Monte Vista journal and Monte Vista graphic-reporter., 1922-06-23

standing ever-ready to dash back
the rebel flood. Four years Of hard
fighting had turned you into men
nodded and tempered men. who
once were mere boys. You were led
by divine power that helped you
to stand by your cause. The most
thrilling of all hunts was when
Grants whole army chased Lees
| for over a hundred miles through
Virginia, and finally reached the end
at Appomattox. Your beloved lead
er. Abraham Lincoln, gave the call
| at first for seventy-five thousand
men, then. later on. came the call
| for more, and with patriotism
which you gave full sway you ans
! wered to the second call. Three
hundred thousand more boys gave
their lives to their country. Some
one has written thus:
with the rust upon his musket.
In the eve and in the morn
In the rank gloom Of the fern
leaves
Lies her noble-browed first-born."
Through four long years the ma
tion had walked hand In hand with
death-death in its worst from:
mothers. wives, and sisters had
given their all for their country and
liberty. and you did not disappoint
them. You did not fail in the hour
Of need, but you gave to your coun-
try all 1t asked for. Your loyal
devotion. your unselfish sacrifices.
and your patriotism were what held
our nation together; your love for
that beautiful emblem. your flag.
gave you courage to go Onto keep
1t always pure. untarnished. unspot-
ted and unsoiled.
''Red-your life's pure blood.
Which on the battlefield was
shed.
White-for deeds so pure and
good
That for your wrongs the angels
tears were shed;
Blue-for the skies OF heaven
above you
With the white stars shining
through:
Red. white, and blue
The flag OF your country true
The flag We honor. too
Our Flag-all hats are off to
You."
II was for your high ideals that
our boys went across the briny
waters to shed their life-blood on
foreign soil-to come back bruised,
crippled. MANNED for life. 1t was
for your liberty and forbearance-|
for your courage and self-endurance
to keep alive and hold up-tO keep |
intact and clean that banner OF Red.
White. and Blue that they made the
supreme sacrifice. 1t was you let |
the way-they but followed in your
footsteps. They were supported by
different organizations. but you had
nothing but Gods blessing to do |
right aud win for humanity's sake.
The tearing asunder OF homes and
hearts II = terrible thing-yet you
did it-you said goodbye to loved
ones and marched away to the scene
Of strife and bloodshed. TO come
back crippled and old. II you came
at all: 70 many did not. In Lincoln
Park. In Chicago. stands . monu-
~ s~k l~h
resents the life-sized statue Of Abra.
han Lincoln.
In the glare Of summer sun. the
refreshing showers Of spriag. the
glowing autumn. and the soft downy
whitsasss Of wiatsr. II stands-a
thing Of beauty and art-a credit
70 the hands Of the artist who made
Il. Bat Assp IL the hearts OF all men
stands . statue OF the living Lin
eola-Hs Who now u inmortai-I
His woadsrfui love for sii mankind
-his willingness % forgive asd
love all - his brothers. II ws all
could follow in his foot steps and
live - he did. II We could see ~ he
saw and ever would see. had not
death robbed us Of him. am conf.
dent this world would be different.
Sttll. the cause you fought for hss
never changsd-that was settled
years ago. when. on the battle
field at 0ettysburgh. Lincoln made
that heart-appsaiins. soui-stirrins
address. all heads ~srs bowsd-ail
eyes shed tears. and your wrongs
were partially rightsd-yst not all:
that can never b 10 this world.
God alone knows Of the suffering
and sorrow yos west through: He
alone knows Whsfe the unnamed
graves Of fallen heroes lis. but that
10 past aad eose. Yosr lives from
aow % Dsse - Dsaosful-ws nsse
nahAa vAp ~ Aakn AkAm 49, 0A naAh