Cover the thousands who sleep far away—
Sleep where their friends cannot find them today;
They who in mountain and hill-side and dell
Rest where they wearied and lie where they fell.
Softly the grass blade creeps ’round their repose,
Sweetly above them the wild flow’ret blows;
Zephyrs of freedom fly gently o’erhead,
Whispering names for the patriot dead.
So in our minds we will name them once more,
So in our hearts we will cover them o’er:
Roses and lilies and violets blue,
Bloom in our souls for the brave and the true.
Cover them over—yes. cover them over—
Parent and husband and brother and lover;
Think of those far-away heroes of ours,
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
When the long years have crept slowly away,
E’en to the dawn of Earth’s funeral day:
When. at the Archangel‘s trumpet and tread,
Rise up the faces and terms of the dead;
When the great world its last judgment awaits,
When the blue sky shall swing open its gates,
And our long columns march silently through,
Past the Great Captain. for final review,—
Then for the blood that has flown for the right,
Crowns shall be given, untarnished and bright.
Then the glad ear of each war-martyred son
Proudly shall hear the good judgment, “well done.”
Blessings for garlands shall cover them over—
Parent and husband and brother and lover;
God will reward those dead heroes of ours,
And cover them over with beautiful flowers.
PATRIOTIC TRAINING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
(From the Department)
All business should be suspended and the day devoted to commemorating the memory of the union soldiers living and dead. Let the citizens turn out and make the day one long to be remembered as it day of patriotic education
Let not the sacredness and solemnity of the occasion be marred by games and other sports, but let us all consecrate ourselves anew at a common shrine of patriotism. We believe with James W. Patterson that “If all our youth, springing up from whatever nationality, could be brought to know and reflect upon the origin, history and nature of our political institutions, and were early made to realize their cost in treasure and blood and the unspeakable benefits they have conferred upon the American people, we should have the unity and strength of public spirit, and the sensibility to the common reputation and interests that would be stronger than the pride of dominion and a surer defense than armies and navies.”
Let the rising generation be inspired with an ardent love for their
country, an unquenchable thirst for liberty, and a
profound reverence for the Constitution and the
Union. Let the American youth never forget
that they possess a noble inheritance
bought by the toils and suffer-
ings and blood of
their ancestors.
