The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-07-07

OF the future have here "a magnifi-
cent opon air theatre In wfiach they
can stage their pageants and playa
and hold their <ooinmeneement exef =
cises
The squirrels are aready'playing i'm
the oak trees. The birds. moci<ing
birds, cardinals and woodpeckers are
beginning To find sanctuary there The
little children come i'm to play safe
from the automobiles and motor cars
that dash through the city's streets
Here will come the business man. tired
with the days work. to rest when eve
ming comes. Here mothers will. like to
como aud sit and sew and talk, while
the little ones play i'm the swings. and
sand piles aud wade i'm the wadng
pool. Here the babies viii sleep in
their carriages I'm the cool shade OF
the great oaks. Here will he the
trysting place of the young. the rest
Ing place Of the aged Here the
youths will test their skill on the ten
mis- courts, here the community con-
certs will he held and community sings
will take place. All this Can he car
riedson just as the park is nov with
the seats and lights added.
But. more than this. / see. The vi
sion OF the Park -to-be shows the long
straight walk through the center end
ing in an exedra formed by snowy
columns topped by shining lights
These columns are set amidst the ev-
ergreens i'm broad sweeping curve
Pand, are connected at the base By II
handsome balustrade. In the center
OF the curve and the heart of the park
il Memorial Fountain, the gift of the
women of Sumter's Civic League The
tall white figure, of a winged victory
ON the fountain CLEANS among the
dark evergreens. and beneath il is q
bronze tablet bearing the names OF the
boys for whom the park is made and
appropriate Inscriptions. The ripple
OF the water rs II spills out over the
cup into the basin and trickles into a
run of blue tiles across a grassy circle
and loses itself at the end of the broad
center walk is music i'm the ears OF
those whoyrest on the benches around
the basin and i'm the half circle of
the exedra. Flowers will always be i'm
bloom around this fountain. "A fra
grant and beautiful remembrance.
On either side of the eXedra anJ
connected by IL are rest houses beau
tifii In line, gieaminY white or stone
gray. whore the old folks gather to
sit and remember. where the young
lounge and dream and the crowds
gather To watch the tennis sets and
afterwards the ployerslsu and rest
These architectural fea,ures may
have. to wait, the tennis courts may
not be made this year, but even So
one may see the Gold Star Mothers
and Fathers as they wander here
and there I'm the Park and hear them
say, For my son these trees were
planted here. The sacrifice was nee
essary IL ~ sweet To have it apprecia-
ted Perhaps some OF these very
boys are lying under the scarlet pop
pies on the fields OF Flanders. or by
the banks Of the Marne in the forest
OF Argonne, I'm the woods OF Chateau
Thierry, perhaps i'm the hiddent depths
of the deep blue sea. some in un-
marked graves. and as their parents
remember them i'm the peaceful quiet
OF this beautiful emorial. that will
i've and grow more beautiful as the
years go by, the tears will come .un-
hidden to their eyes and from many
faithful hearts vii be ,breathed the
prayer God bless the men who honor
thus our sons" pi
Julia Lester Dillon.