The evening Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-1902, 1902-05-30
IN HEROES
MEMORY.
Who are the men that crowd the

Who are the men that crowd tn
street?
Why do the banners fly?
Why do the drums so mournfu
sound!
Oh. tell me, tell me why!
Those men you yonder see approach
Are remnants of the band
That fought and bled for liberty,
For their endangered land!
And where they 60 you wish tc
know?
They 60 where buried lie
Those heroes who, for love Of right
Went forth to bleed and die!
Go Join the noble hearted throng!
Give honor to the dead!
And strew with flow'rs Of gentle
May
Their peaceful, lonesome bed.
But listen. All we may provide
10 glorify the brave
Ia Justice merely, due to them
Aud to their doleful grave.
For what they did for nation 3 veal
When freedom was at bay,
Nay openly and verify
We never can repay!
This is memorial day and the
hearts OF the living 60 out in sym.
pathetic remembrance Of the dead
veterans. This morning members
OF the G. A. Il. posts visited the
graves in the Wilmington GENE.
tcrles and strewed the graves Of
dead veterans with flowers. Ameri-
can flags were also placed on the
graves.
While the membership Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic Is
each year growing smaller, the in.
terest IN Memorial Day is increas-
ing. Formerly it was only the
graves If the old soldiers which
were decorated, but now there are
young soldiers resting in the loc al
cemeteries, men who died as the
result Of the more recent war, some
from the far-off philippines and
one from the siege OF Pekin, whose
graves are to be decorated. Iu ad-
dition to this the custom has grown
and those who have loved ones,
other than soldiers. resting IN the
cemeteries, strew their graves
with flowers and the resting place
OF the soldier is only distlng guished
from these BY tile little flag which
marks his resting place.
Yesterday afternoon scores Of
people could be seen bearing flowers
to the cemeteries and bus few Of
them we're for the tombs of the
soldiers, for thev will be decorated
today. The surviving veterans are
pleased with this custom however
and are glad to see all OF the graves
decorated, and content to distinguish
that of the soldier with tic little flag
Really the old soldiers began their
observance Of the day yesterday, for
details OF them visited the various
public schools of the city, where
some OF them made addresses aud
where all listened to excellent exer.
cises. All OF the schools now observe
the occasion and the veterans are
also pleased at this recognition.
Flowers from the Conscrvatories Of
the White House, through the kind
ness OF Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt
will decorate the grave OF one Wi.
mington hero. Fisher Ames, men,
Der OF General Thomas A. Snylh
Post, who usually has charge of car
ing for the flowers to be used bv the
post on Decoration Day, yesterday
received large box containing il
number OF handsome flowers. Inside
Tie box was an envelope containing
the card OF Mrs. Roosevelt, and the
flowers are Intended for the grave of
General Smyth, in the Whining ton
and Brandywine Cemetery.
Last night number of the mem.
bers OF the Grand Army visited Mr.
Ames's house and saw the flowers.
This morning they will be taken to
the cemetery and placed on General
Smyth' S grave, according to the re.
quest Of the Presidents wife.
Mr. Ames says that he does not
know how Mrs. Roosevelt came to
send the flowers here, but was of the
opinion the Presidents wife desired
to decorate the grave Of some brave
soldiers on Decoration Day, ana SC.
lected General Smyth's grave as one
which should be decorated in Della.
ware with White House flowers.
The SmyJh guard Of Newport
veterans although small in number
came to Wilmington to show their
patriotism. This afternoon the
parade will GO over the route already
published.
Not as they marched in time OF war.
The columns move todly.
No drum S inspiring music or
The flies shrlll notes which sound ed
for
The troops which marched away.
The drums beatand the buglcs call
In slower cadence now.
Time s changing touch Is felt by all.
With fainter sound the footsteps fall
Which rang on Lookout's brow.