The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-30
DECORATING THE GRAVES.
Unusual Activity at the T.
Cemetery Today.
Topeka

cemetery 4OQdY.
Early this morning the roads leading
to the cemetery were filled with car
riages, people on foot and street cars
packed to the guards and all carrying
flowers to bedeck the graves of friends
and relatives.
AS they reached the cemetery they
picked their way through the streets
and between the graves to some partic-
ular mound, covered it With flowers or
twined garlands around the marble
shafts. Hardly a grave was passed un-
noticed but particular attention was
given to the graves of soldiers and all
were marked with flags and decorated
| with flowers before the morning was
| over.
It was nearly II o'clock when the lit
tie column of veterans, followed by Ia
! dies of the G. A r. societies. filed into
the cemetery gate as they have done
year after year. held the burial service
near the soldiers plot, fired the salute
of three volleys and diSbanded to form
squads to decorate the graves of All
soldiers who have no friends or rela-
tives to remember them on Decoration
Day.
One old lady bent and tottering with
her three score years and ten, came
trudging up the hill leaning heavily on
a cane and carrying a big basket.
She hunted out the soldiers plot and
started down the first row of graves.
kneeling down to look intently at the
inscription on every head stone. Down
the length of one street and up another
the weight of the basket
1t was near the center of the third
street that she stopped before head
stone somewhat whittier than the rest
She carefully laid her basket and cane
the ground beside her and tried to
read the inscription with her dimming
eyes. She knelt down that she might be
better able to read the name. She was
undecided and went over to ask one of
the employees if that was where her
husband was buried. She explained that
c1a Si, hp
the first time she had been able to make
a trip to the cemetery.
The man read the inscription for her.
She thanked him in her feeble voice,
kneIt before the headStOne and prayed,
obIivious to all about her. Many no
ticed her kneeling there in her somber
black dress with her white hair making
a striking contrast. When she had
finished she raised her head and wiped
the tears from her eyes and opened the
big basket. It was filled with red clover
and dandeliOns.
A kindly old gentleman carried her a
dipper of water to freshen the flowers
and another brought her a flag to place
at the head of the mound. These are
all I could find growing Wild she ex-
planned for she could not afford to buy
flowers from the green houses. Several
who were gathered around, all willing
to assist her. started off to their own
carriages and baskets and soon return
ed with roses, carnations and peOnieS
fresh from the green houses.
They helped her to decorate the grave
and when it was completed there was
perhaps no grave in the cemetery so
completely hid by flowers as the one of
her veteran husband.
There are three soldiers of the Span
ish-American war buried there. They
are Lester Middaugh James Wilson
and Aaron r. Thompson. Their graves,
fresher than those of soldiers of the
civil war, were cared for by friends and
the members of the G.. A. r. stopped in
their rounds to drop a few flowers on
the graves.
The monument erected by Guilford G..
Gage in memory of those who fell in the
Battle of the Blue, was decorated with
flags. Around the statue of the senti-
mel, which SurmountS the pedestal, was
draped a sash of red, white and blue
and wreaths of flowers were placed
around the base.