The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-06-05
FLOWERS AND TEARS
Tender Tokens for the Memory
of Resting Heroes

well carried out by devoted people.
The decorations In the city were
general. Business houses We'd with
each other in the matter of decora-
ations and many special windows
were prepared for the occasion. Ma.
tional colors were to be seen on all
sides In the residence portion of the
town and great dags foated from .
half hundred stats In the city. The
morning was spent in busy prepara-
tion at the cemetery. The Woman's
Relief Corps decorated the graves OF
the soldierslin an appropriate way
and the cemetery never before ap-
peared to better advantage. The
procession was formed promptly at
one thirty O'Clock and moved on time
to the cemetery for the ritualistic
decoration Of the graves of the sleep
ing soldiers. The service at the cem-
etery was held at the soldiers lot west
of the fountain, thousands OF people
taking part in the exercises.
The Procession.
The procession was headed by the
city police department and then fol-
lowed, the officers of post and the
day mounted, end the drum
corps of Ward Coveny and the
"Shiloh band" The veterans came
after the music and then the soldiers
and sailors of the Spanish war, Com
pauy F, l. N. G., in uniform, the
knights of Pythias and the march
ing club of the Modern Woodmen,
school children and members of the
Woman's Relief Corps and old
soldiers in carriages.
The decoration of the graves that
had been properly tagged by the
special committee did not occupy q
great length of time and the proces-
sion was reformed and moved back
to the city where the program of the
day was completed in the Masonic
Opera House.
Here Commander T. w. Hyde off,
ciated as officer Of the day. There
was selection by the drum corps
followed by a quartette Misses Ware
and Turner and Messers Lacy and
Lsfferty. Prayer was offered by
Rev. Cato Kaye and the order for
the observance OF memorial day was
read by adjutsnt M. ID. Burket.
Robert Kissick read Lincoln's Gettys-
burg address, and then followed
the address of the day by Hon. w. 8.
Kenworthy Of this city.
The Grafton was one of the best eff
forts ever listened to by decorations
day audience in this city. The ora
tor was brief but to the point and his
oration contained much food for the
mind. 1t was well received by the
large audience that heard it and the
speaker was frequently interrupted
by applause. The oration created
very favorable Impression.
The Grafton is here presented ver-
batim:
Members of the Grand Army of the
| Republic; Ladies and gentlemen:
l thank the committee for this
recognition.
1t is always an honor to be chosen
to take part in such memorial exer-
cises. 1t is, however, a difficult task
for a speaker to instruct and interest
a people with whom he has lived for
nearly forty years, and the faces and
| forms of many of whom are as famil-
lar to him as Is his watch dial Such
is my situation my friends at this
hour and | earnestly beg for your
charitable consideration. Memory
goes back thirty-seven years and con-
meets this with another occasion;
when the war clouds had rolled away,
when peace dwelt throughout the land,
when the veterans were returning to
| the homes they had fought to save,
proud Mahaska, loyal then as now.
welcomed those who had worn the
blue to their hearts and homes. For
some reason your speaker of this
hour was chosen to welcome you and
your comrades. We met in yonder
public square, then clothed with small
trees affording but little shade.
Thousands came from far and near
with we'll filled baskets from all the
country rof d. 1t was meeting long
to be remembered. now recall the
tears of Joy of the mother, wife and
maiden at the safe return Of loved
ones, and we'll do remember the bit
ter, scalding tears of sorrow for those
who had perished in the conflict,
There was universal rejoicing at the
end of a four years struggle for the
life of the nation, at the end OF
slavery and the supremacy Of the civil
law. Men of the Grand Army. may
you ever be inspired with the recol
lection that you forever settled the
proposition that man Is capable OF
self-goyernment. Once and for all you
brought the world to realization Of
the great truth that men are equal
before the law. Yes, that was q sad
as well as a joyful day; as there can
be no rose without thorn, no sun
shine or rainbow without the cloud
burots, so there were heart-aches, sighs
and tears amid the joys OF that day
Full well do l recall the lines used
on that occasion in speaking OF thos<
who had gone forth to battle for the
flag and whose places were vacant In
your ranks that day. Your lines are
growing thinner, many who returned
have since fallen but they are heroes
all the same, although they fell fal
from the firing line.
They fell devoted but undying.
The very gale their names seen
signing;
| The tiniest rill, the mightiest river
/ Roll mingling with their fame Tor