Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-06-03

at Gettysburg as there are men in Lead
and Deadwood together. Let us take
account of this, and ask If Joseph Cook
was not correct when he said, that We
are but the remnant of a generation.
Who were these men2 They were from
every walk and voca ton in life. The
rich and the poor, the scholarly and tne
ignorant were each we'll represented in
the ranks. Americas composite pop
ulation knew no difference. Men from
Norway, Sweden, Germany, England +,
Ireland, and Scotland were a portion Of
the company with Americans. And what
is often forgotten, that one man in II was
black man. or $4,000 colored troops
under white officers, of these more than
$4,000 died. | am told that men not
only came from the farm and the school,
but some came from the jails where held
for minor offences. But L have yet TO
hear of a single instance where pauper
enlisted. Now then, / hold that if no
pauper became patriot and fought for
his flag, that no patriot who fought for
the flag should ever be permitted to be-
come pauper. Because the majority
of 400, 900 were buried without Chris
tian burial it was thought that one day
in each year should be hallowed to
funeral rites for these heroic dead. But
soon tho crippled and sickly survivors
began to perish and another 100000 was
added to the roll, and then other AGO. 900
until less than million Of them remain
who are passing away at the rate Of one
each 10 minutes. Strange was the lot
cry of war Why was one taken and
another left. Who can tell how and
why? AS the list Of the dead lengthen-
ed, the graves of the recent dead receiv-
ed the same attention as of the war
time dead-because IL is not their fault
that these men were spared. They
went to the jaws of death and he re.
ceived them not-but left many to suffer
on and on. What has been the lives OF
these survivors-fiye Of them have been
presidents, many governors. They have
held honorable positions in civil affairs.
They have been business and profes-
sional men, farmers and laborers, and
have wrought 80 we'll that only 5 per
cent. have required any assistance be,
yoDd their pensions. While but a very
few have eyer been sent to prison fol
crime.
The remarks by Rev. Mrs. Radford al
the close of DR.. E. f. Coughs address
were timely and inspiring, breathing
forth great hope for the future of the
flag in war or peace.
Great credit is due for the kindness
and efficiency of the united choirs, both
Sunday morning and Memorial day.
| America, America,
| The land love so well,
| The mineral wealth thy mountains hold,
| No mortal mind can tell,
| America, America,
| Thy hills and valleys smile
| With corn and fruits Of every kind,
And plowing rivers wide
| America, America,
| Thy children love thee well,
| And this their enemies do not like
| For all their actions tell.
| America, America,
| Thou child of ripening years,
Come forward In thy moral power,
Ana stop TIE cause OF tears.
America, America,
| Thou gem of all the West,
! Affords a home for every man,
No matter color or cast.
| America America,
| Thine inland oceans are
The grandeSt of the Western World,
And coveted by all.
Long may we be united
AT home and on the seas,
Then we can laugh at Spanish chaff,
And the MormOnS must not tease.
Lines by Rev. w. III. Parsons, Custer, s. ID.
After the closing exercises at the opera
house, large procession formed and
marched to the cemetery, where the
ceremo y observed by the Grand Army
in decorating the soldiers graves follow
ed, which was very impressive and i'm
posing.