The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-06-16

A few years ago visited the Chan
cellorsville battle-ground in Virginia
An old Confederate veteran was my
guide. On the road he pointed out
large cherry tree in whose shade
a Massachusetts, lieutenant died OF
his wounds in May, 1863. On the an
niversary of Charlottesville for sew.
eral years the gray-haired father and
mother of the dead soldier spent the
day at the spot where their son gave
up his life to his country. Then the
| father came alone-the mother had
gone on to join her son. But for
several years the anniversary came
and went, but the death place of the
hero was unvisited.
So each year the men who fell in
that war have been rejoined by
friends and comrades in the great Be-
yond. The clock ticks and ticks but
we hear it not. It strikes and com.
mands our notice. 1t is great event
that arrests and chains our attention.
Great events and great sorrows de-
velop the highest qualities in men.
1t is the wounded shell-fsh that pro-
duces the pearl. The pearl is its con-
gealed tear.
In this audience are little girls who
will grow up and would again, II
need be, perform the part of the
mothers Of 1776 or 1861. I am look
ing in the faces of boys who would do
or die.
'"Tis ages since God made His young
est star,
His hand was on them as 'twere yes
terday"
I sincerely hope this generation will
never have the opportunity for hero.
ism that was accorded to the boys or
1861. General Terrence describes
the heroic charge at Missionary
Ridge, up they go, their backs to
the setting sun, their faces towards
Immortality"
Each generation produces its crop
of heroes. Only at long intervals
doesthe reaper come to their harvest.
Says Montesquieu, Happy is that
nation whose annals are tiresome."
Only by actual test can the WORTH
of man be measured. Frederick
the Great ran away from Molawitz
mis- first battle But he stood like
rock on many a we'll fought field af-
forwards, and his name is the syno-
nym of steady courage.
The ploughboy of today may be
the.hero of tomorrow
DuryNand .selfressect are the great
elements of agood soldier. The
soldiers Of 1861 could be best brought
to discipline by the threat to write
nome. The letters which came from
the front told how William had won
promotion, how Charles fell, and now
victory was won by valor, or defeat
borne with lofty determination.
At Andersonville the alternative Of
death and starvation with honor, or
life and dishonor by enlistment in the
ranks of the enemy was daily held up
before the suffering men huddled like
beasts in that foul prison pen. But
few there were who accepted life at
the price of disgrace and dishonor.
The war was costly in treasure,
blood and tears,-but it was worth all
that it cost.
Robert Flee hesitated between his
obligation to the state and the nation,
but he followed Virginia, and after
four years of able and heroic leader
ship, laid down his sword at Apo
mattox. Could he have had a pro-
phetic vision of his old Arlington
home as it is today, saddened by 49,
600 graves, he would have surely hes
itated longer before accepting the
call of his native state to fight against
the cause of the Union.
George H. Thomas and Winfield
Scott were Virginians, too, but they
never hesitated in their allegiance to
the old flag. The state to them was
only part of the nation. We love
Iowa today, but we love our whole
country better.
We deplore war in all it's forms and
battle should be waged to the END
that peace may ensue. Two thous-
and years of stagnation in the far
east have now been broken by the
Russians and the Japanese on the
shores Of the Yellow Sea. The little
Japanese hero as he goes down with
his stone ladenship in the mouth of
the harbor Of Port Arthur, firing a
farewell pistol shot from the top
mast over his own grave, conquers
the admiration of his enemies. His
example will bear fruit in many a
succeeding battle.
The Spartans at Thermopylae were
few in number, but they did not die
in vain.
The Texans perished rather than
surrender in the Alamo, and at San
Jacinto the Mexicans fed from the
kind of men who made the Alamo SO
costly prize
Every nation flonors its defenders
alive or dead. The Creeks still
sleep under the memorial mound at
Chaeronea. The victims of the Maine