Show I DECORATION NIGHT Written for The Herald Today I decked Johns grave with flowers I And wet them wlh my tears fowers For we had been together long For five and forty years Yes five and forty yes we lived I As loving man and wife And when John died and left me here I Mine was a lonely life We had two boys In sixtyone They went off to the war I And Without both returned a scratch within or scar a year But had not been at home a month When Lincoln called for men calle And they left John and I alone To fight the south again Dan was a big tall strapping lad I Was eighteen past In May Joe was the oldest of the two I Just twenty to a day And they could work whv bless your hearts They never seemed to rest Joe was the homebird of the two And liked the farm the best tW Dan spent two winters all Indoors He taught the village school I And he was either at his books Or working out a rule I Bu when the summer term was through He started in to mow And he could cut a wlfler swath I Than either dad or Joe We had a letter every week From either Dan or Joe That always told how they did wish To meet In with the foe They did not like the idle time They wasted on parade Theyd rather be home on the farm To work with hoe or spade At last the news came Dan had fell Aleadlng on his men fel For he had been promoted some He was a captain then S But Joe poor Joewe never saw We lost both of our sons For he was entered on the roll rol Among the missing ones We could not tell what mfssingswaL John says to me that night Perhaps we might find what It meant I we asked Parson White S Oh yes said White thats easy told I Your boy has run away You need not fret youll see him soon Ho may be here today 5 A great uard lump stuck In my throat But John was worse than me Big drops of sweat oozed from his brow And he shook like a tree I is a lie h angry said I never had a son That would turn his back to the foe Or like a coward run S And I was glad that dad had spoke And told my feelings toot Id rather have a missing son Than one that was not true Yes ten times oer if it could be Id give my life today Than think for once l bore a son That ever ran away I know where Dan rests safe tonight The decked hiS tomb today And fired a volley oer his grave At least thats what they say ave But Joe poor Joe no flowers were spread Or planted oer his breast spead No volleys rattled oer the grave Where missing soldiers gave But when I decked Johns grave today gave today There was another one A grave where lies the unknown dead A mothers missing son den And as I spread a few flowers there And pace them In a row I could not help but shed a tear When I remembered Joe Im all alone No one is left That now does care for me And my poor eyes are getting dim Its hard for me to see I cannot live u uch longer now I know ny Hjd 1f nigh But I have hurt > o living soul Or made one heiit to sigh S Perhaps next year when spring comes I round And birds are singing gay I I And flowers are spread upon the graves I As I have done today < And soldiers are drawn up in line I Or pass in grand review I may be home with John above And Dan and poor Jpe too I How soon I go I do not care Theres little pleasure here I Nor do I wish to live alone I Throughout another year I But I will bide the Masters call That sent me her below q 1 But I will weary to the time Ho says that I can go S JAMES DUNN j s |