The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-05-29
/ SCYTHE HIS :
/ MEMORIAL :
z Remains in Tree Where Youth Hung II
I When He Went to War \
kXTHEN the territory about Waterloo,

ly settled the principal industry
was the hewing of timber from the
forest along the Seneca canal
At a point known as Log Landing
midway between Geneva and Water
loo, the woodchoppers were wont to
gather and tell their stories Of early
Indian fights, and here young Lyman
Johnson, a farmer boy, first learned of
the impending disaster to the union II
the southern states were allowed to
withdraw from their early affiliation.
It seemed war was imminent and spec
ulation was rife as to the time when
the actual hostilities would begin.
One day in 1861 Johnson, who was
then 81 years old, was moving lot
on the farm. A neighbor drove up
bearing the tidings that the call to
arms had been sounded. Without hest
tation the youth walked to the house
and placed his scythe in the crotch of
a young Balm Of Gilead tree His
mother asked him what the matter
was, and he said:
Mother, Lincoln needs men. | am
going to war"
What, Lyman? You, my son, 60
ing to enlist?"
Eyes, but do not fear any harm will
come to me. The war will be over in
a month. The southerners cannot face
the troops from the north for more
than that time. When | return | will
NOW the rest of the lot. Leave my
scythe in the tree until return"
His regiment marched to the front
to the stirring martial music, and was
often in the fighting line. The mother,
true to the words Of her boy, left the
scythe as it had been placed Johnson
came home year later on a furlough,
and laughed at the almost forgotten in
cident of the implement and its posi-
ton.
lie inspired hope in the hearts of
those who thought of nothing else than
his safe return by saying: Il will yet
be back to NOW that lot"
Soon after returning he was cap
tured in a skirmish and became pris-
oner in a southern pen, from which
escape was impossible. Disease laid
hold upon him and he 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 trunk of the tree. The handle
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 time for
memory of those who had fallen
while defending their country. 1t was
the first Memorial day. Word of the
proclamation was carried to Mrs. John
son, but she had no grave 70 decorate.
She fain would strew a few flowers
upon the spot wherein her boy lay, but
its location must ever remain mys-
terry. Kneeling in the garden, she
offered a short prayer. Then she
plucked a few lilies from the plot she
IeuueQ udlly1 anu IudhihS NlCoIhs
she bore it to the tree which gave
such a grim reminder 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 is exactly as 1t stood in
the day of the civil war, but is occu-
pied by another family.
OF the Johnson family a brothers
widow and her children are all who
are left. Every year, early in the morn
ing of Memorial day, the remnant of
the family gathers beneath the scythe
and places thereupon a wreath of ever
green and a tiny American flag. With
in a few feet modern methods have
constructed a trolley line. Hundreds
carried by the cars gaze upon the
tree, the scythe, the wreath and the
flag and ask 10 be-told-the story'of- the