The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-26
M EN, w MEN
 A ND THIN G s

l Y or the dedtn they dled the nation
 saves"
 am glad that Chauncey Depew gives credit to our women for inaugurating the custom after the Civil war of dec- orating the graves of the fallen heroes who died for the lost cause"
 It was in his famous Decoration Day address made at the Metropolitan Opera house in New York more than d guar ter of a century ago that he sold the story in his own el)quent way and coming as it did from q n an porn and reared on the other side .f the Mason and Dixon line. I'll give 1t hers
 When the war was over in the south, where under warmer skies and with more poetic temperaments. sym bols and emblems are better understood than in the north, the widows. mothers and children of the Confederate dead went out and strewed ths cir graves with flowers. At many piaces the women scattered them impartially also over the unknown and unmarked resting 5.
 
 As the news of this touching tribute flashed over the north it reused, as amity and love and allayed sectional animosity and passion. Thus out of sorrow common alike to north and south came this beautifI Ii custom" But its growth in the colder cline was gradual, as there was ID general cele- bration and no settled date uat,I 1868.
 Among the Greeks and Romans flow CTS were intimately associated vita honors paid to the deal. When Greek died the nearest female relatives ls-v sembled to perform the last offices, which were concl'.del by cfowuing the head with flowers. Ii addition to this. the Romans sometimes covered the couch on which the dead bcdy lay with leaves and flowers. Ii was likewise universal custom for the relatives and friends of one just dead, especially i- the deceased was young, to carry wreaths of flowers to the house of burial of such a one
 
 At the ceremony at the grave, liba- tions of milk, honey water and wine, and offerings of flowers end olives were made; and after burial the grave with wreaths. Moreover tne spring ing of flowers from the tomb of the dead was welcomed as an e1,nest of their happiness and it was the an;ver- sal wish that the tombstones of the departed friends might be light to of all Kinds of sweet flowers might encircle their graves
 More closely analogous to the modern Decoration, or Memorial Day, and All Souls Day, was the ancien. Parentalia the public festival umong tae ancient Romans in honor of deceased relatives which lasted from February 1S to 21. During these days all the temples were closed, marriages were prohibited and the magistrates had to appear ln pub lie without the tokens of office. The l last day had the special name Felalia | 1t was customary to decorate bne graves with roses violets and other flowers.
 Antony, dying, begged to have roses scattered on his tomb. Even when the | hateful Caracalla died. to the gi eat joy | of his people, some were found who i for long time afterward declted his tomb With spring and summer flow CTS. Ovid, writing from the land of his | exile, prayed his wife, "Bus dc you per- form the funeral rites for ne when dead, and offer chaplets wet with your tears. Although the fire shall have | changed my body into asnes yet the 1 sad dust will be sensible Of your pous [ affection"
 Simonides, 800 years before the birth of Christ. wrote for Sophocles' epitaph: [ Wind, gentle evergreen. to form d
 shade
 Around the tomb where Sopnocles is Sweet ivy. wind thysboughs and inter-
 twine
 With blushing roses and the clustering
 vine;
 So shall thy lasting leaves with beauty
 hung
 Prove fit emblem for the lays he
 sung"
 Decorating graves is, therefore. an ancient custom full of eloquent ap- peals to the hearts of sorrowing friends. The bridal and the burial have alike sought their richest emblems among the flowers, these fairest sym bols of beauty and decay. History re- cords an Athenian custom which was to wreathe with flowers the monu- ments of those who had fallen in bat tie. The fertile imaginations of the poets also provided an ElysIam which was especially set apart lor the eter- nal rest of those who had sacrl ced in their country's defense. A place where crystal straans from pure fountains were ever flowing and where sweetest flowers were ever blooming.
 Flowers, as has been pointed out. be. ng natural tributes of sorrow, embiems of affection, testimonials of renem- Drance, we, like the ancients. deck with them the altars of our religion and so at Easter time to com nemorate the fact of the risen Christ and with lilies show forth our belief in and the resurrection. These flowers are the alphabets of our