Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-05-30
IN The LAND O. CAKES.
How Memorial Day Is Celebrated i
ScotIand--Braye Scots Not
Forgotten.

AS each succeeding Memorial day
comes around the American residents
of Edinburgh assemble in the old Call
ton burying ground, at the statue of /
Abraham Lincoln, and hold ceremonies
In memory of the Scottish-American
soldiers who fell in the American civil
war; This is the only spot on the globe
where Memorial day services are held |
regularly outside OF the borders of the I
United States. and great interest at |
taches to it on that account.
The ceremonies are in charge of the !
United States consul in Edinburgh and
will this year be attended by hundreds
OF Americans now travelling in the
British isles as we'll as many subjects
of the king who are in hearty Sympa-
thy with the United States. Hundreds
of floral tributes will be placed around
the statue, which has been thus decked
every year since it was unveiled on
August 81, 1898.
While the statue was erected through
the efforts of Wallace Bruce, the Unit
ed States consul at Edinburgh, and by
the generosity of we'll known citizens
of the United States, many of whom
were of Scottish descent, 1t is practi-
cally unknown to most people in this
country. That regular ceremonies sim
liar to those held in every cemetery in
ory of the heroes who fell in defense of
the Union take place in this beautiful
old home of the dead just without the
walls of this historic old city, around
which the bitterest civil war of the
worlds history centered, is we'll worthy
of cognizance.
Like many another memorial to the
greatness of American institutions aud
triumphs, this statue of the martyr
president was the outgrowth of
humble story, carried out by the good
will and the we'll earned dollars OF men
who owe their fortune to the stability
Of American institutions and the full
fillment of Lincon's ideas that the
union should be one and indivisible.
In the summer of 1890 Mrs. McEwan,
widow of Scottish-American soldier,
called on Mr.. Wallace Bruce, United
in securing pension from the govern
ment in Washington, as her husband
had recently died. The proper proof
was obtained and the pension granted.
one day when she called at the consul
ate Mrs. Bruce CHANGED to be present
and became interested in her story.
Mrs McEwan told Mrs. Bruce how
she and her children had worked for
shillings a week to keep a husband
and father from the poorhouse and
gave, with singular pathos, the ac-
count of his last illness; how he loved
to have the old gun near at hand,
where he could touch 1T; how he told
the doctor on one of his last visits
that he had nothing to give him but
his sword and the kind-hearted doc
tor replied that 1T was his business to
save life, not to take it, and that he
wished neither the sword nor any 9TH
err recompense but pleasant remem-
brance, and the wife said, I'VE will
keep the sword for the laddie.' And at
last, when the poor soldier, after long
months of suffering, died, they found
the gun under the coverlet beside him
pressed close to his heart.
Mrs. Bruce asked where he was bur
led. that she might go with Mrs Nc.
Evan and place some flowers on his
grave, although Memorial day hat
passed, but the widow answered witt
tears in her eyes: 1.-The ground on the
common level is all level. could no
mark the spot. In fact the next Sab
bath after his death 1 visited it will
the BARNS, and we found anothe
mourning group had possession. An
other body was being buried in thu
same grave"
This story, told in the beautiful Dor
der language Of the Tweed and tn
Yarrow, suggested to Consul Wallac
Bruce the idea of a burial place ii
diers. He wrote to several American
friends and talked with others VIII
visited at the consulate. All hearth
approved Of the plan. Some time after
ward Mr.. Bruce was walking on tn
banks of the Tweed near PEBBLES wit
Lord Provost Russell of Edinburg.
He told McEwan's story and the fol
lowing day wrote letter to the lor
provost, magistrates and town counc
asking for plot in one of the cit
cemeteries. The request was cordial
granted. 1t then occurred to the cor
sui that the spot would be marke
with memorial worthy of the site
the very heart of the beautiful city.
Through Mr.. Bruce's endeavol
enough money, about $4,000. was sui
scribed in this country, and the statu
of Lincoln was dedicated Aug. 81, 1879
Miss Bruce. who unveiled the NOR
umeys was attired in a flowing viii
costume. her hair encircled with
band OF gold representing Columbi
The monument was loudly cheered h
all present, and the sculptor was con
PEELED to bow his thanks and appreci,
ton many times.
Consul Bruce in formally turnir