Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-14

tiers and makers Of military dress should not
run utility to such an extreme that the sol
der objects to wear It. with somewhat OF
truth, but in a vein OF humor, the wag says
in rhyme:
We often sing in Joyful strains,
IN admiration's loud refrains,
| The heroism ever true
OF Unc.e sammy's boys in blue.
That sacred color now must go
And future praises we must dab
Upon the boys In olive drab.
The blue that since the nations birth
Has been the proudest hue on earth,
The color worn by hero sires
Amid the roar Of hostile guns,
Now feels the sharp official stab
And fees before the olive drab.
Day of the V~IrEInius.
And that dear old flag. the most beautiful
on earth. To you It needs no encomiums
from me. l seldom think Of what 1t means
to us but that old story, familiar perhaps
to US all, comes to my mind. a story that
impressed mo in my boyhood days. Your
valor made it possible, and the valor Of
your sons in the late war with Spain made
such scenes universal, II occasion demands.
Twas on the Cuban coast, long years ago,
a ship and crew were captured, having on
board arms and munitions for Cuban in
surgents. A mock trial was quickly had
and the crew were condemned to die at sun
rise on the following day. Among the num-
Der was a young man, from this north
country, who shipped, not knowing the pur-
pose or destiny of the vessel. The Ameri-
can consul heard the facts that night too
late to intercede in behalf Of his country
man. But he was present early the next
morning at the scene Of the execution to
save, IL possible, the unfortunate prisoner.
And just as the sun was about to rise over
the eastern hills and was about to fall upon
the pallid brow OF him who faced the sun
rise and was about to die, a stranger, far
from home and kindred, but not far from
friends, and Just now as that same sun
perhaps, through an eastern window In his
home land was shining on the golden curls
of his little child, and on the wan face and
features of its mother, as II soothing and
calming her to meet the trying ordeal OF
the days sorrow, and calling her over that
long but certain sunbeam path back to the
sun that fixed the time of execution. thence
over that same sunbeam route to the scene
Of longing for home and preparing for death
In Cuba, and perhaps through another win
dow that same sun in that same homeland
was ~glinting the gray hairs and wrinkled
face of a mother, up in the morning, as
was her custom for years, watching, waiting
and longing for her sons return, him who
was her only support in her declining wild
owed years, and whose father at the dread
call to arms in 81 obeyed, and imprinted
then a kiss on the moistened cheek OF wife
and boy, and looked In their eyes swollen
with the food Of grief, for the last time
never to ~return-except to that home where
the summons Of the Great Commander Of
life's battles called him, where the shafts
Of criticism are unheard and the enemies
Of patriot soldiers are unknown.
saved by the Flag.
The American consul spoke to the Ru-
thorities present, demanding the release OF
his countryman, who was guilty Of no crime
against their country. The answer came,
Nothing but the interference of his mai
esty the king Of Spain can save the young
man. and for that II was too late. Seeing
no hope in human agencies, and just before
the order Of fire was to be given, when
death would come to all the crew. the
consul took from his pocket a silken flag,
bearing the Stars and Stripes. and rushing
forward wrapped 1t around his countryman,
saying: Shoot II you dare! You shoot the
flag of the greatest nation on earth. You
assault the patriotism, courage and sym
patty Of It's millions of citizens" The
young man was saved. That flag saved him,
which you fought to save. That flag saved
him which your sons recently made still
more respected on land and sea, but whose
victories were made possible by you.
1t seems proper that others are invited to
participate with you, to listen to your
stories Of the war and learn Of your char
acter. fortitude and devotion to country, to
become more acquainted with your infiu-
ence upon our country and the lives Of gen.
e~rations to follow you, that they may tell IL
to coming generations. For the principles
for which our soldiers fought. and their
memory, is our best defense. This is the
young patriots training school. Seeing and
knowing Is better than reading. l believe
u some few were invited to participate with
you or to visit you In each Of your en-.
eampments 1t would be Of much value and
aid in cultiyating a patriotic spirit among
our young people, and In keeping alive
your memory and the principles for which
you SO nobly fought.
Veterans Aid Society.
Another thing has impressed itself for
years on my attention, until II finds ex-
preston today. As your memoir and the
principles for which you contended must
live and be perpetuated, and to that degree
which finds the richest ~fruitage In patriotic
%endeavor, and as best results come from
Getive and harmonious organization, l
shall long TO see the day when a veteran aid
society shall be organized, II not already
done, composed OF those whit were too
young TO engage In the war, and who have
or shall have been born since then, whose
object shall be TO promulgate and impress
the principles for which you fought and
to keep alive the memory OF the defenders
Of our country, to aid your organization
while 1t exists, aud to aid you with funds,
labor and sympathy, all, without bitterness
or sectional feeling. but born. nurtured and
maintained in the sweet peaceful and har-
monions thought and feeling which hnds
an expression in Christian courage and true
citizenship and patriotism and which seeks
to strengthen and develop 10 the common
good Of our common country,
Many Of you are advanced in years, too
feeble 20 endure hard labor and unable to
cope with virils youth, In his strenuous
struggle for the wealth Of today, Your best
wealth is the realization and satisfaction
Of q worthy work well done. Our duty is
to do, and reward those who made wealth
today available and our country the great
est Of the world. Your monument will be
the kind reeolleetions OF q grateful people,
more enduring. more significant, more in
a1FrinU mara haIpfttI thar ruarkIa arauNta