Deming graphic., 1921-10-04
A Tribute by
VIRGINIA CANNON


resting ln rs mothers arms; a babe
whose smiles were the sunrise OF those
happy parents. while dreaming OF a
future no artist can paint, nor Heaven
picture-fhe envolving center Of two
lives whose circuit was held complete
by the unseen force in that infant child.
Across the Elysian fields OF space,
Time bore that infant son.
Joy rose to greet their radiant facr.
In the Gift that Life had won.
Then life IN rapturous Joy supreme,
Gave wings to Hopes bright ray.
II caught their Visions glorious theme
OF childhood's perfect day.
This monument points to lad.
cheerful lad, happy in the gift Of life,
In the midst Of green fields and sing
ing birds His magic wand was Vir-
tue and Obedience. At IFS touch, DIFF
ficulty and Disappointment fadded
away. Obedience made safe his path
from youth to manhood. while Virtue
wrote her charms In the smiles OF his
radiant face. He saw his guiding star
In this great world of promise and
true 10 his trust. he crossed the border
Of manhood, loyal 10 that father aud
mother; and when life seemed the
brightest aud hope the strongest he
was csught IN that great cntaclysm Of
events, the world war. Our nation
was IN danger and in itF extremity. it
called and he was chosen. He threw
aside his obligation as a citizen and
assumed the responsibility OF a soldier.
Standing in the strength OF his man
hood, he defied disaster, yet his heart
was wrung with anguish when he bade
farewell TO that father and mother, and
crossed that great ocean Of water to
meet, in a strange land, an unknown
enemy whose language was foreign, aud
whose methods included all the wen
laid schemes Of modern invention.
Danger rode in chariots Of fire, while
the gaping chambers Of death lay hid
den In every path. Science and in
vention had invaded the sacred pre-
cincts Of the mind and made captive
all the virtues and the arts, and under
the maddening influence Of prevented
Judgment, the enemy sought to slay son
as well as brother. Peace wept in 81
lence while the thunder OF war and
the clashing Of steel wrought venge-
ance on every side
Duty WAS the watchword of this
brave son and soldier. Loyalty sur
mounted all other virtues, and he seal
ed IL with his life. What more cnn
finite man do? And his comrades will
continue to recite the story pitiful and
grand. how he rose above the whitening
fire of the enemy and went out into the
night. and there in the quiet embrace
Of darkness, he inscribed his name on
the tablet of Memory; and although
ih' ptpShuit iVih VI liidi HOblt Npu
may never he carried and laid within
our arms; yet. with the portals Of our
vision closed, we wait and watch and
pray
The whispering voice Of memory will
point to this monument saying. lie
still lives" In the history of this
monument, there must he two prin-
Giples Observed-Memory aud Perman-
uncc Memory must chisel upon its
polished surface the name of Claude
Close Howard. Permance must
carry these words through passing
time and present them blazing torch
Of loyalty to the generations to come.
Memory must hold sacred this monu-
ment. the gift Of a grateful people
whose benevolence was untarnished by
greed or selfishness. 1t will stand
ON this chosen spot typify;ug the great
Of the good people OF Deming.
whose generous heart is revealed by
this tribute. and
When each shall sleep in his narrow
bed
And time heeds not the passing
throng
In the caravan Of Fate,
Yet, Thought with the ages moves
along
This story to relate.
or childhood days Of joy supreme,
OF deeds N Manhood's fairest dream,
OF victories nobly won.
Peace made complete our nations
theme
In this, our honored son.
while sleep this honored dead, un-
touched by pain or sorrow, Time viii
lift this mantle from off the pale of
this monument; yet In It's bare elo-
Quence, il will stand as a token 0f