for the enemys oflib-
erty and humanity. Truly 1.-THE en-
plosion that destroyed the Maine stir
red Plymouth Rock and shook the ap-
pie blossoms at Appomattox."
In North Carolina, men who We're
once bitterest foes, will stand over the
grave of the first officer to fall in this
war. Ensign Worth Bagley, living was
a North Carolinian; dead he belongs to
the nation to cherish, and to teach the
living the lesson of courage, patriotism
and devotion. In That shallow
grave, in down at Key West
where those who met death onthe Win