The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1904-05-27

ia haiu, 'Goncral, uldn lchu lnem
straight" MY boy" said the gener
al. with a gentle pressure of his hand.
you acted valiantly. you did all II
was possible to do. you did your duty"
A bright smile played around tho dy.
ing youths lips, his glazed oyoballs
turned back from the threshold OF
death. and flashed Thanks" his heart
but once throbbod and forever grew
ytill, Shall we not keep Memorial
Day for such as he?
But besides the men who wore the
blue and marched under the Gag there
were other patriots. They were those
whose fingers piled the needle. and
whose hands moulded the dough. and
whose pens indicted loving words 10
boys who were nobodys sons. for
they were orphans-thc women OF our
country. These whole.souled women
ala not know anything OF country or
cline or language. They only knew a
grand humanity, and that all were OF
one KIN. for they were all children OF
one great and loving Father. And so
they sent letters 20 young men who
had no mothers. and exhorted them 10
be good and true and brave, and ever
10 do their duty.
And so we commemorate the mon
who did their duty and the women
who taught them.
Alas! that the ranks % the veterans
arc being thinncd by an enemy none
can conquer In this life-dcath And
81 those who remain the once elastic
step. and 1.-The limbs. and blue coat
have changed Tho elasticity Is gone.
the ltheress has vanished. the blue
has faded but the courage Is still
there and the PATRIOTS heart throbs
proudly as OF yorc.
The Goth OF May Is observed in tho
southern states as Memorial Day"
when the graves OF Confederate sol.
digrs and sailors are also decorated
with flowers with imposing core
monies. In recent years there has
been happy commirElIng OF the men
iu Blue and the mon In Gray on these
solemn occasions. This is as Il ought
20 bc-thig Is "a Il shall be- When
the causes OF the fierce conflict and
terrible slaughter. tho wrecked homes
AMI ruined lives, the weeping widows
and waiting orphans. the brokcu-heart-
ca mothers weeping for their sons be-
cause they are not. and strong men.
fathers. with the joy-spring Of life
broken in their hearts. are realized.
surely the olive branch OF peace will
bring concord and union beneath the
weeping willow and dropping ash and
brothers meet brothers In peace. and
higher. n0blcr. hulier patriotism will
come forth like pure gold from the
rcGnor's furnace.
Patriotism may not be the highest
virtue OF the human soul hut Il has
the most Intimate relation 20 the cause
we commemorate. And. then. patriot
ism IN America Is different in kind
not In degree only, from that OF other
countries Patriotism. as Il has pre-
vailed in the old world. has been the
| curse OF mankind. There patriotism
meant 70 hate your ncighbor on tho
/ other side OF tho rivcr--to oppose. rob,
and slaughter the men, women and
| children on the opposite side Of the
| boundary line. for the aggrandize-
ment OF the ruling classes-to present
the bodies OF the common people" as
/ n target for the arrow, tho sword. tse
/ spear, and the bullet-to bring mourn.
Ing and sorrow and poverty into the
cabin OF tho oppressed peasant and
The room OF the toiling citizen for the
honor power and pelf OF one man-to
call tho Wholesale murder OF mon.
made In the image OF God. glory and
the legalized murdcrers. who reveled
In carnage. slaughter. rapinc. and lust.
patriots! But America has taught the
world n patriotism OF another kind
broad as humanity and co-extensive
with tho globe. II has lot tyrants and
oppgessors know that the poor have
rights and the rich duties, aud that
downtrodden peoples who have shown
| themselves worthy OF independence
shall not be extcrminatcd. through TO
lentless hate and cruel wrong. by fre.
and sword. and famine, ard the posti.
lerco that follows In their train. in
witness whereof let Cuba testify, that
a strong nation, whose patriotism Is
humanity. can and will right the
wrongs OF the weak. though they may
have a differently tinted skin.
This IS tho patriotism We celebrate
to-day. that Is symbo.Ised in the Gag
that floats above us. is emblematized
In the solemn functions Of common.
grafton. when we strcw garlards OF
flowers on the graves and oncircle
with n halo OF fame our patriotic dead.
This Is patriotism. indeed. when nj the
call OF duty two millions OF tho coun.
try's pride leap forward TO preserve
tho Union or 90 die-this Is the patri.
otism we wish 10 preserve and trans.
mit-this Is the patriotism We desire
our sons 10 cmulate-this IL the God
given patriotism OF humanity which
can never die, To preserve intact
whole. and undivided tho constitution.
nation. and country bequoathcd by the
Fathers OF the Republic az home Of