Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-07-17
WEDNESDAY,, JULY ~, 1912.
"VOICE FROM THE FAR WEST.'
Memorial Day As Observed in Mon
t;lnl--lntcIrsting Facts.

for publishing it. was delighted to
read 1t. ! supposed MIR. Abbott
would recognize in "Lhc writer from
steele from the initials IN. A. S.
(Mrs. JOS. G.. Stcclc.) 1t seems
ncighbOrly when friends and ac-
quaintances remember each othcr
throl IN the paper we have all read
since childhood. am sure The Cou-
rier vas the iirst paper I ever read
Now, on a cold day, | can read the
whole Of the beautiful poem, instead
Of just remembering two lines Of 1t,
aud in Imagination ut least be in
'Thc Land Of the Cypress and Pine"
the vines, flowers, birds, deer, etc
The deer are here in the mountains
but I've never heard the clang Of the
hunters horn or the baying of the
hounds in the chase.
The hunters go out In the late fall
here when there is snow on the
ground, and the animals are easily
found and shot. There Is a game
law, and a limit to the number Of
deer that may be killed by one man
during the hunting season. The elk
m the National Park Uhe Yellow
stone) are protected by the govern
mcnt, and have become so numer-
Gus that several herds OF them have
been taken to other places, and to
the States Of Washington and Ore
gon to get food. Thirty were brought
to Deer Lodge, in stock cars, and
fed in the railroad stock yard till
lately they were driven to the foot
hills Of the "ROckics," whore the
grass Is fine. The bears arc so num-
erous in the Park, and so tame, that
1t is almost dangerous to travel
through it.
Only few buffaloes are left The
vast herds that once roamcd over the
prairics have disappeared. and, like
the Indians. are kept in reservations
We sec Indians occasionally as they
pass through town. with their ponies,
lodge poles and dogs They still
wear the gay-colorcd blankets for
some Of the mothers with bright
eyed pappoOscs tied on their backs
Some Of the men come here to ride
in che races on July 4th.
All holidays arc celebrated in a
style bCtitting the occasion out West.
Memorial day was the last On the
Sunday before May 30th memorial
services are held in one Of the
churches, the decorations being flags
and ilOWcrS, all the old soldiers at
tending In body. No Confcdcratcs
are living here now. but the graves
Of all soldiers, Confederate and Tn
ion, are marked with small iron
crosses painted white. and a small
flag is placed on each grave on Deco
ration Day. and the few remaining
Union soldiers carry flowers alike
for those who wore "thc blue and
the gray" People are going all day
to the cemetery with flowers for the
graves OF their loved ones. many pco-
pie coming long distances to pay
this sweet tribute Of love to those
gone bciore.'
There are often very beautiful ed
itorials published in the daily papers
appropriate 10 the day; and as |
was prompted 10 write OF the rNcr-
"iscS OF the day in Deer Lodge by
what my uncle wrote in The Cou-
ricr, urging the observance Of the
~ - I'll f.
these editorials and ask YOU to pub
llSh II some time. so that he and
others may read it,
by the way. | am quite sure that
] participated in tn" first Memorial
day services held after the war. in
the spring Of 1866. was a school
girl in PcndlctOn, and The idea orig
mated with Miss SAllic Lynch (who
afterwards married DR.. James (?)
sloan and resided in Walhalla) y The
girls selected to carry the wrcathj
and flowers wore white dresses AMI
black ribbon SaShos and carriJ
small white banners with the nanjs
Of soldiers and inscriptions in blW
letteiS. All 'ho saws vi soluic1'"
the cemeteries OF Pendlcton anC DID
Stone church were decorated. Fhe
sad and beautiful addresses we're
made by Gen. Wade Hampton. n. K.
Easley and perhaps other spfkers,
and The girls had the honor oPttting
on the wide piazza OF Mr.. Cmson's