Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-06-01
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NM BWH/1W//H/TpN SldNCo VI tuOSC
NVJVMH/ysWVe who died for their
country and lay
above the sacred dust our tribute of af-
lection and remembrance. Sprung from
the soil of our native land, the flowers
we strew to cover the wounds of war
were bornin thecold earth While storm
darkened the sky and the world was
bound in the letters of frost, beauty and
fragrance were terminating, and thus
out Of the tumult of war came the full
ness and glory of peace.
Within the circle of the year that lies
behind us since last we assembled in
the "city of the silent" to commune
with the spirit of our dead, Liberty has
spoken new fiat. She has called upon
this nation, with the voice of the bugle
and the roar of cannon, to give an
swer to the query, Am my brothers
keeper" She heard the cry from the
islands Of the sea, and to this people,
as once before, she gave the command:
go forth! Strike off the shackles and
loose the letters of those in bondage!"
As one ice, from counter to work.
shop, from farm, mill and mine, from
valley, mountain and desert, east, west,
north and south, the strength and pride
of this nations youth and manhood
cried: "Here am L; send me-" And so
they went forth to offer the sacrifice of
their blood upon the altar Of right
eous cause.
They fought and fell under the fierce
heat of torrid sunshine, they died by
bullets, disease and starvation, they
died of wounds and WEAKNESS. Their
graves are on foreign hillsidese, in trop-
ical jungles, and in the depth of the
ocean. Some sleep in the quiet church.
yards of their own dear land, but wher-
ever they lie we offer to their memory
the tribute of our gratitude, and from
their blood and suffering a new era of
the world shall spring, a memorial to
the bravery Of the American soldier.
"Am my brothers keeper" Amer
lea has given the answer. 10, when
the oppressed cry unto Liberty, when
my brother reaches appealing hands
unto me, will succor him and share
with him the blessings that have been
granted to me- AT the call of duty she
took up 'The White Mans Burden and
declared, by the memory of Bunker
Hill and Antietam, that tyranny should
fatten no longer upon the blood of the
and the feeble.
With the tears we shed above the
graves of our lately fallen there is
mingled pride in their achievements,
and that they fulfilled the prophecy of
their sres at Shiloh and Gettysburg,
Ind for this they were schooled by
Grant and Lee and learned of Wash
ngton and Lincoln. Their blood has
)een the solvent that has made Ameri-
'an citizenship homogeneous, and has
giyen the flag the same meaning in the
outh and north. In '9S the sons of men
Who had opposed each other in 81,
landed together under the stars and
tripes, fought and fell side by side at
q Caney and Santiago and in the far
way Philippines,
Rich in the heritage of her brave,
america reverently gives thanks for
he heroism of her sons. The great
eeds Of the civil war and the heroes
t those days of stress and struggle will
ever be forgotten by this nation. They
Nd the foundation of national unity,
pom which is built the magnificent
tructure of our happiness and pros
Gritty. They perpetuated the ideals Of
reedom and instructed this generation
ow to live and die for their country.
When wars shall be no more, in the
If future when man has reached the
llfillment of his destiny, he will look
ack over the battlefelds of the world
nd recognize that there death took
ostage for perfected civilization, and
lere the wrongs that barred the way
progress were struck down by those
no fought the battles of liberty. The
lmblest hero who fell at Marathon or
anila struck blows whose echoes shall
sver cease to resound through time,
Id though history may forget the
lines OF those who wrought, their
ork remains.
The old Greeks gavea simple crown
oaken leaves or laurel to those who
ere winners in the 0lympian games,
ID thus we bring our garlands to
own the memory of those brave souls
10 ran so well the race of life, who
IN the goal, hero's death. Our gar.
nds will wither, our flowers lose their
igrance and their beauty, but their
athless deeds shall bloom anew with
cry golden year of our nations his
ry; and time shall have for them
ither death nor oblivion.
LOT " CI1AprNr