The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-02-23
rrIE sons on HERMANN.
Their Annual Hop Last Evening a
Grand Success.
Scores of Masqueraders Presented an
Odd and Interesting Sight.

1
Grand Success.
Scores Of Masqueraders Presented an
Odd and Interesting Sight.
The Sons of Hermann gave their an
nual ball last night In Fishers Hall,
and besides large number or specta.
tors present about 90 couples were
dancing. The hall was tastefully decor
ated and Utzinger's orchestra rendered
most excellent music for the occasion.
During the early part of the evening
there was perfect jam about the door,
and when the maspueraders started the
grand march they had a comparatively
limited space in mhich to maneuver.
4 There were scores of funny characters
represented, some of them In a most
excellent manner; but aside from the
winning costumes space will not per-
NIT mention. Refreshments were
served during the evening and it goes
without saying that no one went away
hungry. This excellent order includes
in its membership the very best Ger
man element in the city, and their an
nual social hops are always looked for
ward to with keen delight. AS enter
tainers no other people excel them, as
was plainly evident from the manner
in which the big crowd enjoyed them
selves last night and far into the morn
ing.
Following is a list of the prizes
awarded for the best sustained charac-
ters, also the names of those to whom
the prizes were awarded:
Ladies' First Prize-Miss Rosie PEN
mel school girl; silver tea set.
Ladies' Second Prize-Mrs. Captain
Brown, Manila Girl; silver cake dish.
Ladies Third Prize-Miss Maggie Oh
Wis, Free Silver; Silver Pickle Dish.
Gents First Prize-Jack Rifel, Rag
Picker; mantle clock.
Gents Second Prize-Oficer AL. Sea-
feldt, Irishman; Silver Shaving cup.
Gents Third Prize-A. Leberman,
Hard Times" Glass Set
HERMANN SOEHNE.
The question is often asked why the
members of the above lodge call them
selves Sons of Hermann. The history
of the man after whom the lodge takes
its name is interesting in the extreme,
which, briefly told, is as follows:
At the commencement of the Chris
tian era, the Romans were considered
the most powerful people in existence.
They were advanced in civilization and
made war on the weaker and more
ignorant neighbors thus keeping them
in subsection. This was especially so
with the Germans, who at that time
were semi-civilized people, and were
kept constantly under the grinding foot
of the naughty and insolent Romans,
who compelled them to pay tribute to
their emperors. The Romans knew of
the war-like nature of their German
neighbors; also that they were a race
with strong family love, and would die
for the sake of their countrymen. But
kthey were not skilled in warfare, and
1t was here the Romans had the ad-
vantage, and kept it by compelling,
from time to time, the young German
mobiles to go to Rome, where they were
held as hostages as a security of peace
of the different tribes.
1t so happened that Hermann the
faIxt
German, was among the unfortunate
members of the German tribes who
were held as captives at Rome. He
was of an observing mind, and during
mis- exile from his native land, he
watched and studied. He wondered at
first why so insignificant a nation as
Rome should hold in subsection the
powerful tribes Of Germany, and when
he saw how devoid of all honor and
morals they were, his wonder grew
into amaZement But further study of
their nature and institutions soon con-
vinoed Hermann that the Roman sue
cess had been but a trick of war;; they
were skilled they were united. I'm
unity there is strength" thought Her
mann, and it was with this thought IN
view that he set to work for the free
dom Of his countrymen. BY the time
he returned home, ne had gained con-
siderable knowledge of the science OF
warfare, and no sooner was his foot on
his native soil than he began forming
a plan which was quickly put into
execution. Going from tribe to tribe,
from chieftain to chieftain, he enlisted
having arranged all the prellminaries,
a tribe residing far north was ordered
to rebel against their old enemy the
Romans. The emperor of Rome hear
ing of the uprising among the tribes
in the north of Germany, hastily sum
moned his trusted general, Warns, and
sent him. with 100000 picked men, to
punish the Germans. He started on
his mission through the dense forests,
treacherous swamps; country without
roads, and finally after many hard
ships, the vast army reached as far
north as the Pentoburger Wald. Here
the Germans. who were in ambush,
with their savage war cry, set upon the
tired. half-exhausted and unsuspecting !
Warns and his army, and fought unlike
Germans had ever fought before. Like |
demons, the long7sufrering followers OF
Hermann battled with the Romans, the
latter falling like wheat before the
sickle, When General Warns saw there
was no hope for his people, he run his
own sword through his breast, pre-
ferring death at his own hands rather
than a worse fate that awaited him at
the hands OF the enemy, who in those
days offered up as a sacrifice to their