Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-05-25
ON MEMORIAL DAY
Time for Patriotic Thoughts as
We Strew Flowers Over the
Graves of Our Heroes.

n oAA~G We N0h NAAG AA0NHs AhS
n snowballs. the peonics and 9TH
er flowers with which our
yards abound at this time OF the year.
and reverently laid them on the
graves of our soldier dead. II has
been year of stress and storm for
many Of us. year of war and rumors
OF war in the land. We do well 70 put
aside the duties of the season for a
few hours and 90 out to the cemetery,
where we may reflect on the great sac
rifice Of the heroes and herolnes buried
there. writes James NJ. Pierce in the
Iowa Homestead.
Memorial day is to me one OF the
saddest and loneliest days OF the whole
year. / remember the years which
have gone; the father who left the
happy home circle. never to return.
lying today In an unknown grave In
the sunny Southland. remember the
uncles who likewise gave up their lives
that this nation might be free and
united. ! remember the struggles and
the sacrifices Of my mother and sisters,
and as remember them the tears well
from my eyes and loneliness comes
down around me and upon me, like
shades of night. Such a goodly COM
pany Of brave young men marched
forth, dropping plow-lines and ledger.
with fifes and drums quickening their
pulses and their steps; and so few
returned. And OF that pItiful handful
which came back, how few we have
left with as today The ranks Of
those who don the old and threadworn
Uniform to- march out 10 the cemetery
and honor their fallen comrades are
thinning rapidly; but few more years
and there WIN be none left among Us
Shall we not honor them while they
are yet heref The poet was inspired,
| believe, when he wrote these lines;
It's lonesome. sort o. lonesome. les sun
d'y-day TO me,
IL 'pears-iike. mors'n any day nearly
ever saei
Fit, with the Stars and Stripes shove. ..
fiutterin IN the air.
On ey'ry soldiers grave I'd love 20 lay q
lily there.
Gone are the days when there was
North or South, when there was dIvi-
sion In our beloved land. Today we
are united as never before. and ms we
strew our flowers and reverentIy lay
our wreaths we do not think OF wheth.
er the one we revere wore the blue or
the gray; he was a hero and he fought
for what he believed TO be right. Let
me give you three of the stanzas Of q
poem love that you may read them
over. at your leisure:
eo when the summer calIath,
On forest and field OF grain
With an equal mumur falisth
The cooling drip OF rain.
Under the sod and the dew
Waiting the Judgment day;
Wet with the rain the Blue:
Wet with the rain the Gray.
Sadly. but not with upbraidInR.
The generous deed was done;
In the storm Of the years thaa are fading.
No drawer battle was won:
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day:
Under the blossoms. the Blue.
Under the safiands. the Gray.
No more shall the wMr-cry sever,
Or the winding river Be red.
they Danish sur anger forever
When they laurel the graves 81 cur
dead
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the Judgment day.
Love and tears for the Blue.
Tears and love for the Gray.
Could we do better than 10 read
these verses aloud. or teach one Of the
ehlIdnen 70 speak them at school. or
ask tha' s'ev be read az whatever ex-