The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-06-11

Ftf ~ Ie1fN lA ftlA tfyet l6El, e III
e1f1 15ft tzy n Nay. ne1 ana women
have rDns fogth viih their burdens of
biossDns an1 tLs grsyss u ne soilisEa
who died that fheT and their f1liersn
rsi11f liTs have 5sssfgsoEe1 srsu With
stefy rorreoas fowsr that blows and
every ~ bi,sssom that iifEs iis faes "
the s4r.
Not NJ vita ne sol1ier-asflor dead
ioet foreYsr uDoI he oesan's yosr1Itss
Nafie
Tfsy farris1 long IN 1nqBist graves
ere = memorial va made f0r them.
ere = singis fOvsr 1inDis1 he CLASSY
sgrfaes aboys " say. Here lies q
hero
bai they weps not 70 wait forever.
There cane - q California woman ne
fhopght n sfreping s0vers upon the
vaisfs n ne migtfy 1ssDs "a honor II
the men Who viii rear tsers until the
ds1 when the SEA giTss 70 lfs dead.
Thus wa born = beautiful custom
~hich - I've pears has spread north 10
Leks Brie. east ~ PhilacelDhia, soufh
- Havana ard New Orleans. and from
the Golden Cafs n San Yranclseo b he
DelaNars riyer ne naval dead rscslys
n noNers q need n remsmbrancs
upon each recurring Memorial day.
A National Custom.
The custom thus established Il rap
idly becoming a national one. II has
been cordially ind0rssd b. Dewey.
bampson, Bchley and Long. BY naval
captains and ofnciais By the score and
has been Incorporated into tho national
naval memorial ceremony b. the Navy
Veterans association.
~ originator. Mrs. ArmitaKe 3. G.
FORBES, of Los Angeles, waa made an
honorary member of the National
Association. Ladies' " Naval Veterans,
and u various wOmen's relief corps ami |
organizations throughout The United
States, besides receiving ofIcial COM
msndation from the Grand Army OF the
Republic and the navy department at
Washington.
Win her patriotism Il passion and /
n Il through her untiring efforts that
the custom has received such wide
spread recognition. though the ex-
quislie sentiment which II expresses
has found ready response In every
bosom
Mrr. FORBES Inspiration.
Just FIVE years ago this earnest 1T
ue woman was seeking some new
thought for the coming memorial; a
snatch Of song was running through
her head:
Cast your bread upon the waters"
why not cast flowers upon the wa
ters Tor the men lost AZ sea7" she cried.
It was an inspiration and had come
70 a woman who had the energy 70
make II great
Her plans we're formulated that very
day and with the hearty indornement
of the state superintendent Of public
instruction she sent out q circular let
Ter 10 the heads Of schools in all the
coast towns OF the country proposing
that such ioral memorial be observed
BY The school children Of California IN
honor Of the heroes who fought the Last
battle for the naE upon the sea. and
the result was The FIRST glorious observ-
anoe along the Pacific coast May 30.
1900.
Thousands OF children marched 10
the waters edge and with reverent
hands scattered the wealth OF Califor-
MA fowerg upon the tapping waves,
lifting their young voices IN songs Of
patriotism and remembrance. Naval
veterans and naval reserves assisted.
ard from San Francisco 10 Santa
Monica and 20 the blue crescent Of
Catalina, there were flowers. flowers.
and everywhere flowers. wroafhing the
waves and floating out upon the tides
In memory Of the soldier-sailor dead
that lie In quiet rest beneath the ocean
from the far cold waters Of the north
70 the coral reefs Of the sun-kiased
south.
The story Of this hrst celebration was
heralded afnf. Mrs Forbes wrote 70 the
naval ofnciala telling them OF the Call
iornia Observance The replies which
She received we're most gratifying.
In Various cities
Detroit welcomed the poetic ohsery-
ance he h~ne year and from Belle Isle :
bridge The lowers were dropped upon
he emerald surface Of the Detroit river