Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-31

Flowers and Words of Praise for tn
Soldier Dead

Flowers and Words of Praise for the
Soldier Dead.
The day devoted to the pretty service
of garlanding the graves OF the departed
heroes of '61-'65 was becomingly OBJ
served at Bellaire yesterday At 3
o'clock in the morning the Junior Me-
chanics' Band, both the American or
ders, the school children, Sons of Vet
Grams and Grand Army men in the
order named formed in line and
marched to Rose Hill cemetery, where
the principal exercises of the forenoon
were held. There was host of citizens
--men, women and children-assemDled
at the cemetery, and the impressive
ceremony of the Grand Army in COM
memoration of dead comrades, was lis
tened to with respectful attention. The
school children, laden with flowers and
sprigs of foliage, were stationed at the
graves, and as the salute was fired by
the squad from the Sons of Veterans,
the garlands dropped noiselessly upon
the turf where sleep 81 of the soldiers
who marched tc the conflict in the days
of the rebelliOn> At the Catholic GEM
etery four grages were decorated, at
the German cemetery five, and at Rock
I'LL L., tOboi VI LIZ. liz
exercises at che cemetery were in
charge of the officers of Spangler Post
and the vocal music was furnished by
a male chorus in charge of Prof. Liller.
The exercises by the ladies of the Re-
lief Corps were conducted by Mrs.
Emma Haas, president, Mrs. Chas.
Strahl, secretary, Mrs. Margaret Jones,
vice president, and Mrs. M. j. Robin
son, chaplain.
A new feature of the Memorial Day
exercises at the cemetery was the pro-
gramme rendered by the American Me-
chanics who have chosen this day also
to revive the memory Of departed
brothers. These exercises were con-
Quoted by William Marling, Vice
Councillor and Chaplain. The band
played requiem at the grave OF each
departed member of the Order.
The Grand Army exercises were con-
tinued at the hall at $3.50 p. M, where
the principal address of the day was
made by Rev. Coffey, of the First
Presbyterian Church.
The services opened with an ode, fol-
lowed with prayer by Rev Holmes.
DIR. A. Porterfeld read Lincoln's adj
dress at Gettysburg, and the officers
and members of the Post performed the
duties prescribed by the G. A. r. rit-
ual. Other vocal selections sung by
Prof Liller and chorus were, THE Va
cant Chair" ''Sleep, Peacefully Sleep"
and in conclusion, They Rest in Their
Countrys Blue
Rev. Coffey made an excellent Is
minute address and the fact that the
clergyman came to this country re-
Gently from England, lead him to COM
ment upon the Memorial Day custom
from a standpoint peculiarly his own.
He said in part:
'Since | have learned what Memorial
Day is, it strikes me as a wonder why
we find nothing like it in the United
Kingdom. The custom is unique and
| believe, strictly American. In this
country you apparently have more rev.
erence for your dead heroes and take
better care of the living than in any
other country on earth. Who ever
before heard of nation bringing their
dead soldiers from such distant lands
as Porto Rico, Cuba and Manila that
they may rest in their native sod?
England has had her world-famed bat
ties, but no day has been set for the
commemoration Of a single one of
them
After pronouneing a eulogy upon
Gen. Grant, the speaker continued:
Memorial Day, as | take it, is more
to do honor to the unknown heroes
those who made the generals famous,
but whose names do not grace the an
mails of history. 1t is TO these sturdy
yeomen, farmer boys, mechanics, hew-
ers of wood and drawers of water
though they be, that we must open our
hearts in thanksgiving and our lips
in words of praise. Thackery has said: :
If | were giving advice to young men
l would tell them always to keep the
company of their betters,' and we may
take this to ourselves when we mingle
to-day with those who have fought the
battles of our country"
How the whirligig of time does
have its revenge! There is not a man
in England to-day whose opinion
counts for aught, who would not say
that the American colonies We're justi-
fed in rebelling against the British
throne; who would not say that George
III. was a fool and his prime minister
a greater fool. You have come, hap
ply to look upon vur rebellion in