The Republican journal., 1901-06-06
MEMORIAL DAY oBsERvANcEs.

| Ihe Address by Robert Il. DuntOn, Esq
Memorial Day was observed in this cit,
by Thomas H. Marshall Post, G. A. R., al
though the afternoon exercises were greatl,
| abridged on account of the threateninl
| weather. The day was cloudy, with damI
easterly wind, and there were indication!
that rain might come at any moment. Thu
Grand Army veterans are now getting wei
| along in years and long march in thu
damp, muddy streets, with the necessity ol
standing in the cemetery during the exer.
ciseS, might result in severe colds or worse
The parade was consequently given up
The graves of the soldiers and sailors in al
the cemeteries in Belfast, and in some OF
the neighboring towns, were decorated ir
the usual manner by the Post, with flags
and flowers, and the graves of members OF
the Relief Corps were marked and decorat
ed. The cemeteries never presented a more
| attractive appearance. The trees were in
full leaf and the grass was looking its best
Apple trees were in full bloom, and theii
blossoms, combined with others and with the
green of the leaves and ferns, furnished
were made use of in all the cemeteries With
excellent effect. Every part of Grove Gem
etery was as neatly kept and carefully
cared for as a garden, and the profusion of
floral decorations made it a place of beauty
There We're many visitors there during the
day, but the number was small in compari-
son with what it would have been had the
afternoon program been carried out.
Flags were at half mast on the public
buildings and at many residences in the
city. The schools, factories, banks and
public offices were closed during the day,
and the stores in the afternoon.
AT O'Clock squad from Thomas II.
Marshall Post, with an escort of the Sons
of Veterans, formed at Memorial Hall and
marched up Main street to Grove Cemetery.
A halt was made in front of the Grand
Army lot, where the flag had been set at
half mast, and the mound to the unknown
dead decorated. The Post gave the salute
to the dead, and then returned to Memo
rial Hall and broke ranks
A supper was served in Memorial Hall to
visiting comrades and ladies.
The evening exercises in Belfast Opera
House were carried out according to the
program announced in the general orders,
with a few additions, made necessary by
the omission of the afternoon exercises. A
large audience was present The decorations
consisted of large flags draped above the
stage with stacks of arms at either side.
The Post was escorted from Memorial
Hall to the Opera House by the Sons of
Veterans, with music by the Belfast Band
The Post, Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans
and Ladies' Aid Society had seats reserved
in the centre rows in front.
The exercises opened with the Interna-
tional Fantasia by Robinson, finely execut-
ed by the Belfast Band. The piece is COM
posed of portions of a large number of pop
ular airs of various nations, and the
audience recognized many old-time favor
ties, while the minds of the veterans were
carried back to their days of service by the
strains of the martial music of that day
The Post Adjutant NJ. c. Dilworth, then
read the general orders of the National
commander, and, in accordance with a re-
quest in the general orders, read Lincoln's
address at Gettysburg. The Adjutant
then offered the apology of the Post for the
omission of the afternoon exercises and
read from the ritual the address of well
come.
Rev. George S. Mills offered prayer.
The Belfast Band played Bach's '..Choral, -
with fine effect.
Alden ID. Chase announced that in accor-
dance with a custom now quite generally
adopted in Grand Army Posts only the
names of the additions made to the roll of
honor since last Memorial Day would be
read. We print the full roll on the End
page of this issue, including the additions,
which are as follows:
Burd, Charles H.. Neal, Benjamin F.,
COlSon, PrentlsS, Roberts, Ezra j.,
EmmOnS, Luther H., Staples, Edwin A.,
Knowlton, BainbridgeH, Stevens, Edmund,
LongfeOw, George w., Taylor Thomas,
Mcintosh, Albert. JTuttle, William c.,
The exercise and singing by the young
ladies under the direction of Miss Lillian
Spinney proved very attractive and appro-
pirate feature. Thirteen young ladies took
part Miss Florence Bragdon, dressed in
leu, WllbC nuu UIuc, W DIS Tile lcttucI, dIu bIl6
others were clothed, by classes of four, in
red, white and blue, respectively, as follows :
Red-Sadie Seavey, Blanche Dodge, Alice
Crosby, Emily Bradman.
White-Florida Carrow, Ethel Savery.
Gladys Carter, Lillian Mason
Blue-lsa Patterson, Lurena Hutchins,
Stella Black, Nellie Hall.
The young ladies performed several evo-
lutiOns and sang patriotic songs in connec-
tion with the movements In an interval OF
the evolutions Master Ralph Gould declaim-
ed "Our Flag" with fine elocutionary effect
The favorite old wartime song, "Tenting
Tonight on the Old Camp Ground" was
sung by the North Church choir, consisting
of Mrs. r. II. Howes, Miss Ada Cunning
ham, Messrs. John Parker and B. L. Davis,
with Miss Carrie Kingsbury at the piano.
By request the Band played "My Old
Kentucky Home" which was sung at last
years Memorial Day exercises by the choir
The address by Hon. r. F. Dunton was
an able discourse, delivered with much feel
ing, and entirely without notes. Following
is a report kindly furnished The journal
by Mr.. Dunton, from shorthand notes
taken by his daughter, Miss Edith Dunton:
VETERANS AND FRIENDS: On the first
Memorial Day, which was quite generally
observed Nav 70 1868 Cen f,arfoId ~ A -