The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-07
The Living Monument.
(By George Barr McCutcheon Of The
VigilanteS.


By George Barr McCutcheon of The
Vigilantes.)
In the little Connecticut town o.
Norfolk there is a triangular piece OF
ground belonging to the people. For
wears it stood useless, almost aban-
doned, and to a certain extent unnot-
iced. Norfolk sent to France early IN
1918 a score and half Of her boys to
fight With the American armies. Other
bows followed and still more IN due
course were called from the small but
hardy class representing the fighting
quota.
A few months after the first con-
tinsent marched out of the town on
its way to the training camp ana
thence to the line of battle. Norfolk
began to receive its share OF tldInSs
from the front. Names of boys
known to every one in the town were
found in the lists Of those KILLED IN
action Boys whose faces were
bright aud shining and whose voices
were strong and CHEEKY were never TO
return. They were lying in the fields
of France, covered with the earth OF
France. and over the graves of each
stood the small but noble cross OF
wood bearing a name and date. !
The return of these names to Nor
folk instead of flesh and blood that
went away, gave Norfolk its inspira-
ton The little green triangle be
came a tract of glory. No more will
it be looked upon as a waste, no more
will the people of Norfolk call it a
worthless bit of ground. Fer some
one thought of a way to make Ii
rich; some one thought Of a way to-
make it the most cherished spot in
Norfolk.
On Flag Day in the year that the
war made heroes Of these lads from
Norfolk the people of that place
dedicated the point Of this triangle
to the memory Of those who were not
to come back from France. At that
time four OF Norfoik's boys We're lying
in France under the cheap little cross
Of wood, and on this day four little
crosses of wood similar to those IN
france. with a name and date on
each, were driven in the ground at
the point of the triangle, ard there
they will stay until they are perhaps
replaced by more enduring and I'M
fpressive marks of tribute. But the
little crosses OF wood are not all that
the people Of Norfolk placed IN the
village Triangle in memory OF the
boys who will not come back. Some
thing that will live and thrive and
heautify the barren triangle was
placed there for each. boy, and it IS
named for him. For each hero
tree was planted, and it will always
be known as his tree. by his name:
and long after the greatgrandchil
dren Of those who now live in Norfolk
are dead and gone, these trees VIII
still be standing and they will be
Known through all the sunshine and
storm Of the ages to come by the
names they received at the christen-
ing. They viii grow TO be tall and
mighty and they Will spread their
branches, winter and summer. over
the cross that was won on the bate
fields of France-the simple cross OF
honor that every man wins when he
gives up his life for his country.
The thought is a beautiful one. That
little triangle in Norfolk will have
many trees ard crosses before the
war is over: the boys who die II
France Will live and grow to an age
far beyond the years of the Oldest
Of men The John Perkins Elm or
The ..Hesrv Smith Oak as the case
may be- Will be living in Norfolk two
hundred Years q ffer the (2V on which
they were so lovingly named by
forgotten generation.
And how simple how easy this way
of commemoraIing the deeds anc
the spirit OF the boys who go forth
30 the war today, never to come home
gain. a little cross Of wood for the
present. towering tree for the fu
ture, and the name Of a hero pre-
served for an age to come.
What better example could be set
for the rest of the country than this
beautiful act Of the people Of Nor
folk? Why rot lin every commun-
ity, a plot OF hallowed ground with |
its trees bearing the names OF the
boys who went out and did not come !
back: A living monument. green
sad spreading with the years. to stand |
as a guardian over the memory Of |
him who fell in battle; not the ar
tif;cal product Of man, but the incom-
prehensible nandiwork Of Him who
first put life into the body Of the boy
whose death dignifes the community
that.lost him.