The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-05-26
A SOUTHERN WOMAN'S TRIBUTE
TO HEROES BOTH BLUE AND
GRAY

TO HEROES BOTH BLUE AND
GRAY.
1t was just bunch Of white roses.
but the ribbons that tied it together
told its history one was blue and the
other was gray. 1t was to Ice placed
on the grave of boy who had fought
for what he believed was right and the
gentlewoman who was to put it there
believed that all animosity had passed
by, and the blue and the gray might
| be firm friends so the bunch she ear
ried for her own boys grave was tied
| up IN this way and in her hand was a.
mother one tied the same; il was to be
laid upon the grave of the stranger.
That stranger whose name WAS even
unknown to her, had died fighting like
a brave man, and therefore deserved
to be remembered and to have tribute
shown to his courage. think it a
beautiful idea this one of decorating
the GRAVES of all the soldiers. but
like it better when the custom is car
ried even further, and when nota grave
in the cemetery is overlooked.
1t seems to me a goodly and proper
thing for the living to remember the
dead at least once Il year, and it seems
a kind and loving thing to mark this
remembrance with swcev flowers. As
a people, we are not very emotional,
and if there is any way in which we
can bring our kindness to the surface,
it should be done, and so the cncOur-
agement of the day sacred to the mem
Dry Of those who have gone before is
worthy of much consideration. Decor
alton Day must essentially bc one en-
tirely free from any feeling but that OF
generosity and loving kindness, It
doesn't make any difference which side
a man fought on-ho died for what he
believed was right and for that rca-
son he deserves to he remembered by
those who are living. Decoration Day
ought TO mean the union of the gray
and the blue: there ought to he a flag
for that purpose for the cOlors blend
so beautifully that the result is exactly
the tint OF heaven itself, ! wonder
my friend, if YOU feel rs do. wond-
err if you despise all the funeral trap
pings if you wish more respect shown
to yourself dead than you might posi-
bly, demand alive and when the long
years have gone by, you would like
somebody once a year TO place a flower
on your grave, to show that YOU were
still in touch with humanity. No mat
ter who it is; if it is the woman whose
life was soled, if it is the man whose
death was shameful, or if IL was the
soldier who was fighting for hi, coun-
try, Just remember that not one Of them
can defend themselves now, and that
neither you nor can Judge them.
Start out to make Gods acre beauti-
full; take the crimson roses Of love, the
white ones Of innocence, the lavender
heliotropc of devotion, the blue for
gct-me-nots Of never dying memory,
the lilies Of purity, and ,trewing them
all about here, there and everywhere,
make the day one Of absolute union
union Of hearts, union Of feeling and
union Of remembrance. That is what
Decoration Day should be,
And all these soldiers who lie sleep
ing, those who fought not only on the
battle ground of dispute, but in the
greater one Of life, will, when the
trumpet call rings out its summons on
the great Judgment day, each stand
before the Great Commander, ready 10
answer the questions put to him. And
be sure he will not ask his ncighbor,
Did you wear the blue or the grayY"
But. instead, he viii say Brother,
we have fought the good fight and may
God, in His infinite mercy, Judge Us
b. A. b.
The man or woman who accomplish
Is some worthy object however hum
bic il may be for the pleasure Of 50
doing, reaps the full enjoyment Of