Middletown transcript., 1914-05-23
WOMAN'S TRIBUTE
Let Not a Grave in the Gene
terry be Overlooked
MEANING OF MEMORLAL DAY

1t was Just bunch of white roses,
but the ribbons that tied it together
told its history was blue and the
other was gray. 1t was to be placed on
the grave of boy who had fought for
what he believed that all animosity had
passed by, and the blue and the grey
might be firm friends. So the bunch
she carried for her own boys grav g
was tied up in this way and in her hand
was another one tied the same; it was
to be laidupon the grave of the stranger
That stranger whose name was even IN
known to her, had died fighting like
brave man, and therefore deserved to be
remembered and to have tribute shown
to bis courage. 1 think it beautiful
idea-this one. of decorating the graves
of all the soldiers, but l like it better
when the custom is carried even further
and when not a grave in the cemetery
is overlooked.
1t seems to me goodly and proper
thing for the living to remember the
dead, at least once year, and it seems
kind and loving thing to mark this re-
membrance with sweet flowers. AS
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 encourage
ment of the day sacred to the memory
of those who have gone before is worthy
Of much essentially be one entirely free
from any feeling but that of generosity
and loving kindness. 1t doesn't make
any difference which side a man fought
on-he died for what he believed was
right, and for that reason he deserves
to be remembered by those who are liv-
ing. Decoration Day ought to mean
the union of the blue and the gray;
there ought to be flag for that pur-
pose for the colors blend so beautifully
that the result is exactly the tint of
heaven itself. 1 wonder, my friend, if
you despise all the funeral trappings-
if you wish more respect shown to
yourself dead than you might possibly
demand alive-and when the long years
have gone by, you would not like some
body once a year to place a flower on
your grave to show that you were still
in touch with humanity. No matter
who it is; if it is the woman whose life
was soiled, if it is the man whose death
was shameful, or it was the soldier who
was fighting for his country, just re-
member that none 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 laven-
der heliotrope of devotion, the blue for
of never dying memory.
the lilies of purity, and strewing them
all about here, there and everywhere,
make the day enc 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 sleeping
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
day, each stand before the
Great Commander, ready to answer the
questions put to him. And be sure he
will not ask his neighbor, "Did you
wear the blue or the grey?" But instead
ne will say: Brother, we have fought
the good fight and may God, in His in
inite mercy, judge US. "-B. A. B.