Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-05-30
Memorial Day.

century. to strew with the flowers oi
snring the graves OF the patriot
dead. 1t was Il beautiful though'
which Inspired the institution of sucf
= holiday. a holiday peculiar tt
America and one whose significance
increases with every passing year. a
sad day. indeed, it will be for our re-
nuh,ic If when the last old veteran
sIeeps under his little tent of green
the generations to come fail to observe
the customs and ceremonies of this
day. 1t is impossible to conceive thai
snch ingratitude and lack of patriot
len shall ever exist among the Ameri-
can people.
Whether we call it Memorial day OF
Decoration day, either name is equally
appropriate 1t is a day devoted tc
| observances held III memory of the
brave departed, who gave their SER
vices and often their lives, to their
country. 1t is. then. their last resting
places are decorated with flowers,
| contributed by the loving hands OF
| comrades in arms or the spontaneous
| offering of grateful people who re-
! member that these men died that the
nation might live. The flowers that
decorate are more than emblems of
love; they are the springs promise of
immortality.
The origin of the day has been
somewhat in dispute. but it is gener-
ally admitted that on the spring, when
the Civil War closed, the women in
several Southern cities and villages
placed flowers on the graves of the
dead of both armies. With the birth
of that great organization. the Grand
Army of the Republic, the day was
given its established place all over the
land At first the observances We're
confined to remembering those who fell
on the Union side. but the purpose of
the day has spread and broadened
until it includes the commemoration
OF all departed heroes who did honor
able service for the republic. on either
land or sea. in any of the wars which
it has been her lot to endure. from that
for the independence, Il century and a
quarter ago. to that for the liberation
Ut Cuba only i few months since.
Furthermore. Time has 50 softened
the arimositics of the internecine
strife that the survivors Of both the
great armies which were arrayed
against each other in the sixties, are
found today. assisting to honor the
soldier dead. regardless of the color
Of tn" uniform they Wore. remember
ing only that they We're brothers. all
brave men ana al Americans. If any
thing was needed to strengthen this
sentiment IF Americanism. it was the
foreign war, which caused it to take
tirmer root and grow until now it
stands like the giant tree
Proof to the tempcSts' shock
the shelter and grace of a noble people,
to flourish as long as the sun shall
! Shine and rivers flow.
Each year there are now graves to
| decorate, and not only new graves of
| those who marched to battle, a third
| ,,f. h,It n
| younger men Of our generation who
| sprang to the defence of the flag with
the ardor their fathers had shown.
| And in this later war, there fought
| side by side the sons of those who had
made up opposing armies in the sixties.
Their graves are not all in the home
cemeteries, for many are in the islands
| Of the sea, even on the other side Of
the world. still all are on the soil of
the United States. and over each the
little flag shall wave in deathless
| glory. This gives to the younger gen
Grafton a more personal interest in
Memorial day. for it, too, has its
heroes of war. its comrades enrolled i'll
that silent army.
| ON Fame's eternal camping ground
| Their silent tents are spread
| And glory guards with solemn round
| The bivouac of the dead
1t is we'll. therefore, that We make a
holy day Of each 3Oth Of May, never
| losing sight Of the beautiful customs
and the high significance of the occa-
sion. 1t is well that we honor ourselves
| ~ strcWing flowers upon the graves
| where soldiers sleep, that the flag is
| dropped in their honor, and that the
| children are taught by all these out
| ward symbols to recognize the sweet
| honorablcncss Of love of country and
aratitudc to the nations defenders.
! They fought the good fight. they kept
heir faith in the greatness of their
0Id nhiJdron