128 TEANSACTIONS OP THE ILLINOIS 



Flowers in spring-time, bursting from their wintry tomb into 

 new life, are typical of the resurrection of the dead. They have been 

 the favorite theme of poets in all ages, and have inspired the highest 

 efforts of art. The sculptor has reproduced their graceful form, but 

 his creations are cold and lifeless as the marble in which they are en- 

 graved. The painter, with skill almost miraculous, has represented 

 them in pictures which excite our admiration; but the canvas does 

 not reflect back their fragrance nor the lustrous tints which the light 

 and dews of heaven only can impart. The prattling infant delights 

 in them, and gains from them his first perception of beauty. We 

 naturally associate them with the spring-time of life. The flowers 

 which adorn our childhood hours are pictured in memory in imper- 

 ishable colors. They vividly recall, in after years, the scenes and 

 friends of those happy, innocent days, and the faces and forms of 

 loved ones who have passed to their final rest. In youth^ bright with 

 hope, amid the active duties of maturer years, and in the autumn of 

 life, they are sweet companions and a constant source of pleasure. 

 They bring joy to the sick and afflicted, and whisper sweet consola- 

 tion to those who mourn. With them we beautify our homes, our 

 church, our schools and our festive halls. 



Emblems of purity, love and joy, we use them to adorn the 

 bride; tokens of immortality and of love which survive the grave, 

 we use them in the sad funeral rites and to ornament the last rest- 

 ing place of departed friends. Joyous and significant is the time- 

 honored festival which ushers in the month of flowers. But solemn 

 and more significant is our national anniversary which marks its 

 close. Impressive and beautiful are the rites of Decoration Day. 

 The flowers strewn on our soldiers' graves are the emblems of love 

 and gratitude in which their memory is embalmed, and tokens that in 

 the last day our dead heroes will rise from their tombs and pass in 

 final review before the Great Captain of the heavenl}^ hosts. 



To what nobler, holier use can we devote our floral treasures 

 than to perpetuate and hallow the fame of those who died for our 

 country? With the coming of each spring, as the years roll by. 

 Nature will cover with her choicest blossoms the nameless graves of 

 those 



"Who in mountain and hillside and dell 

 Rest where they weaned, and lie where they fell." 



How appropriate are the pathetic verses of the poet Carlton: 



" Roses and lillies 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 tlowers." 



Let us hold closer communion with these beautiful gems of 

 nature and drink more deeply of their '' sublime lore." Let them 



