Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-06-02
DECORATION DAY
PROPERLY OBSERVED
Delightful Weather And An Excellent
Program Combined To Make
1t Successful And Pleasant.

Decoration Day was beauty one of
the most pleasant that Audubon has
ever seen. Sunday night there was
little rain just enough to lay the dust
Monday morning it was cloudy and the
weather looked unfavorable and disap-
pointing; but about 8 o'clock the sun
shine broke through the clouds, bright
ened the weather and also the hopes of
the people. BY noontime the day was
brilliant and all nature Respondent in
its summer garb. The warm sunshine
and a gentle breeze made it an ideal
holiday. And the people were ready TO
enjoy it, Large numbers came in from
the country in their cars and carriages
to participate in the sacred service. The
procession formed at the post office cor
ner and marched to the Presbyterian
church to music by the martial band
The church was filled by an attentive
audience. Mr.. A. I'll. Roberts presided
The scriptures were read by Rev.
Schlesselman. Excellent music was
furnished by a large choir. Adjutant
+. b. Cousins read the roll of honor
who are buried in the local cemeteries,
and stated that the number, thirty four,
was just equal to the number in ranks
on Monday. Chairman Roberts then
made brief address referring to the
fact that almost half century has
elapsed since the close of the Civil war;
that many who had enlisted in the ser
vice had fallen by the way and lie in
unmarked graves under a southern sun;
that many who returned were shattered
in health and after manly battle had
succumbed to disease and are now mum
bered with the silent majority; that
while many remain to JON IN these eX-
ercises in memory of their dead com
rades, the ranks are thinning fast and
each Decoration Day finds new mounds
in the cemetery and more vacant chairs
in the homes. Mr.. Roberts then intro
duced Rev: r. ]. O'Connor, pastor of
the Christian Church at Griswold as
orator of the day, who began his address
by making some illusions to his former
residence in Audubon when he was pas
tor of churches in Extra and Brayton.
We can make but brief reference to
his Grafton which was both eloquent and
patriotic. He said that to the Chris
tian, Christmas is holy day; to the
Puritan, Thanksgiving is joyful day;
to the American citizen, the Fourth of
July is a patriotic day; to the Union
soldier, Decoration Day is a memorial
day in recognition of the valiant deeds
and heroic sacrifice of their fallen com
rades. Speech making is not necessary
for the older people who have vivid
recollection of the days that tried mems
souls, but the young need to be remind
ed and impressed with the great cost of
human liberty When the laws of God
were defied and human rights decried,
the Union soldiers barred their breasts
to the foe as they stood between the
flag and those who would trail it in the
dust. And not only did the men who
went to the front to wage battle with the
enemy and suffer hardships from hun
ger and disease make great sacrifice, but
also the women who remained at home
to bear in silence, privations, loneliness
and anxiety that no one without such an
experience can imagine. The younger
generations can in nowise comprehend
or family conceive the sacrifice made by
the men and the women who went
through the Civil war either at home or
at the front
The speaker referred also to the rapid
advance in power and Importance made
by this country in more recent years
When Asquith the premier of Great
Britain was pleading before the parlia-
ment for more battleships so they might
cope with Germany and France, he re-
piled in answer to question that they
had nothing to fear from the United
States because this government never
fired gun nor drew sword unless in
favor of some cause OF right and the