Evening star., 1921-11-11

will go the long list of honors the
nation and the great powers Of the
world have lavished on the soldiers
who gave their identity as well as
their lives on French baAlefields.
Calm Hills Drop Away.
Above the great stone towers the
marble-pillared facade of the amphi-
theater, crowning the ridge and look
ing down over a sweeping vista OF
quiet hills and peaceful countryside tc
the wfds waters OF the river. Beyond
stands Washington city in the haze
Of distance. Over 1t, dimly visible
looms the great figure OF Freedom on
the dome of the Capitol; farther down
Washington Monument thrusts a slen-
der gray finger to challenge attention
Of the very sky to the deeds of peace
and war 1t commentaries. Closer
still looms the square white bulk OF
Lincoln Memorial, at the river brlm,
sealing a peoples tribute to a mar
tyred leader.
Fold on fold. the calm hills drop
away from the terrace where the
sleeper from France lies. honored but
unknown. At his feet a sculptured
marble balustrade sweeps out on
either side. marking the wide, grace
ful curve of the footway that drops
down to the grass-grown slopes
where day by day many a gallant
last resting place. Down there the
new headstones gleam in countless
variety. There is hardly an hour OF
any day when sorrowing relatives
are not moving slowly among the
new graves, giving loving care to
headstones are cut the names. the
dates Of birth and death of the dead
and names Of French villages where
they made their great sacrifice. Man
by man, their record is written for
all to know and honor.
Lies Alone I'm Death.
But for the nameless one, asleep on
the terrace above, there are no rela-
tives. He lies alone In the mystery
of death. Laden with honors beyond
any of his fellows below. there is
none to tell of the way of his life
and his death, of whence he came or
of what he was save that he died in
France, at the nations call. The
American people are his next of kim
He alone may sleep there within the
great monument to all the nations
honored dead.
Everywhere about the amphitheater
are monuments cut with names that
touch memory to life. that bring
echoes of the thunder of guns from
old, far off battle scenes. There lies
Sheridan: there lies Porter and Crook
and Doubleday. and yonder lies
Dewey. Over the peaceful slope. row
on row. march the headstones of hum
dreds of humble servers in the ranks
like the sleeper up there on the ter
r: ce. or again. dimly seen through the
trees, goes another long column OF
sod. .er headstones. graying with time.
But officers and men, generals. ad-
mirals. private or the last bluejacket
to join the ship before the battle,
they are all sleeping here in honored
graves. Gathered they are from Mex
leo from all the far plains where emf
grant trains fought their way west
ward, from storied fields of the civil
war, from Cuba and the Philippines,
from Haiti and from France.
Last Muster OF Maine.
Just beyond the amphitheater rises
the slender mast OF the old Maine,
brought from Havana to mark the
resting place of her dead soldiers and
sailors and marines. It Is their last
muster, and for them all has been
raised the great marble pile wherein
the unknown sleeper from France
The pure white outline Of the struc-
ture. as yet unstained by time and
the shifting winds that sweep un-
checked through its stately colon
made or its vast. roofess gathering
place, rises amid a setting that n ture
paints with new beauty as the sea-
sons come and go. 1t stands atop
the ridge. footed among the ever
greens and the native Virginia woods
that set 1t of In changing shades
in summer. deck 1t out with the
myriad tints of autumn as the year
wanes and wrap 1t about with the
delicate -racery Of snow-laden, leaf
less branches in winter.
Seats About 5000.
The amphitheater overiooks the Po-
tomac river and the city of Washington.
1t contains a chapel and seats about
5000 persons 1t was dedicated at inn
pressive exercises he'd May Is. 1920
It covers an area about $4,000 square
feet.
The, history of the amphitheater is
Interesting and. Of course. intimately
connected with the history OF the cem-
etery itself. Eifty-seven years ago last