The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-06-09
SPIRIT OF MEMORIAL DAY.
Beautiful Tribute in Memory Of the
immortal Soldier Dead BY
T. N. Wilson, at Opera
House.

Standing here, where in this vast
audience the eye can see but few OF
the heroes of wars stormy scenes, 1t
seems to me no words of mine can
paint the glory of their heroic deeds
in colors bright enough to reach your
hearts, and that a fervent "God bless
you. comrades would pe tar more
eloquent than the praises of the ora
tors tongue. To-day we see the sol.
dier as we see him no other day Of the
year. To day we see him with old
age crowning his life with honor.
To-day we see him hand in hand, with
innocent childhood, planting the rose
of love upon comrades grave, and
our hearts swell with patriotism and
we honor him: not for his wealth,
not for his social position, but for the
proud name he bears, Union soldier.
When the sun stood upon the horizon
this morning the birds awakened from
their slumber and sweet songs were
heard throughout your beautiful city
Of the dead. The seeds planted by
loving hands upon the graves of dear
mother, the angel wife and the loving
father pushed upward, and the flowers
opened in all their beauty, so that
when we kneel beside the silent mounds
our thoughts would turn to the great
Master above and silently we would
murmur, Thy will be done"
The fame of noble men is endearing
Bud and blossom, song of birds and
perfume of flowers carry us to-day
on our annual pilgrimage of love and
affection. Monuments erected to the
dead express the sentiment of the liv'
ing. The world cherishes the memo
ry of the good as well as the great.
To-day a Nation bows its head il
tears and flowers in remembrance OF
the immortal soldier dead. Theil
fame is not consigned to polished
shafts of marble, but is engraven IL
the hearts of loyal people. We
spread above them springtimes rich
est garlands. We wave above then
the flag they loved and died for. Ole
age stands in reverence at theii
graves and innocent childhood scat
tiers garlands upon them. Our heroe
sleep in peace sweet be their sleep
unfading their glory and imperisha
bic their fame.
How beautiful the sentiment tha
brings US together to-day. Riches
will fade away, splendor will disap
pear with the age that creates it
leaving nothing but the shadow of the
night that wells it, but the memory
of an soldier dead will never die, fol
their deeds are a part of our lives
The living and the dead shine OF
wars cruel pages as soldiers of the
grandest army in the history OF tn,
world: no one daring to usurp theil
throne or try to take away their crown
of honor. To-day we stand with un
covered heads at our heroes graves
We meet on common plane, the rich
as we'll as the poor, the high as vel
as the lowly, to strew sweet flower,
together and the universal observance
of Memorial Day speaks far more elo
quently of the love of liberty, freedom
and sacrifice than either the words OF
orators or the inspiring verse of poets
Sad memories crowd upon us while
doing our duty to Nations illustriout
dead. The aged mothers will think o.
the boys who left home in the howe,
OF their manhood, many never to re
turn. The aged fathers, with subduet
sobs, will uncover their heads at the
graves of the boys who gave up theil
lives for their country. The wives
with tired souls, tread softly near the
dust of him who was to her the deares,
one on earth. Out of their silen,
lonely hearts sobs of anguish come
while from the mansion above theii
soldier heroes look down upon theil
acts of love and see, though treason1
arrow did much to smite them down
the great principles still live fol
which they died. The God of all looki
down upon US and sees our hearts are
filled with patriotism. Nature moves
in all its sprlngtime beauty, and IL
the silent cities of the dead there
watts fragrance through the tremu
lous air. The trees that stand as sen
tinels around where sleep the brave
that long last sleep that knows ne
waking sigh with US as we honor ant
mourn for our soldier dead. The light
est heart in this vast audience rea
Lies we are here to honor the memo
ry of those who are with Us no more
We may not hear the loved ones sob
bing as they turn time backward ant
to-day brings back the past, but W.
know Columbia drops her tears wher
she sees one by one her heroes called
away, and we offer her our sympathy
and leave her alone with her soldier
dead.
The sweet and patriotic songs O.
your choir, the hattering steps O.
these gray haired old veterans whose
shoulders are bowed with the burder
of years, the little children, the beau
tiful flowers all have their meaning
1t is to show the world how loyal ant
true the American people are to the
memory of the Union soldier.
Who was the Union soldier and from