Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-03-24
Letter from Main Street.
MIFFLISrowS, March %, 1880.

hHfLiNToWN, March -, 1880.
Editor Sentinet and Republican:
The fost of the q. A. K. gave their sec
ond entertainment in the Court Honse n,
Saturday evening. 1t was the better enter
tsinment of the two, and the crowd of 40,
people that attended is certain indication
that the next entertainment will draw a,
large a crowd as the second one drew.
The soldier is sort of focal point
upon which the attention of people is easily
directed. yet have distinct recollection
of meeting or two of the old-time Militia
muster, and on both occasions the central
figure of the procession, or parade, was a
revolutionary soldier, in Colonial soldier
dress, and the most thrilling incident of the
Reunion of the Veterans last autumn was
the occasion of the appearance and intro.
duction of John L. Stephenson, of Port
Royal, a veteran soldier of the war of 1872.
So it will be in the course Of generation.
when the membership of the Post will have
been reduced by the certain hand of time
10 the last member, he viii be the central
figure and the object of general attention
on all occasions that refer 10 the life or
work Of the soldier. There is some mys-
terious influence about the life of the SOL
dier that fascinates the people of his day,
and which gets the hearty attention of gen.
erations that come after him. Flesh and
blood love life, and the man who can GO
down where death stalks abroad with a mer-
ciess hand, gets abeve the feelings of flesh
and blood, into the realms of the spirit land.
The man who laughs at the misfortunes and
revolutions of life when they overwhelm
HIM, and goes unconcernedly where death
deals its blows most frequently, has always
been looked upon as hero. The coward
hOrors such a man for he feels that such
spirit is not in him. The brave man looks
up TO such a man, for he knows how hard it
is TO smile complacently at the misfortunes
of life and havoc of death.
The earliest records tell of the deeds of
soldiers, aud people of the past did not tire
of the tales of deeds of brave men. Peo-
pie to-day love to hear them, and people
yet to come will pass along in the same
groove. There is no getting away from the
mysterious truths which are so faithfully
mir-ored in the historic records. Almost
from time out of date We have records that
sing aud speak of the achievements of the
soldier. A number of the college text
books are devoted to tales of heroic deeds
of soldiers of the past. Beginning with
Homer, who tells of how Paris, son OF
Priam, King of Troy, was on visit to Men
claus, King of Sparta, and how Prism and
Helen, wife of Menelaus, by loves intrigue
planned and carried out successful elope-
Inent, whereby Helen went with Paris to
Troy, and how the Greek tribes united in a
war against Troy that lasted twenty years.
1t is the record Of $500 years, record
that comes up from period of 400 years
before Christ, and yet to-day the tale of
the soldiers around the walls of Troy are
among the College Textbook requirements,
and no mans fund of information is con-
sidered complete without a knowledge OF
them. could quote you piles of records
from that lint on down to this, of the tales
of the doiugs of the soldiers.
1t is a pleasant reflection, then to make,
that when people flock to attend the sol
diers' exhibitions IN the Court House, they
are treading in the old-time ways of the
people of all past ages l had time to real
ize all that when stood in the Court House
last Saturday evening, awaiting the piece
that followed the battle scene. 1t was
relief 10 the imitation scene of battle and
death, wien DeHuff appeared, singing one
of his jolly songs. The defamation OF lad
Leone Lemon was well chosen and well
said. A song by nine little girls, 50 When
this Cruel War is Over" was sung with
pathos, as if the singers had lived through
the war and felt a longing for the close OF
the war. The defamation by DIR. Rodgers
was well done. Comrade II. A. StamDaugh's
account of the naval battle below Ne" Or
leans, by which possession of that CITY was
regained, was piece of instructive history,
the only defect of which ms In Its brevity.
A number of comrades sang " Marching
Through Georgia." with a vim such as only
a company of comrades can put INTO lhe
song. An instructive and amusing scene
was that which represented picket post,
shelter tent, campfire, and soldiers lying
and sitting about in groups TO suit them
selves, playing cards, reading, writing let
tiers, and a group earnestly engaged in sing
ing GO Hang JEFF Davis on Sour Apple
Tree" The sour apple tree song thought
was exceedingly goods it reminded me oil
the DAYS in the autumn OF 1867, when
heard brigade of Militiamen on the pike
between Hagerstown and Cumberland sing
the same song, and cut it off short when
the officer in command halted them and
gave the order to load, supplementing the
command with the piece of information
that ssthe Rebels art in front, and nope
YOU will all stand by me-" The brigade
never after said word about JEFF Davis on
a sour apple tree till they had turned Their
hacks on the Potomac and were again
marching homeward. The same song in
the Court House, on Saturua. hiSH' was Nu'
off about as unceremoniously when the
sentinel brought in two ''contrabands,' col
ored prisoners from Dixie Land. The SOL
diers received them kindly, and the new
comers were made happy and were induig-
ing in a dance when the curtain was drawn
upon the scene
The court martial and execution of de
serter was the best played piece that saw.
The PREDATORY remarks of DIR. Atkinson
Commander of the Post, as he stood on the
right of squad of veterans in uniform,
fully equipped and armed, was satisiac-
tory history of the growth of desertion IN
the army and the means used to suppress IT,
1t was piece of information that lew are
acouainted with. The company OF soldiers,