The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-06-20
THE SECOND DAY.
u
\ GREAT DAY FOR WOR-
THINGTON.
Camp Fire Last Night 4 Grand
Success.
FROM FRIDAYS DAILY ADVANCE.

FROM FRIDAYS DAILY ADVANCE.
The second day of the encampment
was grand success from every point
of view. The weather was simply
perfect. Old Sol was in the height
of his glory, and never did he shine
more brightly from cloudless heav-
en- than yesterday. Just about the
time he was bidding farewell to the
eastern horizon visitors began to ar
| rive and by ten o'clock Worthing-
toms broad streets were one surging
mass of humanity
One of the features of the day was
the dress parade by the veterans, the
sons of veterans, drum corps and the
girls brigade. People sometimes
wonder why the old gray boards in
sist on marching on such occasions;
why men crippled with rheumatism
or by old wounds insist on keeping
step to the music of the tunes. AS
we'll they might ask why water runs
down hill. There is nothing SO in
spring and stimulating to the old
soldier as the keeping step in the old
way to wartime music. Such spec
tacle as was presented by the dress
parade yesterday brings up all that
is worth remembering in one of the
greatest struggles the world has ever
seen.
The exercises opened yesterday
morning with guard mount of the
girls brigade at 8 a. m. The
drill of the young ladies is nearly
perfect. Many Of the voices of the
old soldiers were lifted up in admira-
.tion of the perfect alignment of the
line in marching by platoon, the
soldierly bearing and uniform step,
displayed in their different maneu-
vers. The afternoon camp fire
opened by Commander Town who
announced that the w. r. c. will
hold a camp fire in the tent Friday
morning, at 10 o'clock. Department
Commander Ell Torrance. who was
expected to be present at this camp
fire, was unexpectedly called away to
Chicago, but had delegated hisassist-
ant Adjt Gen. J. K. Mertz, who will
speak this evening. The ladies
quartet sang "The Battle Cry of
Freedom The first speaker was
D. G. Eldridge, of Sheldon, Iowa,
who, in substance, said that no other
country on the face of the globe has
passed through such a rebellion as
the one known as the civil war. He
said he would speak to the youths
now before him.
Need we be reminded of those fear
full days of suspense from the firing
on Fort Sumter until the proclama-
ton calling for troops by President
Lincoln. The response to this pro-
clamation was unanimous on the part
of the north; men were leaving, ev-
cry day, their workshops, Offices,
farms and other peaceful avocations.
Of an enlistment of 100000 in 81
rs over 100000 have answered the
last roll call. The gain of that is
universal liberty. On pension mat
tiers the administration were roundly
scored for it's position on the suspen-
sion of the veterans pensions. ''Do
the old soldiers owe the government
anythlng?" On the other hand, the
government can never pay its obliga-
ton to the men who stood between it
and treason.
"Marching through Georgia. was
then sung by the audience.
Maj. Bailey, of Primghar, Iowa,
kept the audience in a splendid hui
NOR by reciting humorous stories
with morals pertaining to army life.
His remarks were teemed with les
sons of patriotism. The pension bu-
reau also came in for its usual roast,
which was done up brown. The con-
demnation which the department
received was somewhat severe but