Evening star., 1898-05-30

blage together upon this occasion and
voiced the hope that the American people
would neve- cease TO pay tribute to the
memory of their soldier dead.
Miss Lillian e. Calver sang a solo. REST
of the Brave" and Mr.. d. c. Haywood
read Lincolns Gettysburg address.
DIR. Thomas Calyer then read the poem
of the occasion. entitled Memorial Day"
Mr.. Thos. Calver.
Mr.. Thomas Caiver's poem was follows:
A soldier Of old on his pallet lay dying.
One morf' OF . lovely Memorial day.
And various through his visions flying,
Of days that had frightened shadowed his
He thought of his ehildhocd. his father and
mother
The farm where the years Of his bcyhocd were
spent,
The cottage. the garden. his sister and brother.
The school where together each morning they
went
| He dreamed Of the shady wood cocl and inviting
The flowers that lovely and sweet by its
| The bridge the mill stream. its green ban1s
uniting.
The sunbeams that glistened below on the tide:
The moss-covered mill, with its groanug and clat-
ter;
The children whose faces looked hack from the
Their steps the bridge with its musical patter
As over it gaily they tripped to the school
Around whose sweet being his fancies were
chained
Her eyes bright and tender; her red lips love-
laden;
The kisses he sometimes so stealthiIy gained.
He dreamed of his youth and its fond, ST ambition;
The home he had planned for the girl OF his
heart;
The coming of and a patriots mission
That bade him from love and ambition to part.
He dreamed of the marches; the bIvouac; the
battle;
The tolls and privations a soldier must know;
The roar of the cannon: the musketry's rattle;
The boys that braveiy confronted the foe;
The steelbristling ranks. like the waves OF the
That halt and retreat but for mightier sweep:
The crash Of the charge aud its maidencd commo-
| tion;
| The pang for moment; the sinking to sleep.
| He dreaped of his waking the foe swiftly flying;
| The cheers for the triumph wrought out Of the
| fray;
| The sorrow he felt for the dead and the dying;
| The pity he felt for himself as he lay;
| And then Of the Joy and the passion OF glory:
That swept through his veins like the rarest OF
| wine
When thinking that he. then helpless and CORY.
Had aided to huri back the enemy's line.
| He dreamed of his pain and his long GONZALES
| ccnce:
The years that he struggled for life and for
| health;
His learning the fatcful and sad evnnescence
OF hope Of a future of love and OF wealth.
He dreamed then of years passed in peace and
contentment,
With dear ones who loved bis pleasure to
| wait;
Though crippled and poor. never feeling resent
He dreamed Of the hours, retrospective and
Enjoyed with his comrades of camp and Of field
And those be had fought, who resentment would
In laughter and Joys the occasions might yield.
He dreamed of Grand Army encampments and
| meetings;
The songs and the tales of the march and the
| fray;
The hearty good will and the cheer OF the greet.
| ings,
And many a lovely Memorial day.
Memorial day. with its sad solemn pleasures
The speeches; the music; the beautiful flowers
When voices Of thousands in grandest OF meas.
The requiems sing through the bright, vcrnal
| hours.
The day when the heart of this greatest Of la
| tions
Is mourning her braves who have journeys
| away.
And gives to her dead her profound alterations
The Nations dear, sacred Memorial day.
He dreamed Of such days and the proud exulta-
| tion
He ever had felt as their dawning returned
No wealth could have bought the triumphant ella
That through all his being in ecstasy burned.
Each march and each song and each speech was a
| tender
or honor TO him misfortune could stay,
| And all of the fragrance Nays could render
| Was borne to his soul Memorial dsy.
| As dying be lay ther" bands martial measures
| Announced tina. his comrades for duty had met
| His face wns illumed by the sweetest of pleas
| ures,
| To think that his country would never forget;
| And then as the upturous music ringing
| More gentle and hushed il drifted away,
| His soul on th, pinions of glory winging
Its way TO its God, Memorial day.