The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-08-17
A SCYTHE HIS MEMORIAL.
Remains Where Youth Hung 1t When
He Went to War.

When the territory about Waterloo
in this state, was sparsely settled
says the Nv York Tribune, the prin
cipa! indus 500 was the hewing of tim
Der from the forests along the Seneca
canal. At a point known as Los
Landing. midway between Geneva anC
Waterloo, the woodchoppers were
wont to gather and tell their stories OF
early Indian fights, and here young
Hyman Johnson, a farmer boy, first
learned of the impending disaster to
the Union if the southern states were
allowed to withdraw from their early
utilization It seemed war was immi-
nent and speculation was rife as to
the time when the actual hostilities
would begin.
One day in 1861 Johnson. who was
then 20 years old. was moving a lot on
the farm. A neighbor drove up bear
ing the tidings that the call to arms
had been sounded. Without hesitation
the youth walked to the house and
placed his scythe in the crotch of a
young Balm of Gilead tree. His moth
err asked him what the matter was,
and he said;
"Mother, Lincoln needs men. I am
going to war
what Hyman? You, my son, going
to enlist?"
yes, but do not fear any harm will
come to me. The war will be over in
month. The southeTners cannot face
the troops from the north for more
than that time When l return I will
NOW the rest of the lot. Leave my
scythe in the tree until L return
His regiment marched TO the front
to the stirring martial music and was
IN, fohtiDer line The h
err true to The words of her boy, left
the scythe as it had been placed. john
son came home a year later on fur
Tough and he laughed at the almost
forgotten incident of the implement
and it's position.
He inspired hope in the hearts of
those who thought of nothing else than
his safe return, by saying: Il will yet
be back to NOV that lot"
Soon after returning ne was captured
in a skirmish and became a prisoner
in a southern pen, from which escape
was impossible. Disease laid hold
upon him and ne died surrounded by
enemies. He was buried in an I'M
known grave with hundreds of his
comrades.
Meanwhile the tree grew apace and
the blade became partially imbedded
In the lIuIh u JIlC IICCs lLC llcAllblO
rotted away, but the steel remained
fixed in the wood
A general proclamation was issued
from the White House declaring one
day should be set apart as a time for
memory of those who had fallen while
defending their country. 1t was the
first Memorial day Word of the proc
lamation was carried to Mrs. Johnson.
but she had no grave to decorate. She
fain would strew a few flowers upon
fine SPOT wherein her boy lay, but it's
location must ever remain a mystery.
Kneeling in the garden, she offered
short prayer. Then she plucked a few
lilies from the plot she tended daily
and making a wreath. she bore it to
fine tree which gave such a grim re-
hinder of her sacrifice to her country.
With a caress she reached up and
hung the wreath upon the scythe
point.
Memorial day has long become an
established anniversary. Many years
have passed since Mrs. Johnson was
laid to rest in the village cemetery.
The old home. as it stood in the day
of the civil war, is exactly as it was
then. but Is occupied by another fam
iIv Thomas Buck and those gathered
about his fireplace tell of the hanging
of the scythe to scores of eager listen
ers each year.