Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-09-26

Squire is big man now, but an hundred
years hence, with all his accumulated re-
cords in print, he will be a bigger man still.
In his halcyon youthful days McAlisterville
was the frequent resorting place for great
gatherings. The militia corn stalk musters
frequently took place there. Battalion day
drew great crowds ofpeople. In one sense
they were reunion days, not, to be sure,
Reunion days of men that had passed
through the battles strife, excepting here
and there hero Of 1912 or 1776 that might
yet then be among the living, but they were
re union days for training in anticipation
of impending foreign troubles such as their
fathers had passed through. "Batalion
days" were passing away about the time
began to look about me. The only militia
muster ever witnessed was at McAlister-
vile. 1t was the first drive that recolieet
sout the valley" In the wagon going out,
was Captain Mcclellan, then boy, in SOL
dier uniform. In passing David Banks,
who, with other people, was making road
beyond his house, Mcclellan proposed three
cheers for Mr., Banks. Everybody on tho
wagon shouted. l do not know whether
Banks was an old soldier. Mcclellan knows.
On that day battalion was formed and man
Guvered on the farm Of Montgomery Jami-
son. DR.. Fisher was one of the young
bloods of the town and rode black horse,
perhaps he can recall the year. There was
a cannon house short distance beyond the
town in which n cannon, of 1912 was kept
The boys looked at it with great respect
every time they passed it. 1t was one of
the kind that did not need to be hauled on
spring wagon to keep it from being Jostled
TO pieces on a rough road. 1t was no pop
gun. IL was said that the fathers had used
line OF local historical association, and re-
collection, beginning with the Indians, and
crowning with the S. o. School, as evil
dence of all the great struggles through
which the American people have passed
McAlisterville was proper place to hold
TUE REUNION.
On the 2cth day of September, 1888,
which was last Thursday. The day was a
beautiful one, and the turn cut of people
was large beyond expectation. Men 20
years of age have not seen so many people
in the place at one time. People from all
parts OF the county were there, and as to
sex they were nearly equally divided. The
amount of counting done on the street was
never equaled in the east end of the coun.
ty. Tho sweetest looks comes from the
people Of the lower end. The Scotch-Irish
of Tuscarora, as they may be seen at the
annual gathering on Pannebakcr's Island,
and at Port Royal Fair, court well by eyo and
gesture. but the Pennsylvania Dutch of the |
lower end exceed them in expressing the |
gentler feeling of the heart through eyes |
and gesture. There was a great deal Of |
drinking, and great deal of lighting done |
by visiting bloods. The Post from this |
their piece of artillery to the great satisfac-
tiOn OF hundreds of men and women who !
had never seen or heard the roar of 4 can
non. Judge Watts, however, had his din /
ler disturbed by the wicked discharge of
he cannon, when it broke four paues OF /
glass in a window OF his house. Members
IF the Oriental Post, and members of the
Post in Miiiiin county, and soldiers from all
he adjoining counties were present, and
here was more music in the place than had
sver before assembled at one point in Juni-
'ta. 1t was stunning. The veterans could
Tot march steadily for its sweet nngling
ounds. The music OF six brass bands hll-
ID all the valley with sweet sounds. A
'and from Middlebarg. Snyder county, was
,reSeBt. The Milier>lowu, Perry county,
,and was there. The Fremont, SNYDER
county, band joined in the happy time. The
iichiieid band performed its part as If il I
lad been there before. The Port Roval
,Ind discoursed its music in a way that il
las few equals, and the McAlistcrville band
vas equal 10 the courtesies that were re-
Iuired OF il as musical host. The business
meeting OF the veterans in the morning was
leld in the Academy. The afternoon "a
ade was grand one, for the place. Col.
iobison was marshall, assisted by John T.
Sourse, Harry Moore, Luke Davis and
Robert Humphrey. L. I. Davis, and Rev.
delivered addresses 10 the null
itude that assembled in the grove adjacent
o town after the parade. A meeting was
ield in the grove in the evening by torch
ight. Ii was the time for camp fire stories
nd "Reminiscences. A number of preachers
we're present, all the editors excepting the
ditor OF the SENTINEL AND REprBLIcAx
we're there. Prominent citizens in all the
walks OF life were present. Congressman
Atkinson Was present. II is so rare thing
or Juniata TO have a Congressman, that
enjoyed getting up TO, and sit
ing around their own Congressional swine
md fig tree" Atkinson is genial sort of
man, and the boys like him. When he
was boy surgeon in the army, he got to
like the hearty meetings OF citizen soldiers.
n camp, and now that the war is over, he al
ows no chance TO escape the reunions OF
comrades. With all that he is a man OF abil-
ty far above the ability of the average Con-
,ressman. But am trespassing too length
" upon your space. A hundred incidents
night be mentioned, but forbear.
Respectfully yours,
MAIN STREET.