Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-05-26
MEMORIES OF
MEMORIAL DAY
Written by One Who Thinks With
Fondness of the Old Home
Towns 0bServances.

While Memorial day has become
national holiday. observed as such In
every city IN the land. Il Is In the
small town-the Old home town-that
one gets the proper conception Of the
spirit OF the day. remarks the Kansas
City Times. In the big cities there will
be the hush Of noise. the rest from the
hurly-burly of the daily grind. and
there will be gatherings In public
places aud In various cemeteries, and
speeches, and the formal decorating OF
the graves Of the veterans who fell In
battles fighting for their country. and
there will be an unusual number Of in
formal visitors. too, who will scatter
lowers upon the resting places OF their
dead.
But the big city Is a crowded place.
fun Of strangers. Even the names on
the marble stones in the cemetery are
strange to Us. There is no sympathy
In the big city. save the common SYM
patty that binds those who s0rrOw.
out in the small towns our hearts
turn to them for this day as naturally
as they turn to the old home town and
the old home folks at Christmastids.
Ones Thoughts Go Back
IL is one Of the facts that has i'm
pressed itself upon the Industrial world
that the rush Is out OF. not into. the
big cities on Decoration day. In that
IL is different from all other holidays
Travel takes the same course on this
day that the feet OF sorrow tread when
the family chain Is broken. We follow
our dead 10 the old home towns and
lay them 10 rest in the quiet cemeteries
on the hills. Today we are taking the
pilgrimage OF love to the hill where
they sleep.
We know what Is going on In the old
home town today. even though we are
shut up In the city. IL is much the
same program we witnessed when, as
lads, we learned to distinguish be-
tween Decoration day and any other
holiday. Programs haven't changed
much. The parade in the morning,
which never starts on time; the serv-
ice at the graves OF the soldiers who
sleep there on WOodlawn hill. the
salute 10 the dead by the firing squad
~ comrades from the G. A. R.-hOw
the line has thinned, and how feeble
those remaining among them are be-
coming-and afterward. the address
by the orator OF the day. The parades
and the program are incidents OF the
day that make IL appear like old times
20 you. but that Is not the thing that
takes you TO the old home town To-Day.
nor takes your thoughts there, IL you
cannot be present In the body" as
squire Woodbury. will say. as chair
man Of the day-he Is always chair
iaan OF this day. In the old home town
when he speaks OF those who are
not there 10 hear the speaking.
That Remembered Parade
AS you recall. or as you will see IL.
the parade Is rather simple one. COM
pared 10 the big parades you see in
the cities. II IS not long procession.
and there does not seem 10 Oe much
order about IL. The old hometown
cornet band. which always leads the
parade. is NOT the best band you ever
heard. either. IL needs tuning up. you
Judge BY the dIscordant notes, but. for
al that. you want 10 see the Decora-
ton day procession. IL Is the old
home-fown's way OF doing things. and
you have come to associate Il rs a
part OF Memorial day.
Bur that scene az the cemetery /:
tt ere's a big bouquet OF dowers on
every grave. Aunt Maggie Snow has
arranged for that bless her. for she
has been president OF the committee
ou decoration as long as Squire Wood
- 49, 49,. ~~~uaaoue ~ fha Nav