The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-06-28

II
in the little French cemetery within
range of the enemy guns The for
eign correspondent of the New York
Globe, in describing his burial, in the
midst of shells from the enemy guns,
says:
"The first shot failed to produce
casualties among the mourners, and
before another shell came the party
had scattered into nearby dugouts
and bombproofs. In a few minutes
the mantle of dusk covered every
thing. and in the stillnes sof approach
ing night. one could hear the steady
heat of shovels filing in the grave.
The funeral was typical of that which
many a soldier viii receive before the
war is over. A plain coffin was
brought in an ambulance from the
billet; after it, came a truck loaded
with soldiers who had been in the
young officers company; only a few
could be spared, the others were on
.luty, for death does not permit halt
IN the days harvest; several officers
stole a few minutes and hurried from
the battery emplacements to pay
their last respects to a dead comrade.
No tears were shed at this funeral !;
no sobbing women followed the bier.
The mothers, and sisters and wives of
these heroes mourn thousands of
miles away. Grief there was among
| the dead officers comrades, but it was
grief mingled with determination to
even the score. Six soldiers carried
the coffin to the grave, and the regi-
mental band played Jesus, Lover of
My Soul Then the chaplain of the
regiment stepped forward and as the
silent group uncovered he said the
Catholic funeral service in a clear
voice Overhead hostile airplanes
were exchanging machine gun volleys
with shrapnel bursting in puffs above
them. From the distance along the
line in front came echoes of artillery
firing, but it seems as if here was one
little spot which the worldly hate:
and jealousies aroused by the grea
plaelstrom of war ought to spare. Tht
thoughts of every one at that solemn
ceremony were far away. Then came
the German shell. The enemy over
locks no chance to bring back tn
bitterness of war into human hearts.
Col. L. r. Holbrook, 7th Field Ar
tillery, in a letter to Lieut.. Burford'
mother, of date May Is, 1918, says:
at is a pleasure for me to be abb
to assure you of the faithful and con
scientious performance Of duty o
, your son, and to say that his exampl
, of devotion to duty will always res
in the memory of his comrades who S
: tenderly laid him to rest under tn
D roar of hostile cannon and bursting Q
shrieking SHELF
c In 1919 Lieut. Burford's remain
S were re-interred at Thiaucourt, one G
the large military cemeteries in tn
e war zone, and his final resting plaC
:. is in the section of the nation;
: cemetery at Arlington, set apart fC
: the burial of world war America
: dead. Twice since his death, h
e brother, Lieut.-Com R. A. Burfol
o has visited and laid floral offering
/ upon his grave.
II Dean Trussler, head of the law d
e partment of the University of Florid
in his memorial address,, accepting
d picture presented at the request
J. the University, among other beaut
l. full tributes, said this of Lieut.. Blu
lie ford:
lie "Had death not cut him off untim
ly, he would have realized a career
1t extraordinary usefulness and distin
lie ton in his profession, but there a
;e other qualities of greater value
lie the long run than exceptional ment
E. vigor and superb concentration.
win unqualified admiration one al
4 must be good, clean, honest, practic;
r, courteous, brotherly, chivalrous.
lie must, in the fullest sense, be ge
e; tleman. And Wiley Burford was. f
E. opinions were so right, his PERSONAL
n so attractive. that l have sought a
Id acted upon his judgment. His chars
es ter has left an impress on us that W
as not fade out. If /
a mute lips could speak to us as of o
in he would tell US simply to do o
ne duty; to hate wrong, and to 10
Id right; to love life, but to love JUST
ed more; and never, never to compI
w mise with evil, but to endure eve
Or hardship until the world mena
ne which has caused his death is utter
ne destroyed. | am glad that we are
TT have his picture. On behalf of r
I'd college in which he exercised his be
rs endeavors; on behalf of the Universe
l. which he loved, | accept this pictul
and every time | look upon it | say
n, myself:
Id '"'Lawyer, you gave yourself for il
as tice,
st Scholar, you have found the truth,
in Comrade, you have shown us the 10
c. than which there is no great
ne American, you have dedicated to
C. cause of freedom that last gre
a measure of devotion