The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-06-07
Address by Mrs. Snyder.

Address by Mrs. Snyder.
From time immemorial, since the
earliest existence OF the world, wonder
full men and wonderful women have
lived, moved and taken part in the af-
fairs of their day and generation, and
their deeds lived after them. The
memory of what they were and what
they did is held in remembrance by the
inha bitants of the earth. and nowhere
on the face of the globe is true great
ness held in higher esteem, more
reverenced than in our own America.
Special days and national holidays are
set apart and fttingly observed. Es
pecially has this been true since the
revolution, when American indie
pendence was first declared. Since that
day when "Old Liberty Bell'' pealed
forth the glad tidings of a free people.
what a day of days has it become, and
no true American with spark of pa
triotism in his makeup but what feels
his pulse quicken with renewed vigor
as independence Day comes around. 1t
would be hard to find a man, woman or
child throughout the length and
breadth of this great republic. who
does not welcome and who is not glad
to celebrate the Fourth-of-July. This
was especially brought to our notice
| ip our own home town of Creston a
| little more than a year ago. An old,
respected citizen veteran and Ger
man by birth, had for some years an
intense longing to return to his native
land and live out the remainder of
! his days among scenes of his child
hood. Accordingly, he closed up his
affairs, babe farewell to friends and set
sail for the Old World. AS ne was
an old citizen of our town, the people,
as remember gave him quite send
off, with a band to escort MIN to his
train when he left Returning myself
after a weeks absence, some three or
four months later, l was greatly as
ltonished to meet this same man upon
the streets of Creston again and in re-
ply to my greeting. and | suppose
looks of amazement, he said. Eyes, you
are surprised like the rest of them to
see me back. | had to come. Why,
if you will believe me, Mrs. Snyder,
they have no Fourth-of-July over there,
and l would not give cent for a
country without Fourth-of-July." And
as | watched the old man trudging
off down the street, |. too, thought that
a country would not be worth much
without Fourth-of-July in the sense
that we Yankees look upon it.
Then we have Washingtons birth
: day, Lincoln's birthday, and what is
) greatest. best and dearest to us, Mem
, orial Day. This is a day of cherished
: memories! Sad sweet grand, glorious
: eternal memories! 1t has been sale
} that memory is the soul of the past
the recording angel of the present ant
5 the inspiring genius of the future. 81
| long as memory turns back to the day:
: of the great war, to the struggles
privations, sad farewells and bite
, partings, so long will these memories
: serve as an incentive to us to hold il
/ more loving remembrance those VIM
c so willingly gave themselves to thei
9 country in it's hour Of desperate need
3 When the call for troops came iron
4 ocean to ocean ran the echo OF tn
4 voice of mighty people. I'VE ar
g coming, Father Abraham, three hur
7 dred thousand strong" And thes
: champions of our liberties, with chez
= full courage, shouldered arms and TO
It lowed the flag over mountain top va
: ley and plain with heroism sublim
s. in it's devotion. Nor will we forget 9
I; this time our sister woman-the p;
d tient, devoted, patriotic woman of til
f. war times, many of whom now lie
D humble lowly graves, whose name
d do not shine on the pages of history
II at home, who took up the burdens an
% carried them forward through thos
II eventful years, who with breakin
i Fheart and tear-dimmed eye strove
st keep home together against the retul
is of loved ones. My mind goes back t
e. day along the years to day during tt
:; great struggle. 1t was a beautif
st Sabbath morning. All Nature W;
T. smiling, but solemn hush was ov'
is our village. The stiffness of Dealt
IS Groups of pale-faced women talke
IN together in whispers, with bate
lie breath. The news had come that
h terrible battle had been fought, the e
e. act particulars of which had not bet
n, learned, but it was known for &c
k, tainty that many of our village bo