Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-10-28
ADDRESS
Of FRANKLIN d. HALE at dedication Soldiers
nonument, October 70, 1904, at
Lunenburg, VI.

| Lunenburg, VT.
Veterans, Ladies of the Relief Corps,
visiting friends and my fellow citizens
| congratulate you that the bending
skies above are clear; hardly rifted
cloud is left lingering in the upper air
to grace this occasion with its presence,
and nature in her ten thousand voices
| brings to our ears this afternoon no
discordant notes; we seem to be Ell.
| vironed by harmonious influences and
our hearts are in full accold with the
surroundings.
A few weeks ago the rich green YER
dure of the summer time clothed field
and forest little later the golden
glory of autumnal beauties breathed
forth their inspiring song of praise; and
| now we note that the bare armed trees
in yonder park have given up their
matured fruitage to be playthings for
our children and the shifting breezes.
Thus do we look upon the annually re-
peated picture of human life childhood
and youth with their buoyant radiancy
and hopeful promise then comes the
age of mature strength for body and
mind, the heavy responsibilities and the
enioyments of the daily rewards and
then comes old age with weakened
powers and decaying parts, but with an
anticipation of the greater glory after
the storms of time have been spent and
the labors of human life have all been
performed.
Geological investigation and astrono-
mical research tell the story of the uni
verse in almost incomprehensible epochs
and ages. The uprising and overthrow
of nations are recorded by the centuries,
but the tale of human life is told and
measured by years at the most, often by
months and hours.
suppose am addressing this hour
three generations of people, because
three generations of life are compassed
by century of years. Some of you are
pleased by the visions of youth as you
look principally toward the yelled
future; some of you are in the mid day
of your activities and your outlook is
about equally divided between that
which has been and that which may be
some of you are near the border line OF
the unknown, and your backward view
is far extended through memory, and
| you shudder at the gathering chill of the
twilight hour, for before the morrow's
sun shall rise you may behold the dawn.
ing upon another shore. This is pre-.
eminently day of memories; the past
seems paramount in the midst of the
present, and we have but little use fol
the future memory is very active and
we have no time or place for dreams
and but little for prophesy.
This is the fortieth anniversary of the
great battle of Cedar Creek. Forty
years the mind reaches out forty
years ahead aud hesitates, bewildered by
the uncertainties forty years backward
and we revel in multitude of scenes
the panoramic landscape is crowded
with events. A short time previous tt
forty years agothe world was startled by
the declaration of revolution and the
attack upon Fort Sumpter; the contest
evolving through the years had ripenet
into war; the Union was dismembereG
and two antagonistic banners floated il
the air proclaiming one the Union and
the Blue, the other the Confederacy ant
the Gray. 1t is not my purpose to re
view in detail the great strife no words
of mine could intensity the illumination
which your memories unveil. You
thoughts are there not here; you are
living over again that straining life Of
nearly half a century ago. 1t is well
and would not attempt to shade the
vision or overthrow the spell. | see a
farmers humble home in rural com
munity: it is a typical Vermont home
where sobriety aud honor and love and
patriotism dwell together. ! see the
father and the mother at their daily
tasks; hope and fear are kept in balance
by spirit of loyal resignation. They
are patriots and to their eldest born, they
said Ego and God bless YOU" l see the