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Show Fond Memory of a Memorial Day in the Far Past O.'UVN In a cr.rr.er of the old-Jl old-Jl J fashioned trunk kept sacred to treasures of long ago, Is a I little box marked "Fat tier's legiiuen-j legiiuen-j tals." The rubber band drops from It as I lift It gently from Its place and raise the cover. Within are a cord and tassel of gold, dimmed and darkened by the j years; a Grand Army badge bearing j the inscription Host 8 O. A. R., and a pair of white cotton gloves, yellowed ! with age. Hack through the years they take j me to Memorial day of long ago hi ways a sunny day In memory when Mother pinned the budge to Father's coat of blue, dropped the gold cord over his soft hat, directed him Into his gloves and sent him off to post headquarters, where the "boys" were forming to march with their burden of (lowers to the flag-decked graves In the little cemetery. A goodly procession of strong men. they stepped bravely to the music of the home town band "Marching Through Georgia," "John Brown's Hody," and other songs familiar to the lads of V.- their minds filled with memories of Gettysburg. Southern South-ern prisons nnd Appomattox, as they marched to the little graveyard where their comrades lay. Mother, a member of the Relief corps, rode In the parade. Brother bore the colors of the Sons of Veterans, his boyish strength bending bend-ing under the weight of the heavy banner nnd staff. Small Sister, transported to the cemetery by some forgotten means, all a-flutter with excitement and sinful sin-ful pride in her new wdiite frock, perched on a tnll tombstone at the edge of the ceremonial circle, recited "The Blue and the Gray." Oh, It was all so long ago when there were only the veterans of Grant and Sherman to march to tbe hallowed hal-lowed graves. Now Father's grandson, who served under Pershing, steps at the head of his regiment and lays a wreath on Grandfather's grave where the Stars and Stripes flutter. I cover the little box of Father's regimentals and put it back in its place in the corner of the trunk one of the countless links In the chain of our country's honor and freedom. Detroit News. |