The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-06-11
DEPARTMENT GLEANINGS.


ttil IN our teens you will at once we have been
growing.
come now 10 give you few items Of our annual
Convention, when 50 many loving and joyoss
hearts met at the beautiful seaside where Astoria
proudly sits as guardian Of the great Columbia
At Portland a steamer was chartered to take the
delegates to the EncRmpment and Convention.
When all were on board We found the steamer was
filled To its utmost capacity aud n moro rOllickinR
hand Of school-childrcn never cOHgTegated than
were we, brave old boys" and eills, on board
that steamer. The inspiring music OF the old war
songs was soon heard on all sides, and did not
cease until near dawn OF day, when for a short
time silence reigned supreme. As the boat landed
In the early morning every one seemed To be in a
hurry 10 get on shore hrst, and soon ne were es-
cored To the hotels where NIL the good things from
and land were placed before US, 10 all OF which
we did ample justice.
The good people Of Astoria had decorated their
city most mRGniGeently. and "Welcome GAR
and W.RC." were displayed everywhere. We hTst
assembled 20 hear an address Of welcome given by
the Mayor at the Opera House, which WAS happily
responded To by T.. W. Allen Of Portland. Other
snort addresses followed by comrades. Ihen our
Department President was called upon, and re-
spOnded for our Order A miniature cannon. made
entirely Of flowers. grRced the stand and was
lovely and artistic flower piece.
When the Convention was called to order by De-
phrtment President Mary II. Ellis. and the roll
called, we found there were s. delegates and voting
members present, which. with visiting members,
gave MS abOCt 50 In Convention. The reports OF
the officers showed that the year had been most
prosperous one. for the number Of members had
nearly doubled, with three Corps waiting To come
In. We held an evening session. dispatched vast
amount Of business then adjourned, 20 meet next
morning TO elect officers for the ensuing year.
Three candidates were presented for the Presi-
dency, aud when tie ballots counted u was
found that Fannie +. Louusbury, OF Portland, was
elected. Eliza A. Caukiu. OF Portland was elected
Treasurer. Ada :. BuiteTGeld. Of Portland. was
appointed Secretary Our Convention was mos.
harmonious, all the members seeming IN happy
accord Ia working for tie good OF our grand ana
noble Order.
An excursion had been planned for the delegates
ofthe two organizations. which was most success
after Convention closed.
Government steamer, which Is on duty at that
place. gave us a trip over the famous bar at the
mouth OF the Columbia. Those who avated them.
selves Of the opportunity To this vast body OF
water flow into the ocean. enjoyed the trip exceed
ingly. The water was smooth. the air fresh and
bFacing, and The views fine. Returning, the pas
sengcrs were landed at Fort Stevens. where tho
tetty Is being built, Of which the whole world
knows There we went aboard the cars. and took
a trip Of four miles out to a railroad. That
was the experience Of lifetime. Only a little
pling driven down ia the sand, some timbers to
hold them together and the iron rails for the cars
only these and nothing more" between Us and
the great white waves which came with such force
against the timber~ and seemed 90 hungry tn swai-
low ~ up. Occasionally, when the water would
DE little smooth, would n lion raise his
1 head from the water and look wonderingiy At US
| for n moment. then dash away out OF sight. A
train OF rocks followed the passenger train, and
were dumped nj their destination that we might
get an idea as TO how the jetty was built As one
monster rock was cast into the sea, II struck the
piling and gave us quite jnr. The spray rose in
perfect cloud and the wafer few in all directions.
very short time sutieed To satisfy our curiosity,
and we were all glad Ia reach solid ground once
more. especially the ladies Of the party. The good
people Of Astoria had prepared n sumptuOus ban
4 quet Tor the evening a. the Opera House. There
was c am cho WIDER. crabs oysteT- and all the be-
longngs Of ocean lfe In fact everything to please
| the eye and taste.
Rotations had been arranged and WAS most sue
ccssfully carried out. We enjoyed the whole even
Ing immensely, but were obliged to 20 aboard the
steamer all too soon, before the program was
/ finished.
/ With many pleasing memories in our hearts Of
our visit To Astoria and the friends met there,
we went aboard. tired but still merry crowd.
| When we woke nett morning We found ourselves
| In Portland, where We babe each other farewell,
hoping to meet la Convention next year ~ the
Capital OF our growing Slate.-Sarah T. Miller,
Past Department President.
TWO GRATEFUL cOMRADEs
The following letter, received by the National
President. will be read with interest by every
member OF the Order:
MARY STARS McTIESRY.
President National wRC
! DEAR MADAM: take this occasion to return you
| aud the W.RC. my sincere thanks for the hnRn-
cial aid rendered me la my great peril OF life by
| you aud your generous Organization. have been
honorahy acquitted and restored TO my family, for
| which happy result am surely Indebted TO my
/ comrades Of the G. r. and WRC You "A. <
about Elias NJ. Wells aud his case He was first
| tried at Dardanelle. Ark, and convicted and sem
| fenced 10 be hung HE case was appealed 10 the
| change OF venue wRS taken To Clarksville. Ark.
| At anew trial in the latter paTt Of December lie
| was again convicted. bat only OF murder in the
second degree in this last trial His has again
| been appealed To the Supreme Court. His leading
attorney, Col. j. p. Bycr-. also OF the at
| toruevs la nv trial and sometime ago he was
| talking 20 me about the Wells CAGE and expressed
| himself being satisfied that he would yet be
| quilted. have great confidence in his judgment.
and 4 therefore believe Wells will be cleared.
! am personally acquainted with Elias Wells and
his wife. / became acquainted with them about Is
years ago la Yell COunty. and stopped several
| days at their house, and at that time they were
| reasonably well or ] found them TO be hospita-
| bic, kiudhenrted. hard working people, and have
| met him several times since then and from my
| acquaintance and knowledge Of the man ! am sat
| ishsd he ought TO he acquitted, because know lac
| 10 not a bad man and has not bad heart. They
are now completely broken up, and she spends tile
| most Of her time in Alma among friends and from
what can learn has the general sympathy Of the
| people Of the town.
Again thanking yOu for your kindness / remain
| gratefully yours, In r.. Z. and l.,
LINDSEY GIBSON.
ALL ALONG THE LINE.
Reports come to us Of grieyous disappointment
| over the Memorial flags issued by order Of the
committee appointed by eighth annual Convention
| These fags said TO be red cross a white
ground, " like the Red Cross hospital flag" as one
friend writes. our correspondents claim that what
Il wanted AZ a marker IL the good old flag" with
the letters " re-" or the Maltese cross printed
thereon. And why should we not mark tile graves
Of sisters with the flag Of their love? The
Il
sister. snd 80 say we. Give u the flag sisters Of
the ninth National Convention, W .RCl
"Wednesday evening. May 20, reception was
rendered by Phil H. Sheridan Post i2s to Past
President Alice G. Whitaker. unanimously elected
al Steubenville o. TO the Office Of Senior Vice De.
pArtment President The addresses Of the evening
| congratulated President Whitaker aud Pull II.
| Sheridan Corps, l25, upon honor so lttingIy
| conferred, to which size responded in few clio,
| queut words Of thanks, expressing the earnest
| wish that this banner Department Of the Nation
might never stand second In loyalty and good
works Some fine Tecitations and IA usic com pIetet
| the program 81 the evening.
| Past National President Emma Stark Hampton
| Chairman Committee on Accommodations for the
| ninth National Convention W.RC.. has deyi.ed q
| card TO be used by delegates and others securing
entertainment through the Committee. This card
gives full aud complete information as to location
street oars necessary to take description Of house
aud every thing that could be desired To know ant
IL accompanied by map Of Detroit. Mrs. Hamp
| ton IL receiving many compliments on the card
| Past National President Annie WittenmyeT made
the Memorial Day address at DenisOn. Iowa under
the auspices OF the Post, Corps and Citizens Com
mitee. Al the decoration OF the eenOtaph thi
response WAS made by National President MarJ
Mcli.ury.
Henry Dillon Corps. No. l65, Emmetsburg. Iowa