Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-06-05

home coming mothers, wives or sisters
waited long and hoped in vain, but
from whom no tidings came and of
whom like of Moses of old "no man
knoweth of their sepulchre," the wear
ers OF the bronze button dropped flow
ers and each thought of some gay,
bright boy who marched shoulder to
shoulder with him forty long years ago.
Rev. Douglass dedicated the spot by
prsyer and the procession again
formed aud returned AT least fifteen
hundred persnn, were in attendance
at the cerem ,nies in the silent city of
the dead.
AFTERNOON EXERCISES.
AT l:30 the streets we're again full of
people, taps were sounding and the
Mo Valley band was playing. The
opera house was tittingly decorated
with the pictures OF those whom the
nation delights to honor and with
flags, not the one under which the vet
Grams fought with its thirty -four stars
but the one which these mAn made d
possibility, ones bearing upon their
field forty seven stars, and emblematic
OF a perfect union. a wider liberty,
freedom from every hint of dishonor
and recognition of the universal
brotherhood of man. Seats were re-
served in front for the veterans. The
Relief Corps occupied the boxes, each
box having its standard bearer. Before
2 o'clock the opera house was filled
with q company who desired to do
honor to the living as we'll as those
who no longer are conscious of words
of praise. At 2 o'clock the men, some
who had marched with Sherman to the
sea, some who had sickened at the
awful carnage at Anteitum, some who
were deafened by the cannon's roar at
the wilderness, some who had helped
echo the cry, "On to Richmond" and
some who had known the horrors of
the prison pen marched down the aisle
to the seats of honor. About fifty
were in the company; men who feel
that they are rapidly nearing the I'M
known sea from which their feet shall
not return, but who also are conscious
that even after the dark waters have
closed over their earthly life their
deeds of bravery will be told beside
the liresides and history will speak low
ingly of their memory. AS they passed
to their places every hearth worthy of
its country saluted these men and felt
that stirring of patriotism which moth
ing can arouse as can the sight of the
gray-headed boys in blue" when In
rank. The exercises were worthy of
the occasion. The band gave varied
program, the soothing strain which
brought to mind the sweet words of
the Christians hope beyond the grave
was followed by more martial strains,
and the audience was treated to the
"March of the Little Patriots" which
inspired the hearts of Napoleon's sol.
diers and feet began to tap to "March
ing Through Georgia" and other war
melodies. A chorus of twenty voices,
under direction of Mrs. Green, sang
"Boys of the Old Brigade" and "Col-
umbla, the Queen of the Nations" In
manner to call forth unstinted
praises not only from the speaker of
the day but from all present. Post
Commander Davis was ubiquitous and
saw that everybody was comfortable
and that everything moved in perfect
order. Adjutant Newton read Mem
orlal orders issued by the National
Commander of the q. A. II. and in
compliance with orders read Lincoln's
famous Gettysburg speech.
DIR. Colt, who was President of the
Day, delivered the following address:
1t has always seemed to me that the
promoters and organizers of the beau
tiful Memorial Day services were mys-
teriously inspired to continue the in
completed work of Abraham Lincoln.
AT Gettysburg, we hear bugle note
rising clear and distinct, when he said
"That we here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in
vain" In his second inaugural this
same note again rings pure and GER
tain, when he said: "Let us finish the
work we are in; to bind up the Nations
wounds, to care for him who shall
have borne the battle and for his
widow, and his orphans, and to do all
which may achieve, and cherish q Just
and lasting peace among ourselves
and with all nations. His immortal
genius must have felt that the per
petuity of the achievements of the
nation should find root and be nour.
ished in sentiment. The very victory
he consecrated at Gettysburg, had been
born OF sentiment, and when it was
ordained that Memorial Day should
forever be observed, the same clarion
note resounded even to the further.
most islands of the Pacific.
In the past 1000 years nearly every
great measure that has been of value
to the human race haa nri0inotod in