Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-30
MEMORIAL DAY AGAIN WITH US.
AS Usual the Exercises at Cemetery Draw
Large Gathering.


Despite the fact that rainy weather
has been the order for many days past,
the sun dispelled the clouds at an early
hour this morning and made possible
the fitting observance of Decoration day.
Although the number who gathered to
pay tribute To the departed heroes of the
late civil strife was not as large as on
some former occasions, nevertheless the
showing was cOmmendable under exist
ing conditions. The procession formed
at the corner of Main and jefferson
streets and marched to the cemetery in
the following order:
The DATED states Flag.
NiFoqaa Band
Firing Party,
Flower Bearers,
EX-soldiers,
Woman Relief Corps,
City Officials.
NirOQua Schools,
Citizens,
The CENSOR goes to press too early
to give an account of the doings at the
cemetery. The following program was
rendered
Decoration of Graves,
Music by the Band,
Song by the School, 100 Voices,
Reading Orders and Abraham Lincoln's Ad-
dress at Gettysburg,
Song by High school Quart ette.
Grand Army Ritual,
Grafton bv II p. Proctor
Music by the Band
Woman Relief Corps Tribute TO the Unknown
Dead.
Music by Band aud Song,
Roll Call of the Dead.
Salute TO the Dead,
Lights Out"
Decoration Day is here and 1t Is not
out of place to pause to devote some
consideration to the day. 1t has diff
fent meaning to different classes of
people. No one can consider the
day with the same feeling that pos
sesses the old soldier himself To
him it recalls his personal experiences
In the days of carIpaign and battle. the
salient features of which his narrow
escape from imminent death, some wild
charge or desperate defense, long heart
breaking forced march, extreme thirst or
gnawing hunger, the face of some COM
rade last seen dimly in the smoke of
battle, hospital experience or u term
as prisoner in Libby or Andersonville;
all these things come crowding upon his
memory as the day of commemorating
the fallen dead approaches He will
recall the early days of the recruit,
the grotesque ideas of war, the at
the officers and men who were plunged
into the thick of battle, the days of i'm
patience at the slowness of government
the gradual training down of the armies
until they were as instruments of tenn
pered steel; and then comes times when
the recollections of the burial parties,
the picking up of the dead in the twi-
light on the torn and desolate fields will
color his memories in a more somber
hue. These personal experiences will
enter largely into the thoughts of the
old soldiers as the thirtieth of May APP
proaches.
Then there Is another class TO whom
Memorial Day has a peculiar signifi-
cance. They recall the stirring days of
recruiting when the husbands and sons
and brothers and friends enlisted, the
camps CONSTRUCTION, and the departure
of individuals, of companies and of
regiments TO the south where the de-
| mand for men was unceasing, where the
i sacrifices of one battle seemed only To
| whet the appetite of the secession Mo.
loch and increase the demand for more
| they remember the days of suspense
when battle was pending, the feverish
| anxiety when it was known that this
| regiment or that battery was engaged
| TO learn the list of killed or injured
| they recall the hurried letters from the
field, the return of sick or wounded or
| furloughed men and how they besieged
them for information they think of the
excitement of the public meetings and
| they remember the busy hours when
supplies and bandages and other com
forts were gathered together and sent
to the boys" in the field. To this class
Memorial Day has its peculiar signif'
| canoe.
Then there is another class. those
born since the war, whose knowledge OF
it has been gained by study and read
ing, by conversation with those who
i lived during the war times. Decor
alton Day belongs to them, too. II
should be to them day of inspiration
a day recalling the sacrifices this
country has demanded, and a day ol
new resolution to live such lives and tc
be such citizens as are worthy the great
sacrifices made. These are not idle
words. If the citizsns of the country
today fail In their full duty. IL they dc
not strive to make and keep the govern
ment a just and honest government II
the demand Is not for honest private
and public life, then the high purpose
of the government is not attained ant
the war was failure so to the gener
stions born since the war Decoration
Day has significance full as weightl
as it has to the old soldier or to thos
who kept and sustained the armies il
the field. -Ex.