The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-05

Complimentary Reception by the Citizens
Of Indianapolis to the Officers and Dele
gates Of the Twenty Annual En-
campment of the Grand Army of the Re-
public" very long title for so simple an
affair. but extremely short when one begins
60 recall all the enjoyme of the evening.
IL seemed simple, because it was such O
jolly. good natured crowd of brave boys
IN blue" and fair wives and daughters,
sisters and sweethearts. They were un-
affectedIy enjoying the generous feast of
hospitality. There was no atmosph ere of
strsining to entertain. and not the least
formslity In accepting what was so lavish
ly offered. That was why the boys called
fs "magnifcent' and splendid"
Tomlinson Hall never looked so well be-
fore; perhaps it will never look so well
again. The canopy of star-gemmed blue,
reaching its blushing ends to the side
walls. looked like the azure vault of heaven
on q moonless night, such as the boys used
TO see as they lay In their tents way down
IN Dixie. They used to hunt out the
stars that are made familiar to all chill
dren, and wonder If the ''old folks at
home" were looking at them too. There
were silver wreaths and battle axes mixed
mp with festOons of flags. and then there
were more flags. The natural concomitant
of flag Is blue uniform and brass but
tons. and they were there by the hundreds.
with srizzled old fellows inside of them.
''Veterans" they are call d, and because of
the flags and the silver wreaths, the blue
uniform of '6l and the veterans of the CIV
IL war. Tomlinson Hall reached the height
of all her glory last evening. It can never
be just as splendid again, because 1t will
never again shelter Just such crowd of
loyal men and women.
The scene was an impressive one. There
was not q man there last night who had q
right TO wear the Grand Army button who
will ever see fifty again. In the grand
march. which was grand indeed, be-
cause of the military step of hun
dreds of men who learned TO
march to the tune of fife and drum
there were empty sleeves. SCARED faces,
and q few canes. One or two veterans took
a round on crutches They got there" Just
the same though the legs and arms lett
on ShilOh's dark snd bloody ground. at
Getty sburg. at Antietam or at Richmond
were all back and they were sound as ever.
They laughed the "nigger IN the barn
yard till their sides were sore. They
cracked jokes at each others expense. and
when the music was particularly inspiring
danced quiet little jigs OFT in corner To
relieve their supercharged hearts. TEey
forgot the pain OF unhealed wounds. the
missing mem oers of their bodies the prI-
vaNons ana dangers of army life. They
only remembered that they were alive.
reasonably healthy and altogether happy
In being able 10 greet each other, say
"comrade" and grip each others hands.
A..r L. - Ill
war had cost these men and honored them
accordingly.
They enjoyed the programme planned
from start 20 finish. They cheeTrd the sOngs
TO the echo. and the speeches struck them
exactly I'm the II x ht SPOT. And W nen General
Harrison came forward why The people
MP about the mon ument tnought that Sher-
man must have gone into Atlanta again,
or thst Richmond bad fsllen.
Mayor Sullivan introduced General Har-
rison IN weIl-chosen words follows:
Ladies' and Gentlemen-fhe exceedingly
nisasant duty has been assigned me Of present