The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-06-01

whose eyes were fl0Wlng like the
pools Of Heshbou why it was you left
the comforts of home and went to bi-
vouac on the frozen ground, cat of
musty food, drink from Shiny pools
ana suffer all the h%ardships of a
cruel war. All, members of the
Grand Army OF the Republic. l read
my answer. read it on many Il blood
stained field of battle, read it at
Lexington, at Yorktown. at Con-
cord, and in the quiet watches Of
Valley Forge-read it with sherman.
when he marched to the sea, read it
with Grant when he turned the
tide OF battle at Shiloh. read it in
the fearful struggles OF the Shenan-
doah, read it in the Declaration of In
dependence and in the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation, read it every
where where blood is crimson and
where mercy implores the stars, and
my deductions are that chains can
not be forged, iron is not strong
enough to bind the human heart
and longs to be free. 1t was not
carry the musket in that great war,
but have made u careful study OF
it. | have compared it with other
vars and / say to you that history is
without Its parallel, SO great IN SIM
pliclty and so complete in destruc-
tiveness. | followed you all through
that dreary campaign. | remember
the day you marched away so proud,
so eager to push to the front where
duty calls, proue heroes of your
country. Il remember Old Glory,
how proudly it tloated, it's red so
red. and its blue so blue. l remem-
Der how brave hearts tluttered and
how strong eyes were bathed in tears
when you broke those kindred ties.
l watched you all through those
years OF service. l saw you upon the
battlefield. L saw you around the
Before the Battle Mother,'' and |
heard your cheer go up when O
heard the news that the war was
over, ard then / never forget your
homecoming, but like the noble six
hundred who Numbered down the
lines at Balaklava you did not all
come back. Three hundred thou
sand Of your comrades were left in
southern prisons or on southern BILL
sides there to sleep while the pine
and spruce and hemlock sipg their
requiem through all the passing
years.
After discussing present conditions
ana urging his hearers to stand for
individuality in the affairs of tie
state and nation, he closed by pay
ing the following tribute to his old
friend, Dl. S. j. Moore:
This day brings to us unusual sad
ness Recently a mighty pillar has
fallen from your ranks. In yondeT
cemetery we placed flowers today
upon a newly made grave. [ see a
vacancy in your ranks. One blessed
soul who many times has marched
with you to the City of the dead, re-
Gently heard the command and an
swered roll CALI to his Commander
on high. When DR.. Moore invited
me to deliver this address today, lit
tie did | think 1 would be called
upon to pay tribute to his memory.
AS l think OF it now the last words
he ever spoke to me were spoken only
a few days before his death, when
he said: MIR. Branson, you must
make us a good address on Decora-
to live to observe many more of
them" Would that 1 might draw
back the curtain that separate us
from the eternal world and speak to
him today as he asked me to do.
Your comrade. my friend and neigh
hor, suddenly put aside the things
OF this world and went to bivouac
with the main army on the fields of
the eternal city. He is there today
with his old commander, Sherman,
with Grant, with Mckinley and
with the tens OF thousands who have
gone before. There he will wait for
you until the sea gives up her dead
and the nations march forth to jlIdg-
ment. He died as he lived. happy
10 his reward on that perfect day.
1t is bat the swinging OF the great
pendulum of time. Let lis watch
other soldiers may grow tired and
the eyes of other watchers may be
veiled in sleep, let us eyer keep our
vigil and continue to march to the
!, music OF a high, lofty and patriotic
nation.
At the close of Mr.. Branson's adj
dress the sextet sang another selec-
ton and General Wolgemuth made
several announcements. He ten
! dered a vote a thanks to Mavor Bran
sou and the choir oy a rising vote Of
the old soldiers and Relief Corps for
the part they had supplied during the
afternoon. With singing OF Amer
lea the audience was dismissed.
While the old soldiers and Relief
Corps marched out of the hall the
audience remained seated.
The day was successful in all that
was undertaken and a high reverence
was paid to the memory of the old
soldier dead, there being no games
or sports during the day.
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