The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25
MEMORIAL day o.
SOUTHERN ! ! ORIGIN
Custom Of GarIanIding Graves Be-
gan With Confederate Women.
THE. DATE HAS BEEN C HANGED
Tenth Day of May Was Formerly One
Generally Observed, but Flowers
Were Too Scarce-Legislature
Fixed on 3oth Day of May.

Fixed on 3Oth Day of May.
| The beautiful custom Of observing me
morrill, Gay by the decoration OF the
graves of the soldiers with flowers, en-
! bIe,natic Of The freshness of their mem
| Dry, first had its birth in the hearts OF
! the women Of the South. 4 few years
after tile close of that dire struggle be-
tween the north and south the results
or which brought death to nearly every
home in the southland and enriched the
soil Of Virginia with the blood of her he
! roic sons, the mothers, sweethearts and
wives of those sons. with each returning
spring, would gather sweet flowers weave
them with loving hands into Sarlands
and place them upon the graves Of those.
who laid down their lives in defense of
their country.
The custom developed into the organi-
xation of memorial associations in various
parts of the country and as the custom
became more widely disseminated the
idea of fixing on some certain day grew
and each year has witnessed nearer
approach to an agreement.
At first the tenth day CT May, the fatal
day for the Confederacy on which Stone
wall jackson breathed his last on this
earth and passed over the river, was
chosen as the fitting memorial day. The
lakewood Memorial Association still OBJ
serve s this day, but owing to the fact
that it is so early in the year that the
flowers are not abundant it has been gen.
orally abandoned and the thirtieth day
of May substituted for it. This is the
day observed by the national government
for the decoration of the graves in the
Federal cemeteries. 1t has been made
national holiday and the Virginia Legis-
lature at its last session. adopted it as
the State memorial day and made 1t
State holiday as we'll
WHY THE THIRTIETH?
Why the thirtieth day of May was
chosen especially seems to be unknown.
Johnson's encyclopedia. under the head
of Decoration. Day. says it was chosen
because on this date the last Union sol
dier was discharged after the close of the
war between the States. This statement,
however. is entirely untenable as john
ston did not surrender until May 26th,
and it is apparent that the volunteers
could not have been mustered out of SER
vice in so short time
So while the time and exact origin OF
the custom may not be exactly deter
mined it has grown to be co-extensive
with the country and at each returning
May gentle and loving hands scatter
sweet garlands over the graves of those
who died for countrys sake.
One of those who were instrumental In
starting the practice said f1ttingly: AL
that we can now do IS to sing at the
graves of our dead; but sing is we may.
in lofty strains or Lowry, our songs can
never express all our feeling-can never
celebrate all their fame. A crown such
as our dead deserve to wear will never
be wreathed for them. but 1t is our duty
to gather garlands, which If not. beautl-
full enough for their brows, we can hum
bly, lay at their feet.
But in addition to the annual decora-
ton of the graves Of the dead the me-
moriaI associations have gone further
and in many instances have succeeded In
having brought to. a resting. place in
their native soil the bodies of soldiers
slain on distant battlefields,. bearing in
mind the beaulilul line of 5EO,Hara-
your own proud lands heroic soil
Should he your filter grave;
She claims from war its richest spoil,
The ashes of the brave:
THEME OF SONG.
Memorial Day has been the theme of
many of the most beautiful of Southern
poems and the requiems that have been
sung in honor of the defenders OF the
..orifame of glory" are worthy of the
soldiers over whom they are chanted.
The following, the author of which is
known only by his pseudonym OF Lola,
is considered one of the best:
Then let us wreathe in garlands Sweet.
The flowers that April brings again,
From broad Potomacs silvcry sheet.
To Florida's lone sGEdy plain
Let cypress wave
Ger every grave.
Where gently rest our gallant slain.
How many homes have been bereft
Of all in life they held SO dear!
How MANY aching hearts are left
To weep in anguish DER the bierl
Then let us all ~
Both great and small,
Unite together once year.
To mourn DER Freedoms hallowed grave
4 ruined country's broken trust
O'cr those who bled our rights to save,
But now lie mouldering in the dust.
'Tis sacred ground.
Then strew around =.
ANOTHER POEM
J. r. Barrett, another of the South's
war poets sings plaintively DER the
graves with which the fair bosom of his
country Is SCARED, scars of honor re-
ceived in battling bravely fer right
eous cause:
Bring flowers to deck each patriot grave,
And bless the vernal sod.
Where sleep those fallen ones, whose
deeds
I. Are written with their Cod.
Place the white stone above each head
The sacred spot enclose.
That no invading step may break
The calm Of their repose.
The custom conceived in the heart OF
Southern women. and beautifully carried
out under their gentle direction, is des-
| tined to live as a testimonial OF their love
| and devotion. whose courage braccd the
| SONS of the South to fight the greatest
| battles of recorded history and whose
| strength supported them through the
! dark days that followed the end of the
| bitter struggle.
And as long as the earth brings forth
he, increase the daughter of those who
| hle and died for the Snuthern Con fed