The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-07-13
The G. A. *. Campfire.

The events of last Thursday afternoon
and evening will long be remembered
by the citizens of Paw Paw. AS had
been announced, Department Comman-
der Dean arrived at p. m. and was at
once escorted to the elegant home of
Hon. and Mrs. Charles l.. Eaton, where
general reception was given him
from $3.50 to $50. Grand Army men of
Paw Paw and our neighboring villages,
together with prominent citizens, called
to pay their respects to the distinguish
ed visitor who had happy word and
cheerful smile for each The visitors
lounged and chatted on the broad piazza
and on the lawn in front, the converse
ton being punctuated by the strains of
soft music emanating from the parlOrs.
Ice cream, cake and lemonade were
served, and box of fragrant Havanas
furnished the climax.
The opera house was beautifully
decorated with flags, bunting and flow
ers, and at about 7:30 the tide of
humanity set thitherward. Some
twenty or thirty prominent Grand Army
men and citizens occupied the stage,
while the body of the house, including
the galleries, was filled by our best
citizens and visitors from neighboring
towns Delegations of Grand Army
men were present from Marcellus,
Dowagiac, Decatur, Lawton, Mattawan,
Gobleville, Bloomingdale, Bangor,
South Haven, Covert, ST. Joseph, Ben
ton Harbor, Niles, Hartford, and Law
renee, and all expressed themselves on
leaving as having enjoyed a most de-
lightful afternoon and evening.
President r. w. Broughton, in be-
half of the village, welcomed the Wis
itors in neat and appropriate speech
which was received with tumultuous
applause. Following him came Judge
Heckert, Past Department Commander
Eaton, Col. Dean, Past j. V. Comman-
der Marston of st. Joe, and Comrade
G.. p Linderman. The Paw Paw male
quartet rendered in their best style sew
eral selections, Mrs. Ida Hudson ac-
companying on the piano. Col. Haw-
kins sang the Sword of Bunker Hill,"
and Marquis Eaton gave recitation
that was cheered to the echo.
Towards the close of Col. Deans adj
dress he said he had something of
little different character to presents and
asked Comrade Eaton to step to the
front. On his compliance, Col. Dean
took morocco case from his pocket
and in happy vein of speech present
ed Mr.. Eaton with a Past Department
Commanders badge which had been
voted by the Council of Administration
at its last meeting and which had been
manufactured expressly to their order.
The badge is of the usual q. A. X. pat
tern, made of the finest gold, the rank
strap and five-pointed star being sus-
pended from the eagle and crossed can
non by delicate chains of the same
precious metal. Below the rank badge
and attached to it 10y Il tiny gold chain
is the corps badge in gold and enamel.
On the reverse of the star is the legend,
&c. l.. Eaton, Past Department Com
mander, Michigan g. A. r." 1t is not
often that Charles H. Eaton is non
plussed or put in a place where he
can't tell what he thinks, but the pre-
sentation of this badge took him So
completely by surprise that, for the
moment, he could only stammer his
thanks. Collecting himself finally,
however, he responded in fitting words
to the tlattering terms employed by
Col. Dean. The incident was one of
the most pleasant of the evening.
america" was sung by the quartet
and the audience, and Rev. Jones pro.
nOunced the benedictiOn.