Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-05-22

up without the aid of spirituous stimula-
tion, and his old-time manhood would
momentarily assert itself. He was a good
sort at the core, and in his semi-colOns
OF sobriety would rail upon himself for
his 'hog-headed lOw-downishness," as he
termed his waywardnesS. For a brief
period he would be "a man and a sol
der" again, but the seductive stream
which sweeps so many human wrecks
down into the sea of sorrow would swirl
around and his sadly impaired strength
of purpose would succumb to the terrible
tide.
But there was one day in the year
upon which Clemente would always be
found sober and right minded. That was
Decoration Day. He would bring out his
old shot-worn suit of blue, which all the
rest of the year reposed, in camphorated
security in a closet, and smooth it out
tenderly and reverentially. With it on,
and a general cleaning up, the old sol
der would ''hist up his 60 years." and
give folks something of an idea of how
he looked when he fought, bled and all
but died for the Union. He could throw
off some of the years for the time, but he
couldn't Timber up that stiffened leg that
had stopped a Confederate bullet, nor
conceal a livid scar across his temple
that bore witness to the deadly work or
a southern saber. Yet when his OLD
Comrades got in line for a parade,
Clemente would throw out his chest and
mark time as chipperly as the youngest
of them.
1t was while on parade one Decoration
n, trans
formed from a despised vagabOnd into
an honored hero, and his course IN LIE
changed for the better. On that day
nature had put on her best garb as If in
celebration of the event, and seemed to
vie with men in efforts to fittingly en-
blazon the earth with brilliant tributes to
the glory of the departed heroes OF the
nation. The town was gorgeous with
beautiful blossoms and bright banners,
and the holiday spirit presided over all.
Civic and military authorities had made
preparations for a record-breaking cele-
bration. and the Grand Army posts turn
ed out to a man.
The CITY hall was the first center OF
interest. as it was there that the patriot
ism of the public speakers was to be on
tap at the beginning of the days pro-
gram. Red-faced, loud-voiced orators re-
called the populace with lofty flights OF
pyrotechnical eloquence, and proudly
puffed and painted amidst the rolling
waves of applause that all but over
whelmed them. Prominent citizens were
out in force, in carriages and afoot, to
take part in the grand procession which
was to be the principal feature OF the
day, and women and children thronged the
streets gay with the colors of odd
Glory"
Truly, such turnout had never be-
fore been witnessed in the town on any
occasion, and the hearts of the gray vet
Grams were filled to overlooking at the
splendid demonstration in honor of their
old-time comrades who slept beneath the
sod. And fuller and prouder than all the
rest was Comrade Cox as he took his
place in line when the procession was
forming. But it was not with the juice
of the corn that he was full this time.
If was pure patriotism and pride, and so
fuII was he of his feelings that he could
NOT contain himself, and that was why
he overlooked at the eyes, and bright
drops rolled down his furrowed cheeks
and dripped off the ends of his grizzled
beard.
Attention, company - was the COM
mand. Forward, march - and the
creaky joints of the old campaigners lin
bered up to the inspiring strains of
Marching Through Georgia" Crowds of
cheering people lined the streets on both
sides. and doorways and windows were
choked with women waving flags and
handkerchiefs. Through the principal
thoroughfares marched the procession