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Show HISTORY OF MEMORIAL DAY. Today is Memorial Day and, no doubt, the question is being repeatedly re-peatedly asked as to tho origin of the beautiful custom of once a year decorating the graves of the soldier. From an unknown source, we have obtained this history of the day: Memorial Day had its inception in the mind of a Southern girl, Miss Lizzie Rutherford, at the time living in Columbus, Miss. She was a member of the Soldiers' Aid Society, the work of which during dur-ing the Civil War was to furnish medical supplies for the troops at the front, to aid in caring for the sick and wounded, and engage in any other helpful tasks prompted by the sympathetic heart of woman. Af ter the war was over some of the graves of Confederate soldiers sol-diers in the cemetery outside her town showed signs of neglect. She had read a translation from the German, which told of the German custom of setting aside a certain day of the year when flowers were placed, and vines and shrubs planted, on the graves of relatives and friends. She suggested to one of her associate members that once a year, at least, their society should strew with flowers the resting places of the martyrs to the Lost Cause. Not only did the local society so-ciety adopt the plan with enthusiasm, for their cemetery, but its officers of-ficers and members wrote letters to other societies of their organization organiza-tion throughout the South inviting co-operation. Prompt approval was expressed in all parts of the South and women's memorial associations asso-ciations were formed by the score. April 26, the anniversary of the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston, was set apart as the day. The North soon heard of the custom. In Cincinnati lived a man who had fought bravely and well for hi3 flag, although never rising above the rank of private. The loyalty of the women of the South to the memory of their dead appealed to him as strongly as the call of duty in the days of the conflict. He wrote a letter on the subject to the adjutant general of the Grand Army of the Republic, urging that the Southern custom be adopted by the organization of the Northern veterans. Very soon the recommendation found its way to General John A. Logan, then commander-in-chief of the Grand Army, who at once saw its wonderful possibilities in the way of fostering loyalty to the heroio dead, and impressing patriotic lessons upon future fu-ture generations. In 186S General Logan issued an order calling upon all Grand Army posts to join in the memorial exercises and the decoration of the graves of fallen comrades, on May 30, and since that time it has been universally observed. |