THE SILENT MARCH.
NOT trftb the clash of the sabers, not with
the roll of the drums
Or the cheers that greet the hero when home
from the battle be cuines,
Not to the sound of the bugle, mellow nd
clear and sweet,
Do they pass on the homeward march with
nerer returning feet.
But Into the dim. deep stillness, where nev
ermore strife mar come.
With never a footfall sounding, the soldiers
are marching home.
Bide by side, the line unbroken, as 'twas In
the years ago,
VThen thej went with flying banners to meet
the ranks of the fue.
These were the youthful heroes who fought
for the nation then,
These who march to silent music, scarred
and gray, like ghosts of men.
For them no bayonets flashing In the tide of
the noonday sun,
For them the ccholess silence, long since
were their battles won.
Now are the batteries silent that breathed
tbelr murderous breath.
That laid like grain of the harvest the long,
dark swath of death.
Gone Is the smoke of the battle that bung
o'er the far-drawn line
1111 the sky was hid at noonday and the sun
forgot to shine,
And where the tide of carnage surged over
the trodden plain
No whisper comes to grass or flower of all
Its crimson stain.
There were tears and hours of longing for
those who come no more.
For the voices bushpd to silence and the
footstep on the floor.
In those far days of battle, those days of
bitterest strife.
When a man for his country's glory set no
price upon his life.
But guarded that nation's honor down to bis
latest breath,
The soldier brave who knew no fear, who
parleyed not with death.
And ever since the wartime, when loTe and
home were sweet.
Have the sold era Joined the silent march,
with never returning feet,
Out from the door of the cottage, from pal
ace of wealth, they came,
And the path led on In silence, the way wai
ever the same.
And still the silent army Is marching away
away.
And the last recruit will Join the ranks and
be mustered In some day.
Buffalo News.
They called it Decoration day in a little
Tillage some twenty years ngo. It was
one of the great days of the year. The
village itself was all green and white.
The houses were white, with green blinds,
and white fences inclosed the ample yards.
The green branches of majestic trees met
over the long, white roadways. The
stores; with their green, batten shutters,
the flagpole in "the square," the town
hall, with the hitching posts about it,
were all white. And on the hill stood the
white church.
In this hill church, the services of Dec
oration day were always held. The people
who looked down ou the village from "the
ridge" could see the white steeple with its
four little spires rising out of the dense
green. It was a landmark. The church
bell was sweet, clear and far-reaching. In
the rear of the church were the long, low
sheds for the horses and carriages. From
each side a little cemetery stretched
away; the "old cemetery" on the left,
with time-worn epitaphs on gray head
stones, where the white-haired men and
women walked; the "new cemetery" on
the right, with white monuments and
flower-bordered plots, where children lov
ed to play. Soldiers lay sleeping in both.
Up In the high belfry-tower are little
wooden monuments used only on Decora
tion day upon the soldiers' graves. Bach
year they are trimmed with flowers and
evergreens, and for that one dny placed
at the head of the graves. Each has up
on it in black letters the name of a sol
dier. These are brought down to be fresh
ly ornamented the day before Decoration
day. Certain of these little monuments
are placed unqucstionlngly aside, some
times with a whispered word of those who
would trim them. A widow takes ono of
these, bearing her husband's name. Two
belong to her; but her son's she lenves,
and glances about the vestibule. Miss
Hannah, with sweet, sad face, goes to
JpffipTA VILLAGE
her and takes the other one. The two
women go out together to the side porch,
from which they can look across to the
spot, under shading trees, where the two
men lie. Others follow them, till all those
mnnnment iset nsldc hnvo Leon claimed.
and a little apart from the gossip on the j
porch a group of sad-faced women sit in
silence. Each twines the evergreens upon
the little monument before her with ten
der, stumbling Sogers. The name upon it
her eyes cannot rend, for the tears that
blind her, but it is written on her heart,
and on the "Roll of Our Honored Dead."
For weeks before the 30th of May plans
for the decorations were being made by
the committee. The dny before Decora- j
tion day the congregation met. A vesti
bule ran across the front of the church
GARLANDS OF FLOWERS.
from the side doors that opened out on to
the small stone porches, and there the
men cast down great armfuls of fragrant
evergreens. The little wooden soldier
monuments, painted white, were brought
Into thu Tpatthnln in ho trlinmnil Tho
chatter and bustle began with the work. J
Little groups formed. Busy fingers soon
lowered the heaps of pungent green. Then
often some young man and maiden would
slip out together to gather a new supply.
And were it not for others who built up
the dwindling piles of spruce, the workers
would wait long for the two who first
went. When they finally came back, he
with his conscious face hidden behind the
odorous green branches, and she, so Unsh
ed and shy, the merry jests were at their
expense. But, though persecuted, the
faces of the lovers showed that it was
good to live.
Within the church, behind the pulpit on
the platform, two white columns rose, out
lined with the woven greens, their sides
hung with wreaths. These were connect
ed by a broader structure on which were
the words: "Itoll of Our Honored Dead,"
and in smaller lilnck lpttorn. In Hvn Innv
j - - fj
columns!, wpro the nnmna nt tlinan anliltnfa
lying in the little cemeteries beside the
cnurcn. spaces were left for tne bunches
of flowers, to be added in the morning. At
the top of each column the white statue
of an nngel stood. Long ropes of green
were drnped about the high gallery, in the
rear where the choir sat and about the
side lights and windows were more gracc-
iui loops.
As dusk fell the lads and lassies had
made their engagements for the next day,
possibly for life, and home duties were
calling the matrons. The little groups
hurried away and the church was left in
quiet. Each white pew door is closed
upon the green, well-pounded cushions on
the narrow, high-backed scats within.
The little footstools arc in prim array.
The hymnals and the palm lear fans stand
neatly in the racks. The gilt pipes of tho
organ In the gallery show above tho rail,
and the moon-faced brass clock on the
front of the gallery ticks in a loud, meas
ured tone. Tho odor of tho fresh-cut ever
greens is like some heavy Incense. The
pulpit looms up high and dark with the
big Bible, tho hymnal, and the little book
of psalms arranged upon it in a severe
pyramid. The moonlight creeps into the
quiet there, touching the names of "Our
Honored Dead" with its cold fingers, two
by two, up tho long columns, till the roll
stands clear.
Through the village, as the evening
grows, tho sound of the band practicing
diligently Is heard. A neighboring band
Joins In the ceremonies of the next day
and the rivalry is keen. All the little
girls with long hair, at the important age
of 7 are to assist In decorating the graves.
Each fond mother braids her small vestal
virgin's hair in tiny strands to produce
the required crlmplness. A warm, spicy
Arrr.Y'j snr.n -wj-r.
odor from pantry and kitchen In the home
where the out-of-town npenkcr l to bo
entertained ypenks for him comfortable
inner man. One of the prominent men of
the village is to make u live miuute speech
nt the monument "To Our Unknown
Dend." lie has rehearsed it for hours
in a meadow behind n liny stack.
The day dawns. The di-w Is brushed
away by passing skirt as the women
hasten to their gardens to pick their choic
est flowers each culli unpaHngly. Enrly
in the forenoon the vestibule of the church
is filled with fragrance. Flowers of the
ganleu, cultivated so tenderly and gath
ered so willingly, nr there, and great
masses of snowball, lirgnclies of dog
wood, with their white petals crimson
splashed, the sweet mo. kornnge the rosy,
flowering almond, alt add their beauty.
The work presses; bouqms to tack on to
the HttJe monuments, and rach to Ik car
ried to its place; great bunches of flow
ers to be placed in the church windows;
everywhere flowers to le lavished. Up
stairs in the "infnnts' room," nre trays
to be filled with the bouquet!! each child
Is to wear, and the Urge oues for the
soldiers' graves
Already, from every direction, lines of
vehicles are coming Into the village from
all the little towns surrounding. The
band wagon is brought out, and trimmed
with flags. The eight white horses which
draw it have tiny Hags between their ears
and waving on their backs; white horses
always, the whitest in the lead, and the
more speckled at the wheels. The little
maidens rise from their uncomfortable
night's sleep, with sore heads and exceed
ingly wavy hair. The out-of-town siK-nk-er
has arrived. The bell in the steeple of
the white church on the hill tolls the hour.
The flowers have been pmced upon the
white columns: maws of bloom nre about
the dark, old pulpit, around the side
lamps, on the wnlls, and following the
gallery rail. The church is ready.
The procession of veterans forms In
"tho square." They march to the shrill,
weird notes of a fife, anil the intrepid roll
of a drum. Tho neighboring band baa
come with but six horses, and none of
them white. The church Is packed to suf- ,
foeation. The ministers of nil the
churches sit with the speakers in the pul- !
pit. The veterans file In. The band elnt-
ters to the gallery, and sits with the choir, j
The standard-bearer drops the great Hag
across the gallery rail, and its soft, silken
stripes sweep to the heads of thow sitting
beneath. The little girls in white, and
the proudest moment of their lives, march
to the front seats. i
The ceremonies begin. They are very
long. The commander of the G. A. It.
leads the services. The nir grows oppres
sive with the heat and the strong fra
grance of the flowers. "A selection from
the band" endangers the tympanuniH of
every one present. A poetess recites with
fervor an original poem of many stanzas
to "Our Heroes." The choir has a solo
for the leading soprano of each church,
and other numbers Interspersed among
the readings, prayers and speeches.
Then the procession forms. The flower
girls have their baskets of flowers. Tho
band leads the way to the cemeteries. A
grave Is reached. Two little flower girls
come forward and kneel at either side of
the grave. Tho name of the soldier, Us
age, rank, regiment, last battle, and date
of death nre solemnly read. A short
prayer follows. The children place their
flowers upon the mound. Tho band gives
three solemn signals, and at each tho
Stars and Stripes sweep In salute over the
soldier's grave. From grave to grave they
go, till all have been remembered, and tho
sun Is sinking In tho west.
Tho village homes are full of friends
and relatives from out of town, staying to
tea. Young couples stroll In the twilight
through the shaded streets. Old soldiers
sit In groups, recalling their battle scenes.
In the cemeteries on the hill, the flowers
have faded on the soldiers' graves. The
little monuments show their whiteness
thickly under the dark pines. Chicago
Inter Ocean.
Bull Run and Appomattox.
It Is a fact not generally known that the
first nnd the last ntnnd of tho Confeder
ates were inado on land owned by tho
same man. A part of Bull Bun battle
field was owned by Mr. McLean. After
this famous battle ho decided to move to
a locality whore there would bo less fear
from the ravages of war. By a strange
coincidence he took up his abode at Appo
mattox, which subsequently proved to b
the final battlefield of the civil war.
CHINESE JEWS.
4. Fpleiulld Tiibcrimcle In the I'lowery
KIiiuiIoiii.
Tho Biblical prophecy Unit Him .Iowa
should bo scattered nliroiul ovor tho
face of tho earth Ih certainly u truo
ono. for there Ih no country In tlio world
which docs not contiiln Its portion of
i...u. i.rifv in4iiili. Kcn III C'lilnil
thoy hnvo long been known. Early In
the seventeenth century, anil shortly
after tho Kalian mNslotinrles had como
to Peking, one of them. Matthew Itlccl,
received a morning call. Ill vlnltor
won the gorgeous
'bluest ilrejiH, ill-
eluding tho queuo, but the IlKiiro niul
fact wort not Mongolian, anil tho Hinll.
Ing counteimnco wan not In keeping
with tho dlgnllled sdcninlty of a t'lil
niuuaii. Tho gentleman's immo wai
Ngnl. and lit hail heard of tin arrival
of Home foreigners who worshiped ono
Lord of heaven and earth, and yet who
wore not Mohammedans; lie nciongcti
to tho mtnio religion, lie explained, and
had called to make their ncitiulntanci.
Now, Master Ngnl nude It clear that
ho wiik an Isrnclllo. it native of Km-Fung-Foo,
the capital of llonan. Ho
bad come to Peking to nss mi examina
tion for a nmiiilarln degtee. and had
been led by curiosity and brotherly
feeling to call at the mission house.
In his native city, lu wild, tln-re were
ten or twelve families of lsr&Mlti-. ami
a .synagogue, which they liu recently
restored at the expense tf lU.Ooo
crowns, and ihey had a roll of the law
J0O or 500 years old. The missionary's
li'ti'trn i1iurllHd this NViineuiMic. It
occupied n space lotwocn 30u and -100
feet In length by about lfo feet in
breadth, and wax divided Into four
courts. It had Ixirrowod some decora
tlvu splendor from China. The In
scription In Hebrew, "Hear, o Israel;
tho Lord our God Is one Iord. blessed
bo the name of tho glory of Ills king
dom for ever and ever," ami the Ten
Commandments were enibhusotiid In
gold. Silken curtains Inclosed tho
"Bethel" which enshrined the sacred
books, and which only tho rnbbl might
enter during the time of prayer. Ev
ery detail of this place, with Its In
cense, Its furniture and all Its type of
pood things yet to come. Is Interesting.
There, lu the last century, the children
of Israel at Knoi'ung-Foo worshiped
the God of their fathers with the rites
that pointed to the Messiah, of whose
advent, as far as It can be ascertained,
they never heard until the arrival of
the Italian missionaries.
Lenmed men have entered Into dis
cussion ns to whether these iieoplo
were Jews or Israelites, whether they
como to China from the Assyrian cap
tivity or the Itomnn dispersion. They
themselves say that their forefathers
came from the West, and It Is prob
able that the settlers arrived by V.y of
Khorassan nnd .Samarcaud. They
must have lat-n numerous In the ninth
century, for two Mohnminedan trav
elers of that period deserlla t rebel,
named Bae-Choo, taking Canton by
Morm In A. I). 877 ami slaughtering
IL'0,000 Jews, Mohammedans, Chris
tlans and I'arsees. More than one Jew
of Kne-Fung-Foo Is known to have
Kilned the right to wear tho little,
round button on the top of his cap ho
dear to the ambition of a Crhluamnn.
The TnlpliiB rebellion dlsix-rseil tlio
settlement, nml the remnant who re
main faithful to the memory of old
traditions nre chiefly poor and dU
tressed.
Kcoontrlcllles Not S irn r I
An Eastern physician has broached n
tneory in regard to Home noticeable
ccentrlcltles. Many of tho foremost
men of the world nt present nnd In tho
past nave nau queer little habits which
make them a lamrhliiL'.Htoeic.
times behind their backs only, to their
menus nmi acciualntances. The great
O I VI. - .
ouiuuei jomison, ror Instance, never
could pass n lamp-post without touch
lng it, nnd always kept n collection of
lemon nnd orange peels tinder his pll
low. Emlle Zola hns many little hu
mors, tho gratlllcatlon of which form
the basis of his dallv hnntitnixm ti,
says tho psychologist, are not signs of
mummy, out or overwork. Tho tired
brain feels Impelled to do certain
things. Tho human mind U n. most
complicated machine, and although a
nlco exposition of tho causes of theso
really insignificant matters is Impossi
ble to a general public, It can bo con
fldently stated that tho healthy mind,
when fatigued by a day' hard work, Is
none tho less sound for tho queer things
it may impel tho hand to do.
ClilcnBoans with Short Nnrnos.
Tho Chicago directory contains hun
dreds of thousands of names. Tho fact
that there nre but ten names of two let
tors in the book shows how rare such
names are among tho nations. It would
seem that neatly every man born with
n name of two letters promptly tacks
on another. Tlio directory contains
hundreds of thro...l.tf..H,wi ..
Thoso who boast but two Intf.. n,i
apparently have enough arc Maurice
Ax, Emily Eg. Axel hi n..i.i m .i
ry Mcholas Bo and Emil Ru. Op
posed to them Is wmifim ...!
Bkl.-Chlcago Chronicle.
LOtS Of moil Who linvn
?m.?lT,t.heIr mnk0-uP 81 ovory.
"" "f 'citing over tlio traces.
rZtm,mS Ta at a eooi man only
result in soiling your own bunds.
th
nn i only ourutf,
Willi nr I
uy nuumit cold
AnllCH nnturniw
IIAMTIVI.' .. ".' V.'Vltt It.
Inns, tiecaiiKo
.r,... ..... ,ir wh . " nu
S K,; V.". A'. ' " 4r.7.,
ournme. i
LL, knlinmliiK ..
nornrv nrmi.,. cnt. I..
wliltingV "fiTnikryw
rt .... ..-.TI.
-.7i "V ""HI wiiwV
i . iiiu u ii i in ri 11,, . , - ini ru
tin is la not u
JCWAItH of tl0 d,.,
fiv Im run .n .. "vHr n.
U.friK''aV"ALvra,,"S
In "oUhVr lol'pV.t.Vo" 15
InR to deceive you r U
nuinoinillK jlKt , -z'f
NO IN OITKIU.NO
no li an boiiKiit hi.H I"4!"
to sell on ALliAHtiv.?.'i
inands. ho may not rVJiu!'
nuiauiiuno gn your Hllii ' '
n l'i,ill I,... ' Vi'.nOt M
InfrlnKemt-nt Mtim,yJ't
own rlBht lo make w.ii J
Inir to mix wm, comVjuJ"1"
IHi 1NTI5IUOIJ WAt.lV
every. sPhooll o.m ,h,,T5 .
health. Ilundrcr, 'J.?
used unnually tor thii ...f'
N nUYINO AI.AD,8TINE
that par (! nre nropfrlj a?
beled. Ileware of farf , i.'.t
.........t .."."
ii nun ii imrMritrii i.pk, l.,""
inino Wfr to rutrairi
IMHANCK of wall rnMr i, i
Muted l.v A LA II AHTISE. ti
can Ik un on l iamttS
wood cbIIIiiks. .n k VT.V
yas. A cilM an bruih It
. . ait 00.
flTATILIRIIRD n favor gv
nil Imitation Auk palnl dtf
ordruirKlat for tint erd, Wr5
for "AUtaatlna Km," frM ',!
AI.AHAHTIN'K CO, Ot'Jj
Itopld. Jllchicsn. m
I'ny n f I.h trmxkora.
Tlio luiriimkiii in Atuiria i5
Kihiioo are jmIiI S a day; ra Cirrece t:
ftttnntoiM got (100 n month an) t,
deputies f 50; III (iu'tnnnj isetnUn
ot mini notnes receive about J,;.
ilar; in Denmnik the meuiijcu b( tit
"lamUtlilug" enoli le.f.to about Jjt
day; in Belgium curb tn ember of m
chumboi of teireneiitaiivi yuU fi
month; in Portugal tluiceri arnica,
tilons nre paid the anine mm. wli, ha
about t H58 a year; in Spam vto mtz
hers of the corlet are not p. a. I (oi o:f
tHiivlotM, but enjoy many a lrr.tj;i
nnd Immunitlt; in Hwuwrhnl t
members of the national council t
H CO a day, nml tho council of iU'm,
the lower houoo, f l.flO; in Italy U
funators and denuties are not tullit
all, but nio nllo.vod traveling eiptr.Kt
j.iiKiami I tno only countiy nhm
members of iMwIlitiuetit are not oa!r
unimld, but hnvii no special rlgbti ef
privileges. Chicago Chronicle.
A Man or n M llllalor.
A dlitlngulshed MniiMtchiiielli c'tt-
gyimtn tell n good stoiy at hliovs
exptnieo. Ho wns ou a 1 1 a tup tlirouti
the WJiliu iiiounttiiiia u.tli anotUt
cle'gyimiu for a oomputiiou. Otiedi;
they tuontited the driver' (eat ol I
tngo ooach. As is often tho cm. lit
stugu driver was nn i ntcrestina ci.n
noter whoou convursntion nlounJtJ la
gooil stories. Tho three ineedilr I
tame friendly ami it was with retort
a nco that they parted at the end of Ul
Joiiiney. "I'm glud lr hev met jn
fellers," said tlio driver, on leatic
them. "Ver see, I haven't seen nit
this eutntnor eicoptln' minliteii."
Does nnylxKly doubt thnt thew t(
nier. hud more Influence for sooJot
this drivei than all tho duly unlforotJ
ministers lin had met that euinmet!
Auecdotes and Morals.
Itapruvlnir A rclilililmp.
An English papor tolls hoff thi
nrclibislioj) of Canterbury, some timi
ago entered an East End (Londfla)
church during a weok-night eerrlce,
and, taking a back tout, joined in tt
ing ono of .Moody and Hnnkoy'a hymrx
Next to liim was a workingman who
was singing lustily in tuno. Tlit
piimnto was wiotehodly out of tone,
and lils singing evidently upset lh
workingmnii, who patiently cmlurw
tho discord ns long ns lie conM.
thnn. nn. Ii, Im, tli.i nrnlililulinii.wIllltXI'
ed in liis eat:
.. i i . " ...i.ia.I
' Krn. nre tin. nutw
You'ro sp'iling
Chroniclo.
tlio showC'-ChictiiiO
Only (Inn.
Nlco Young Man (lecturing in
Sunday school) Now, is there anj
littlo boy or ulrl wlio would !ikflc
aak any nuestlons? Well, ltttlo
I seo your bund: would you
like tt
ask?
Small Uoy How much longer
this talkin' going to last?
CollapBO of locttuor. Tit-Hits.
I'roper Trnliiliig.
A tlliat.ir.aa tu Ir.ltllltlfl 1 1 1 fl t VfO
- ui.uiiivca lllllll to UH 'M
littlo eons to repent invailably, in
vorsation, tlio name of tho person to
...i .1 ..... . . 'Vm.
whom tliov aro sncakim. ns
Yes,
Mr. Ilinivi.oill UM,.,l ..rtnrnnnn.
Jin.
Groonoj" "No, Miss Mary," etc. e
insists on this form of courtesy, W'
oauso of tho special value it may be to
..IWIIIIUI UUU1I ..l.v. . ' .
iiiu noys in businoBB lire. 10 -person
nromntlv bv nnino la a eubtn
i. . .1.....0 mav
eoiiipiimou;, which ninny -
linvo a commercial valuo. Ilousewlifl'
A ptovorb found in ono form or a?
othor in ovorv European or AV"
lunu'uni'o liavintr n litornture is ia'
mlllnrlty broods contompt." Its
iest form is bolloyod to bo of tho Bw"
UAIIAHTINU I.
am.