, 1900-05-31

enhanced by the profusion of flowers
worn on coa lapels or filling the bells
of the silver trumpets carried by the
chief and his assistants.
The procession moved in the follow
ing order:
Laramie kid" band, detachment of
university cadets, thirty-five strong,
under command Of Captain Charles w.
Gilmore; the Laramie Fire department,
the Kid drum corps; Wyoming vol
u~ntecrs of Spanish-American war; Gus
ter post, G. A. R.; Woman's Relief
corps; Women of Woodcraft; citizens
in carriages and N foot.
The procession followed the publish
ed line of march and presented a very
imposing appearance. The band, max
ing its first public appearance in full
uniform. played exceedingly well and
acquitted themselves with credit to the
individual members and the Instructor
and leader, H. E. Nagel, who has been
in charge for but three months.
On arriving at the cemetery the or
der of the procession was partially re-
versed, the band being followed by the
veterans Of the Wyoming battalion and
Torrey's cavalry, the G. a. r., the Wo-
mans Relief corps, the Fire depart
ment and the university cadets, in the
order named. Temporary seats had
been constructed on three sides of the
soldiers monument, the fourth side be-
ing occupied by a large moving van
in lieu of a platform for the orator of
the day and other officials.
The organizations formed a hollow
square around the monument and the
ladies and children filled the benches
in front, On the platform were Mayor
A. E. Miller, Prof. Ridgaway, the ora-
tor of the day; Councilman Jones, E.
F. Gaskell. post commander, and John
Prick. trumpeter. The stars and
stripes and the white banner of the
post rested against the south front of
the monument, at the foot of which
was a sort Of altar, upon which flowers
were placed. The band was assigned
to a position within the square and in
front of the platform.
Mayor Miller presided and the pro-
gram began with the playing of the
hymn Nearer My God, to Thee" by
the band. Captain Fitch then read the
general order for the observance Of the
day. issued from the headquarters of
the Grand Army in Philadelphia,
which concluded with an extract from
the address delivered by President Nc
Kinley at Gettysburg. The reading
was heard in the most profound ST.
lence.
Mayor Miller announced that owing
to Hon. N. E. Corthell, who had been
selected as the orator of the day. hav-
ing been Unexpectedly called away the
program could not be carried out as at
first arranged, but'that Prof. Ridgaway
had kindly consented to take his
place.
Prof. RiSgaway then proceeded with
his address, which, Notwithstanding
the short notice he had of being called
upon to speak, was one of the most
eloquent and appropriate ever deliver
ed on a similar occasion. 1t did not
occupy to exceed fifteen minutes in de-
livery. and yet it seemed complete in
every respect. and its very brevity rec
commended it to the vast audience that
stood under a burning sun.
The speaker began by saying that
while every nation has its Memorial
day and its independence day, no ma
tion has a day so fraught with inter
est as our W possesses in its Memo
rial day. He repeated the legend of
the Roman soldier who, in obedience
to the command of the oracles rode
full panoplied into the abyss formed by
an earthquake, which Immediately up
on this sacrifice closed, and used this
to illustrate the sacrifice of blood and
life in the COS to close the gap between
the two sections of this country. In
graphic language the speaker describ-
ed the response to Uncle Abe's" call
to arms, sketched briefly one or two