Heroes Remembered

As usual on Decoration Day our city honored herself by fittingly honoring the memory of those who perished in the service of their country. This is a sacred duty imposed by the teachings of all ages, of all rehgions and of all ideas of patriolism. Liíe imposes no higher obligations than that of focusing our thoughts occasionally on the nation's heroic dead and bedecking with flowers the graves of those who laid down their lives a willing sacrifice for a cause they valued so highly. He whose devotion to his conceptions of right and loyalty to principie wouldimpel ïim to such sacrifice deserves to be remembered. The benefit to the livng resulting from these commemoraive exercises is inestimable, for "he who is taught to be true to the memory of the dead is never recreant n his duty to the living." The program as announced in our ast week's issue was carried out in detail. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon members of tbe G. A. R., S. of V. and W. R. C. assembled at the court house where conveyances were in waiting to carry them to the cemeteries. On arriving at the Fifth ward cemetery and in the jresence of the graves of the veterans there resting, Commander W. KL. Childs made sorae fitting remarks and was followed by Col. H. S. Dean. Then the school children of the Fifth ward sang several national songs and strewed flowers about the soldier's monument. The poem, "Cover Them Over With Beautiful Flowers" was then rendered by Mrs. Moore, of the W. R. C. Then carne the ritual exercises conducted by Chaplain Perkins and the firing of a salute by a squad of the G. A. R. A return was then made to the starting point for more flowers and about 4 o'clock the procession started for Forest Hill cemetery where the singing of "The Vacant Chair" was given by the school children of the first and sixth wards. The ritual exercises followed, and then Edwin E. Hallett, of the S. of V., recited "The Red, the White and the Blue." A salute was then fired, the graves were decorated, and lastly all joined in singing "America." This closed the afternoon exercises. In the evening a magnificent audience assembled in University hall to listen to the singing of patriodc music by the school children, an address by Hon. James O'Donnell, oi Jackson, and other exercises. Commander W. K. Childs said in opening the program that the evening exercises were especially for the children. No grander opportanitj for instilling in the minds of the hundreds of children there assembled, patriotic sentiments could be imagined. The surroundings and the exercises could not fail to make a vivid impression upon their youthful minds. They performed their part in the program beautifully and well and reflected much credit upon their teacher, Miss Cole. The address of Mr. O'Donnel' was carefully prepared, and read from manuscript. It contained many beautiful thoughts and patriotic sentiments. He said that Decoration day had not the fullness of meaning that it should have. Even those who were bereaved by the war did not always remember the day to observe it in fitting manner, as time was clever in healing and mellowing sorrows. Nevertheless it was the duty of the living to see to it that the dead of the nation were never forgotten and that the day never went unobserved. He gave many impressive statistics of the war, and tried to picture its cost in years of human life. It was a good address throughout, and fitting to the occasion. After the address Mr. E. F. Hall recited the "Battle of Gettysburg," and did it finely. He was roundly applauded. The exercises closed with "America" by the audience.