The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-02-22

of the Deity or at the shrine of the
Saint that has interviewed in his be-
half, all of the allied nations have
now deposed on the shrine of Verdun
votive offerings in the form of the
highest decorations and medals for
military valor which they have the
power to confer.
First Tribute to verdun.
France herself paid the first tri-
butte to verdun by comforting on it in
conformity with her time honored
custom and tradition, the cross of the
Legion of Honor to which was also
added the Croix de Guerre.
Immediately thereafter the vari-
Gus allied nations followed suit with
the most distinguished decorations
they had TO offer, and in the citadel
at Verdun. on a velvet cushion there
are now pinned. in addition to the
Legion Of Honor and the Croix de
Guerre, the Russian cross of the
Order of Saint George; the English
Military Cross; The Italian gold med
al for military valor; the Belgian
cross of the Order of Leopold; the
Serbian gold medal for military
bravery; the Montenegrian's his
toric Obilitch Gold Medal and finally
the plaque, collar and grand Gordon
of the Portuguese order of the Tower
and the Sword, the highest decora-
tons and the highest rank of the
order which the president of Portu-
gal had in his power to confer. And
finally, above the jeweled and dec
GRATED cushion there now hangs a
glistening gold sword conferred on
Verdun by tho mikado of Japan.
The Shrine of Verdun.
But these votive offerings deposed
on the shrine of Verdun by grateful
allied nations constitutes only part
of the homage that old custom in
which the grateful individual has
made long personal pilgrimages to
accepted city, the allied rulers dur
ing the past year have made pill
grimages to the shrine of Verdun in
order TO give even more striking
testimony of their thanks. The cir
cumstances under which some of
these visits were made We're exceed
ingly impressive and striking.
King Albert of Belgium, who, when
the Hun invasion swept over all but
the last few square miles of his
kingdom, vowed he would never set
foot outside this last remnant of
Belgium until all had been redeemed,
made an exception to this VOW in
order that he might pay personal
tribute at the sl,rine sefss erdun.s
Pinned Various Belgian Decorations.
Then on a hill summit Just outside
the city itself, he calmly and ma
jestically pinned the various Belgian
decorations fer military valor on the
breasts of the individual defenders
of Verdun while at eve-y moment
throughout the ceremony German
aiTplanes. fought overhead in an eff
fort to pass the. barrier of French
shells and the squadron If French
III fiehters that the- night drop
bombs on the king hi 'self in this
kingly set.
King Victor En,anuo' loet Italian
soil for the fl ~st time -irce 3scend-
ino to the throne Of Ita'v IN order
that he might pay pcs na' homage
at Verdun.
Pi'n-'nare e Kings.
Prince Arthur Of Connaught made
the pilgrimage on behalf of King
George of England and President
Bernardino Machado Of Portugal
came also to the shrine in person
bringing with him the high insignia
of the Order of the Tower and the
Sword which he conferred.
To the military halo that must al
ways encircle the name of verdun
during the centuries to come there
promises thus to be added also a
halo of gratitude and Thanksgiving
from the allied nations. which will
continue to shine with increased
Iustre and strength as future gen
erations of these same allied nations
render up in turn the thanks for the
life of political freedom that Verdun
will have conferred on all.