St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-09-14

The record OF the conflict there
Filled with heroism the heavenly air.
Boldly written were the words at length,
Which told of valor, in the strength
OF valiant men, whose arms strong,
Beat back secession and tempted wrong.
No regiment could greater prOwess show,
None did Drawer meet the foe
Others fought for right, the same
But 'mong them all, no better name
1 Was found to grace the scroll you see,
/ Than the gallant old Eighth's history"
The scene at length, which came and went,
Seemed like a benedistiOn sent
To hallOw now the veterans thought,
Which all these dreamy moments brought.
BrOOding willows, with shadows deep
Fell over mounds where soldiers sleep.
Sympathetic flowers, in beauty rare.
Breathe their fragrance on the hmpid air
Marble and stone, and cross
Tell the story of our country loss.
Intently watching the changing light,
A cloud of white appeared in sight.
Across the cloud he quickly read
This tribute to the honored dead:
Here rest your comrades. Their memory keep
Till you with them shall drop to sleep.
The cause their death doth ever tell !"
Then while these words he slowly read
a lettered arch 'peared overhead.
The picture vanished in mary air,
And I'm MemOriam" were written there.
His dream was Ger, and with open eyes
The vetran looked into the azure skies
That there, perhaps, he might see
These scenes depicted in reality.
Nothing was there but the same deep blue
But in his soul he did renew
A deeper devotion TO his country dear,
A warmer love for his comrades here.
There's a mystic cord, strong and fast,
That binds to the shadOwy past.
This tie extends to the future land
And makes all united band
OF brothers. And whether here,
Mid thinning ranks there appear
Beyond the power of earthly sight
Yet comrades still, for right;
And in our hearts, so let us be,
Comrades true for eternity.
The toasts and responses were as
follows:
Our Commonwealth - Defended in
war, governed in peace.
Responded to by Ex-Governor Farm
ham.
Our Sister Regiments - Equally
brave, always ready.
Responded to by Ex-Governor Proc
tor, Secretary of State Nichols and
Internal Revenue Collector John c..
Stearns.
The old Eighth Regiment.
Responded to by General Thomas.
Our Beloved Colonel-First in war,
first in peace, and first in the hearts of
all who followed him.
Responded to by Colonel John b.
Mead.
A goose story was told by Comrade
Perrigo, and Lieutenant Colonel A. b.
Franklin sang "The Sword of Bunker
Hill.' The gathering was highly en-
IiOyable'One i'll every respect, and will
long be pleasantly remembered by the
members of the Old Eighth.
THE sEMI-ANNUAL ENGAGEMENT
of the 6. A. X. was held at Odd Eel
lows hall on Thursday evening, over
two hundred being present. Some
matters of interest relative to the order
were discussed, and interesting re-
marks were made by Past Commander
Patch of Massachusetts. After the
routine business and speech making,
there was an eXemplification of the
secret work by Chamberlin post.
RECEPTION TO GOV. BARsTOw.
One of the pleasant events connected
with the muster, and one of the most
brilliant social events that has taken
place here for some time, was the re-
ceptiOn given at the residence of Col
onel and Mrs. F. Fayette Fletcher, on
Thursday evening, in honor of Gov.
Barstow. The grounds were brilliant.
ly Illuminated with Chinese lanterns,
and choice music from the st. Johns
bury band, under the direction of w.
II. Herrick, who made their appear
anu uhA IN bhN lhAbCi Bttl L vi OiiC CIV Cll-
ing, was an unlooked-for pleasure and
contributed much to the enjoyment of
the occasion. The cOlOnel's residence
was thrOnged with guests to pay their
respects to the chief executive, and
Colonies Goulding, Woodbury. and
Gilmore of the governors staff assisted
Colonel and Mrs. Fletcher, the govern
or, and Colonel Frederick Fletcher, the
father of the host, in receiving the
served in the dining room. Among
the distinguished guests present were
eX-GOvernOrs Roswell Farnham and
Redfield Proctor, Lieutenant G OvernOr
S. E. Pingree, State Treasurer w. II.
Dubois, Secretary of State George
Nichols, Auditor E. Henry Powell, Hon.
VIM. p. Dillingham;, Brigadier- G eneral
l.. G.. Kingsley and staff, Adjutant-
General 7. S. Peck, Quartermaster-
General H. X. Ide, Lieutenant Colonel
Julius j. Estey, Major Morse of Bur-
lington, Colonel F. E. Smith of Mont
pelier, Lieutenant H. E. Tutherly, U.
S. A., Major C.. II. Fincke of the
Twenty-Third New York regiment,
who represents the Army and Navy
Journal, Colonel F. d. Proctor of Rut-
land and the field and staff and COM
pany officers of the first regiment,
Major John c. Stearns, Major A. B.
Valentine, Hon. Charles Thatcher of
Bennington, Rev. Howard F. Hill of
Montpelier, Hon. G. G. Benedict of
RurIi nmtnn aud a lnrmn mum, har Of tLo