The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-06-16

the dead, has appealed to the patriot
ism Of the people. This national noli-
day has become part Of our national
life.
The living do themselves honor In
thus remembering the dead.
"To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die"
Napoleon knew the living influence
OF the dead. Latour d Auvergne's
name was borne upon the roll Of each
regiment and was called by the or
derby sergeants. When the orderly
called "Latour d. Auvergne," the re-
spone was: Dead on the field of bat
tie" And so though dead his exam
pie still survived to do honor for
France.
The Peruvians in like manner pre-
served the name of "Grau" and when
his name was called the answer was
HE is among the heroes"
Lone Chief said to mis- young
braves, BE killed on hill high up.
It is not manly to be killed in a hol-
low"
There are many unknown Grau's
and Latour d Auvergne's. But OPP
portunity does not come and they
carry their heroism to an unknown
grave But peace has heroic names
as well as war.
Let me give you an illustration in
the modest life and manly death of
my old friend, Dan Butterfield. He
was a conductor on the Northwestern
Railway and had become old and al
most worn out in hard service. His
life had been noted only for integrity
and faithful work. But an opportun-
ity e7and he met his death and
his duty. BY some great oversight
or accident two trains were sent out
to meet each other at high rate OF
speed. Coming suddenly in sight Of
each other a long freight train and
another loaded with passengers sud-
denly confronted one another at forty
miles an hour, without the possibility
Of preventing the collision.
Buterfield saw the approaching dan
ger in time to leap from the train
and save his own life. But his first
thought was for the passengers in his
charge. He knew that il the train
should be uncoupled from the engine
the rebound would give a chance OF
life to the men and women.- on the
train. But if coupled the engine
would be followed by the cars into a
mass of wreckage, into the fire and
steam of the colliding engines, as that
Of 1861.
Without a moments hesitation he
rushed to certain death and uncoup-
ling the baggage car from the engine
just as the crash came, found him
self thrown to the earth and buried In
a chaos of fire and broken steel, While
the train of well-built passenger
coaches rebounded and stood unin
iured on the track.
Dan Butterfield died for nis fellow
men and added another name to the
dead heroes Of civil life.
Peace hath her victories no less
than war" .
A mans career is only the surface
of his life. That surface often gives
no sign of the depths beneath.
1.-THE shallow murmur, but the deep
are dumb"
No war was ever conducted so free
from all superstition and reliance up
on signs and wonders. A goose and
a goat were the advance guard of the
first crusade and the coldiers follow
ed these dumb creatures with faith
in their inspired leadership.
Regiments in the Civil War had
their mascots but it was in a spirit of
fun and not with any belief that good
luck could be secured by any sucn
means. This is a practical age ana
the war was a practical one and for
a practical and necessary purpose. A
divided people meant an externally
hostile people. A peaceful and indis-
soluble union of indestructible states
meant permanent amity and prosper
ity. Such peace was worth fighting
for.
Every war leaves it's hsartburnings
for generations yet unborn. No great
war had ever yet been followed by so
enduring a peace between all those
who participated in it and their de.
scendants.
1t is with pardonable pride that
each party to that contest yields full
honor to the heroism of the other. In
so doing they honor themselves. It
is no credit to have yielded to foe of
inferior courage. Nor is it a matter
OF pride to have won in a contest
against an unworthy opponent. When
Greek met Greek they did not under
rate the enemy, and when American
joined in battle with American the
contest was long and bloody. .
1t is over forever. The time when
swords were to be beaten into plough
shares and spears into pruning hooks
has indeed come. Our great battle
fields are being converted into parks,
and at Gettysburg, Chicgamauga,
Vicksburg and Shiloh, the veteran sur
" nj