The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-05-27
MEMORIAL DAY..

Next Monday will OCCUR the one day
i'm the year dedicated to- a manifesto
tom of patriotism in reverential form
Instead of THE cannon's O "a and the
flies sshrill notes piercing THE placid
air of spring in exultant notes OF vic
tory and rejoicing, THE muffled drum
and solemn strains of the dirge Will
mark the time for marching feet. The
clamor and noise THAT afford a vehicle
fer expression CT pent-up feeling re-
joicing in the memory OF am event that
added ito the nations greatness and
freedom, will be missing. In their
place will be the assembling OF sober
faced men, many cid and bent, sad
eyed women and wondering children,
all bearing natures sweetest tokens OF
love and pledges OF affection sacred,
|pure. To 1.-THE silent City of the dead
will their faces be TURNED, their minds
| given to serious Thought, their hearts
filled with emotions that none dare
ATTEMPT to describe. Reverentia ally
will loving hands place upon moulder-
ing breasts mute, but eloquent testi-
m.onials of respect and veneration as
beautiful as were ever offered upon the
shrine of devotion. Amidst the sacred,
solemn stiffness, a stiffness only ac-
centuated by the soft murmuring of
the first winds OF a returning summer,
will the mind travel back into the
years that have gone and review the
stirring times and momentous events
in which the GREATNESS sleepers have
participated. In a panorama that kim
dies irlto livid flame the patriotic mind
will see pass before it columns OF
marching men, flush in the pride and
vigor of early manhood, Fastening to
THE of the mother who in her
dire distress was forced ito CALL upon
her SONS to defend and maintain her,
even ait the sacrifice OF their own
young lives. The winds low murmur
will be changed into the noise and con-
fusion of battle. Shot and she'll will
fall like hail, dealing death and pain
wherever their blighting touch reach
es. Once more the slaughter RACES,
suffering and agony r on every side.
U~nconsciously the breast heaves with
suppressed fire and the dilated eye
reflect the tumult that lis going on
Within. Dwelling upon the picture it
gradually fades; forms lose their dis
inctness; the turmoil of BATTLE ceases,
U1S I'LL Od1u 10 ii. kASdlu tWO dIC III
the present, blad that that which Sc
%enthralled us was but a trick eff the
mind, happy that we are I'M the full
enjoyment of the blessings of benefi-
cent peace, that the country once bath
ed in blood and sundered by strife is
grander, greater, prouder and mor
powerful than ever, made sol by the
heroic deeds and unselish sacrifices
of those above whom TRANQUILITY floats
the starry BANNER for the honor OF
which they dared and risked all.
The speaker has said his last
words, THE good man in black has ut
tered his closing prayer; a few short
commands, sharply spoken, THE brok-
en- scattered column reforms, the
dirge has given way to the music OF
happiness and joy and once more the
living leave the dead, their tribute OF
love and respect bestowed. Unbroken
continues the rest OF the valiant
sleepers, their repose u~ndisturbed;
the fragrant flowers left upon their
graves waving their incense to the
god Of BATTLE and THE god of peace on
nigh, the banner for which they
fought floating in benediction over
the quick, its brilliant hues an ever
iastlng monument to the heroism OF
the dead.
Piano Tuning.
Arthur Wales, premier plane tuner,
Thirty wears avco-iouoo