Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-05-31
MEMORIAL OBSERvANCES.
Best Parade in Years-SOme 200
School Children in Line. 4, grrr

School Children in Line. 0 gsu,,
Not in years has Bellows Falls seen so
enthusiastic an observance Of Memorial day
as yesterday. 1t was legal holiday and
all places Of business were closed but sew
eral of the show windows were handsomely
decorated, noticesbly those Of the New
York Racket, j. G. Day & Co. and Dean
g. Dean. Flags were displayed from
many private houses.
The exercises Of the day opened with a
parade which formed shortly after 2P. M.
and was by far the best parade seen in this
place during at least five years. The Bel
lows Falls band was in the lead and pro-
yided excellent music. The band was fol-
lowed by the Canton, who acted as escort
to the members Of the G. A. r. The Uni
form Rank Knights of Pythias followed the
Veterans and in turn were followed by
some 200 school children under the direc-
ton of Superintendent Cox and five lady
teachers. The line OF march was from the
Square down Westminster street to the old
Catholic cemetery. There nine Of the "a
girls bearing flowers decorated the graves
! of the veterans buried in that yard. The
march was then continued to Oak Hill GEM
etery where memorial observances were
held about the soldiers lot. The return
line Of march was down the back terrace,
through Burt Place, through Henry street,
and down Westminster into the square.
A special feature was Marshal D. M.
Thayer and his five aids, Drs j. L. Rud-
den, A. A. Miner, George E. Gorham, and
G. E. Whitman, and j. E. Keefe, all
mounted; and Chief of Police, A. H.
Thompson and his force, j.. II. Putnam,
George E. Hapgood, D. L. Snow, Ed
ward Lawlor, and F. III. Streeter, al
dressed in new uniforms received last week
and worn in public for the first time
At the Opera House.
c. w. Osgood, who was president OF the
day, remarked that he never saw so many
present on a Memorial occasion in Bellows
Falls before. Miss Margaret Hughes gave
a recitation in highly creditable manner
and was warmly applauded. A selectlor
was rendered by the band and prayer wal
offered by Rev. Albert Hammatt.
The orator OF the day was Rev. j. II
Reid, pastor OF the First Congregations
church, and his thoughtful, patriotic word
were well received by the veterans and thu
large audience present. Owing to limited
space it is impossible to give the Grafton il
full, but an extract is given below.
The members of the G. A. R. wish tt
thank all who contributed in making tn
parade the grand success it was, ant
especially do they wish to thank the schoo
children for coming out and the teacher
who had that feature in charge.
i. THE GRAFTON.
Here are some OF the good points mad
! by Mr.. Reid in his grafton:
We are rich nation in silver and gold
rich country in educational and civic in
stitutions but the richest legacy that ha
been left this nation OF ours is the memoir
of the men whose graves we have decora'
ed with flowers and the deeds of you vel
, Grams who no less bravely fought, thong
your lives, in the good Providence of Goo
: were spared. As a nation we are infnitel
richer IN civic pride and virtue because {
. the heritage OF patriotism bequeathed U
. by you soldiers Of the Civil War.
I believe in this national holiday for thre
reasons. First, nations gratitude shout
lead it to set one day at least apart for th
decoration of the graves of those who die
! for country and the recalling to memor
, those deeds of the Royal Remnant Of th
3 Loyal Host who remain behind. Nation.
r ingratitude is not only base disposition,
is a blunder, and worse, it is national su
? eide. When nations heroes are forgot
, ten then you can be sure that high soule
, patriotism is going into decay. The
Memorial day individualizes. When tn
: war was in progress great armies repre-
sented simply SO much ammunition for lead
, ing generals to hurl against their foe. Th
, individual soldier was forgotten. But thi
day brings to notice those incolspicu
GUS yet touching incidents of heroism of tn
soldier in the ranks and the humblest sol
, der comes in for an equal share Of tn
honor which this nation this day expresses
Then l believe this day should be OBJ
served because of its educational and in
spirational value. Every year as we g
away from this mount of national transfgu
ration where we meet and commune witt
!; the martyr dead, it is with new baptism
of patriotism and larger knowledge o
what this country has cost in suffering ant
i blood. 1t can not be otherwise. We mus
imbibe the spirit of the soldier; our heart
must beat faster and stronger with loyalt.
for the old flag when we review in imagi.
J nation the clash and crash of Gettysburg
and the superhuman ascent of Lookou
mountsin. So these Memorial days W,
love to keep not only that we may be abb
! tn break the alabaster box of gratitude ant