Memorial Day

Before proceeding with detail, we (leem t proper to insert tlie following appropriate poem, by J. H. Stark, foruierly a soldier in the war, and now a member of Welcli Post, G. A. R., of tliis city: Nineteen years are nearly passed Siuce Weloh gave bis young life, Wllh thousands more wbo nobly feil In freedom's civil strlfe. And yet tlie memory of their deeds Is in our bearts to-day, Fresh as the floral gifts we bring This sacred day of May. Ttms let us keep in rueraory all Wbo for the Union feil, Of their devotion to the llag Let children's eblldren teil. ou iuay we too remembered be, Wheu giveu back to earth. For having made forever free The laud of freedom's birtu. The temple whleh onr father reared, By us wai made secure ; On liberty's foundation placed, Twill to the end endure. The starry flag which led as on Does now more proadly wave, For 'neath lts ampie, shelterihg folda Breathes not a single slave. The day dawned with dense clouds overhead, muddy roads under foot, and in ever way calculated to cause a feeling of disappointment to creep over those who liad concluded to giveup their usual pursuits for the less lucrative but more patriotic duty of paying tribute to those who gave uptheir lives that this country might be the real " Home of the brave And the land of the free." E very arrangement had been made tbat was deemed necessary to make it a day to be remembered by all- both youn and old. The committee In charge, atter looking over their work, were satisfled, considering the funda at their disposal, that they could not improve on the work already performed. The public schools had been dismissed for the day; some of the clergy, in response to the personal invitations to do ao extended them, had urged upon their congregations the necessity for a general observance of the day and a generous contribution of flowers; his honor, the Mayor, and Comrades Rev. J. T. Sunderland, C. H. Manly, R. Campbell, Dr W. B. Sinith, and F. Pistorious, were the ones nnally selected as the orators of the day; Otto-8 band had been engaged; the "itHs sianu erecteu m tlie Fifth wart . eemetery-being tastefully trininied anti , presenting a fine appearance -and was ¦ well calculated to recall to the soldier's mind scènes of the past; backs liad been engaged for the conveyance of the Coinmon Council, and carriages for the children of the veterans with flowers; Corapany A was to be escorted by the Anu Arbor City Band, which, in turn, was to be the escort of Welcli Post, G. A. R, and tliey were to be followeü by Peterson's bchool of Telcgraphy and members of the public schools on foot, after which, those in carriages. Indeed everything had been done to raake the duty a pleasant one, not even neglecting the furnisliing of conveyance for the veterans who were to decórate the graves of their late comrades at St. Thomas cometer?, the wagon to carry the floral offerings to Forest Hill cemetry, or last, but not least if -..o ..cauici iiau issumea íts natural tendency, barrels of fresh ice water at the Fifth wanl cemetery, where tlie proceeding of the day was to be concluded. At 9 o'clock the members of Welch Post, G. A. K., were ou liand; ai)d, after some llUle delay, the squail detuiled to go to St. Thomas cemetery, left Armory Hall, procoeded to the court house, when, liaving received their 13 half-bushel baskets of flowers, took the bus and were sooii flying away to distribute the same over the graves of the J old comrades who liad been there interred. Shortly after 10, the detail having returned, Welcli Post, as a body, together with an escort from Company A, headed by a drummer and followed by numerous citizens and a wagon con tuin ing some forty baskets of flowers, together with many beautiful floral designs- among which we noted a beautifully constructed anchor, from Mrs. Wade, which was placed on the grave of Will Bartlett (familiarjy known as Shorty) who left the Argus oflice and enlistad in the navy in the early part of the war; a liandsome floral pillow, trom Mis. J. B. Saunders, dedicated to the memory of Captain Wendall ü. Wiltsie, one of the original proprietors of this paper, and who went out witli oorapany H, 8Oth Inft , and was klHed at Fort Saunderg, Knoxville, Tenn., during the siege in 1.JG3; an elegant bouquet of roses from the floral garden of Mr. Toms, whtob was consif-ned to the gnive of Col. Welcli, one of the bravest of the brave; and nicely arraliged flora] baskets f roin the Mrs. Profs. Greene and Prescott, a horse-shoe trom Min. C. H. Manly, a whlte-flower heart froui Mrs. A. Wood, beautiful crosses, from vvhoin we know Hot, etc, etc.,- started for Forest HUI ceinetery. Ou arriving at the grave of Col. Welcli, the party surrounded the sanie, and the solemn and [fnpreuire services of the G. A. K. were performed. Tlie ranka were then broken and eacli oomrade took a basket of flowers and started out on liis errand of love. About 11:30, the Post having performed the dnty which called them there, assembied at the gate of the cemetery, teil in and marched again to Armory Hall, hei e they again broke ranks, witfa orders to assemble at 1: 15. Up to noon, though cloudy. rain liad not fallen; butshortly thereafter it cnine in torrents. The liour for general BMembly arrived, the rain still feil, but af ter tvaiting an hour, it was decided to start for the Fifth ward cemetery, rain or no. The storm being so severe, the chairan of the Coramittee of Arraugementi, ifter interviewing the Mayor and otliers, concluded to dismiss the liacks enffaged for the speakers aud council and tlie earriages for the children (which liad been in waiting for some time), and allow tlie procession to proceed without them- tliis was accordingly done. The procession started uniler eoniinand of S. ii. Revenaugh, Offlcer of the Day, and Assistants Nowland and í'all, hended, I by Otto's band, Company A (as escort) in advance, Welch Post, G. A. II., coming next, followed by Jadíes and cliildien with flowers, and quite a large crowd of citizens on foot and in carriages. Tlie rain still continued to descend. Reaching the Fifth ward engine house the irocession was greeted with cheers from the children there in waiting, under the charge of tlie Ladies" Decoration Society, and as the line moved on they took tlieir place immediately in tlie rear of the veterans. Arrivin at the Fifth ward cemetery, the vast amount of labor expended by the Ladies' Decoration Society was in man y wnys üiscernable. "Welcome the Brave in hrm evergreen letters, with snowwhite background, in the arch over the mam entrance, was especially meritorious and prominent, and the soldiers' monument and speakers' stand.thanks to them were beautifully tritnmed. After scattering flowers, a hurried service, and the firing of a salute, the procession took up the line of march and were soon retracing their steps toward Ar.nory Hall. Arriving there thev were Kreeted by the Aun Albor City Bañd.and once more In out of the rain, the Cotumander tendered the thanks of the Post U) Capt. Manly and his command, the fine music, after which the members of the Post separated, somewhatdisappointed, but not at all discouraged. with this, their hrst attempt to take tüe lead in the services of Memorial Day Many persons remained at tlie cemetery after the departure of the procession notwithstanding the storm, seemine lotli to depart without hearing the usual adurcsscs . The committee feel especially Ihankf ui to the Decoration Society, Janitor Horton and wife of the court house, Jeft". Davif Janitor of Arrnory Hall, Mr. Keech, who kindlydonated the use of hls lumber.and last.but not least, to those who contributed m nioney, flowers, etc, towards carrvin?