Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-05-23
7olun's First Great
Day of Decoration


Decoration day was fresh and clear,
and Tim Sullivan was early In the
public square making his few arrange
ments for the day. The shanty and
tent town known as Boomer was siz-
zle of excitement. Schwartz was Sit
ting in his doorway practicing on his
accordion. The II Chayka children
were having their faces washed. Ole
Oleson was polishing the toes of his
shoes, for there was not enough black
ing in Boomer to 60 all the way round
his large feet. At ten precisely the
procession formed, with Schwartz at
the head, and to the strains of the
watch on the Rhine marched once
around the square. In front of Sui
livan's they came to a halt, and the
grand marshal of the day mounted his
doorstep and faced them. At signal
from the grand marshal the band rem
dered the patriotic air "The Shoe.
maker Has My Slipper Lost" on the
accordion, and then Sullivan took of
his hat and made the address.
"Gentlemen and Mrs Chayka and
kids" he said. "'tis Decoration day,
but am no fancy speaker, I have to
make the speech because I am the
only veteran here but Schwartz, and
he is foreigner and don't count. We
are going to decorate with these beau
tiful flowers" He pointed to the gera.
mum that Mary Chayka was holding.
if,,1 1a
continued, "the resting place of part
of one that fought to save the Union.
IT'S the left arm OF him. And twas as
brave a left as ever lived. I speak
with knowledge, for I accompanied
that same wherever it went in the
war. Let u.s." he said, give three
cheers for it,
They gave three hearty cheers.
I'm conclusion" said Sullivan, "be.
fore go on with my speech l will say
this much for tit never took to it's
legs and run away, no matter how bad
the fight was, and when twas shot
with a rebel bullet it had to be car
ried off the field. Many's the time
when it's poor comrade was tired out
it took the musket in its own hand.
twas a good arm, and no one knows
1T better than Timothy Sullivan, for
twas my own, and the muscle ON it
was like chunk of iron. I honor that
ARM" he declared earnestly, "and I
honor the other one that still fills it's
sleeve, and I honor the two legs Of
me that tramped the many weary mile
for the fine old flag, and I'm not
ashamed Of It,"
Foley led the cheer that followed
Arms and legs!" said Sullivan,
"and does any one say we should not
decorate where they lie. In the war
there was armies, and regiments, and
companies, and squads, and a general
over all. An In the soldier there do be
the head for the general, and tn parts
Of him be the regiments and com
panies and squads, every part doing
it's duty for the flag the best it can,
and one-tenth of man that sticks up
for the flag is more of a man any day
than dozen whole men that do not.
Ye may be asking why do | come dec
Grating me own arm, and am full of
vanity, like. Think shame, then, to
think it! IT'S but an arm, but it's the
arm of an Old soldier, and was it tn
arm Of any other soldier l would do
the same. IT'S the honor and memory
of the grand old army 1 am thinking
of. It's but the part of a soldier We
come decorating to-day hut Tim Sulli-
van is getting old, and one of these
days yell have the whole of him to
decorate. Do so! Not for old Tim,
but for the memory of all the boys
that went to the front. IT'S a grand
country and free, and united, and we
will now go to my backyard and deco
rate the place where rests the part
OF one that fought to keep it So"
He stepped to the ground, but the
enthusiasm that had glowed on his
face had departed. Here were no old
comrades, the last three or four hardy
survivors, to grasp his hand, but only
alien faces, faces full of good will and
faces that would be prompt to glow
with patriotism should a new danger
menace the republic, but still they
were alien faces, but family grasping
the grand meaning of this one day Of
the year. Sullivan steadied himself
against the house.
go on home" he said; go on home!
IT'S kind of We to be comm out to
humor an old man, but tbs but an
arm, anyhow. IT'S but an arm and
"twould be wrong to spend the flow
ers on an arm that should be kept for
soldier. Go on home, and mebby,
come next year, twill be soldiers
grave We will have to decorate"
He sank down on the bench that
stood beside his house, and his pro-
cession, understanding, went away.
Only Foley remained.
"Are ye feelin' ill, Tim?" he asked
anxiously.
"Ill!" said Sullivan, Eyes, Ill, Mike!
feel they'll sure have soldier to
decorate next Decoration day. They'N
not be disappointed next year, Mike. .
"S,ra r hone fhAv'll nnf ho oaiA