Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-19

Of reBh visitors, who came from far and
near, as the difensat railroads running
into Chicago alternated in issuing half
fare tickets; and the Concerts, and the re-
volVing Tebleaux, and the Governors din
ner, and Anna Dickinson's 0rations: are
they not ell written in the newspapers?
But my dear Reporter, did you hear how,
after two weeks Of triumphant progress,
the great Fair went out in blaze OF glo-
ry2 Did you hear about its fnale2 Have
you, in short, any adequate idea Of the
dinner to the Folders" with which it
concluded If not then "season your adj
miration for awhile with sn sttent ear"
and let me tell you the story.
Well they were all invited, and they all
eame-'the boys"-some six hundred Of
them-from Camp Douglas, and the Ma
rine Hospital, and the Soldiers Home, and
all about; the well, and the sick too, poor
fellows, as many as could, and some that
bore touching evidence Of having indeed
fought for their country. There were
lame ones, and MANNED ones, and God
help them, blind ones too; and the seventy
or eighty pretty waiter-girls "from the
best families" who had clapped their hands
so vociferously when the dinner was first
proposed, and who wore small white aprons
and smaller white caps, looked as though
they felt they could not do enough for
the brave fellows 50 welcome attheir tables.
Brave boys are they" crashed the band:
"a stiffness, and grace is said, and the
pretty waiter-girls were darting off for
soup-but no; somebody WAS about TO
speak. So the boys seated at the table, and
the pretty waiter-girls standing behind
them, and the spectators providing every
inch Of room not occupied by these, locked
to see who it should be, that thus presumed
TO delay good dinner, and 10 Anna Dick
inson rose above them. Fair young girl
noble woman Eyes no longer blazing,
but suffused with tears-voioe no longer
defiant but faltering with emotion-she
looked around upon those MANNED, bat
tered fellows, and thanked them for what
they had done in the cause 80 dear to her
and to them. As sbe proceeded, tears stood
in the eyes Of the soldiers-tears ran down
the cheeks Of the waiter-girls, and as the
crowd Of spectators swayed to and fro,
whenever it opened for moment, could be
seen men with quivering lips, and women
strongly sgitsted. One of the girls sank
on her knees by my side and leaning
against me sobbing 80 heavily, that to
soothe her 1 placed my hand on her head,
and thus we wept together. Anna Dick
inson was done-the band struck up-snd
now for oyster soup, and fish, turkeys,
ham, goose, chickens, game and vegetables,
and all maneer Of pies, puddings, pre-
serves, jellies and ices
But the boys did not each much, as was
evidenced by the shortness Of the dinner.
The pretty waiter girls coaxed and plead
ed, but no; the boys all seemed to have an
idea that something better then even a
dinner like that was coming, and would
take nothing more. So Chaplain Day, be-
gan "the after-dinner talk" BY proposing
'three cheers for Abraham Encoln-a
diamond in the rough |" Everybody in
the Hall hurrahd from the depth of their
hearts. "Now boys" said Chaplain Day,
doyou give three cheers for the Ladies' Of
the Northwestern Fair" So the eentler
portion Of the assembly listened, and q
thunder Of bass voices shook the Hall.
Struck undoubtedly by the exclusive man
ishness Of this last hurrah, somebody else
said, "Wont the Ladies' give three cheers
for the Soldier32" No sooner said than
done, three penetrating trebbls cheers cut
the air, and the girls in their enthusiasm
caught the miniature flags from the tables,
and waved them as they hurrahed. "Boys"
said Chaplain Day, "osn't you give the La
dies now, q specimen Of the yell with
which you 60 into bsttle?' And they
yelled-and one pretty waiter-girl said
she "did no. wonder that the rebels evac-
usted so often"
By this time the excitement hsd reached
such pitch, that music was its only ade-
quate vent. "BoysI sing the Red, White
and Blue for the ladies'" exclaimed Chap
lain Day. So they sang it to an orchestral
accompaniment. "Now ladies, wont you
sing Rally Round the Flag Boys was the
next demand, Immediately complied with
by chorus of sopranos. This done, some
one said, 1--WE must not forget our dead, in
bsttle, and in hospital-let US sing for
them, "Prsise God from whom all blessings
how," and 80, to the ancient grand Old
Hundred, with full hearts, and overhowing
eyes, that q thousand or two Of men and
women Joined in dirge for the dead, that
was yet Thanksgiving. Feelings unutter-
able, thoughts impossible of translation into
swelled every heart, and all listen
ed to the concluding symphony, in sort Of
rapt silence. AS the last note died on the
ear, the boys broke away, saying as they
passed out, while one Of the ladies within
wss assuring them that thus would the
women of the Northwest care for them,
not only to the end Of the war, but as long
as life should last-"0hl we will try to be
worthy Of all tbis-we will show you on
the next battle field whether we deserve
such Kindness" and thus exclaiming they
parted. After which, the ladies folded
away their handkerchiefs, and said with
tremulous voices--HI would not have
missed this for five years Of my life"
And so ended the Soldiers dinner Of the
Northwestern Fair.
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