Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-09-05

| Will bo lle "oEucI u No1ltiSio .
what God shall work out in our
land.
Rev. S. J. Greear then intro
duced the subject of n collection
to meet expenses as deftly as if he
had been a Methodist. After sing
ing ''My Country, 'Tis of Thee"
i the benediction was pronounced
and the congregation dispersed to
enjoy a basket dinner on the
grounds.
| Many of tho veterans enjoyed a
taste of old army life by camping
on the fair grounds.
The headquarters tent was
pitched near the ampitheater. A
stack of muskets and an empty
hard tack box gave an old-time ap-
pearance to the front Of the tent.
The visitors register kept there
showed a larger attendance of vet
Grams than ut any previous gather
ing in the valley.
There are those who think that
too much is said about the old
soldier and what he has done for
his country. Those who talk in
this manner do not appreciate
the sacrifice made by their
fathers that the nation might
live. For the loyal patriot or one
who has fair amount of gratitude
in his makeup, there is not too
much of the so-called cold soldier
racket" and never will be.
It does ones heart good to see
the old soldiers get together and
tell of the times when they stood
side by side and fought the coun-
try's battles, when they lay togeth-
er in the mud and wet, and shared
each others camp, food, shelter
and comforts. Who can keep the
tears from coming to his eyes
when he sees group of them get
together after years of separation,
and cross themselves in front of
the campfire and begin to tell
each other how. fortune has served
them for the past score and ten
years? How their hearts seem to
swell up with emotion and patriot
ism, when they think of the dark
days of '61, when this government
was weighed in the balance. See
how slow their step, how faltering
their movements, how bent their
forms; note they carry staffs to as
sist them in walking. Rheumat-
ism has claimed its abode in their
joints, their locks are tinged with
gray, their eyes are dimmed with
the toll of years, their hands and
brows are tinged with the cold of
many winters, and the heat of
many summers, all this that their
country might be one and inseper-
able. Is there another friendship
more strong, more profound, more
lasting than that which was &c
quired by five years association,
under circumstances as they ap-
peared during the war?
OF INTEREST TO VETERANS.
During the civil war the Federal
government enlisted a grand total
of 72,407 men.
Military authorities estimate
that in times of public danger we
could put into the field force of
2,500,O00 or 100000
The grandest review ever seen
in this country was that at Wash
ington at the close of the civil war.
Over 100000 men were in line.
During the year 1894, 2S,O70
pensioners died, while l343 had
remarked, the total number
dropped from the rolls from or
another cause being 37,951.
| The number of troops actually
enlisted in the Confederate service
during the civil war is not exactly
known, but, from the first to the
last, it is believed that about
100000 men were mustered for
the confederate service.
The G.. A. r. differs from other
secret organizations in one partic-
ular. With the others, an increase
of membership is always possible,
but not SO with the G. A. r.
Those who can become members
of this order become fewer and
fewer with each succeeding year,
and in some places the member
ship is already declining with no
chance, whatever, of an increase.
! &C. q. McVay has closed contract
with the Home Place Co. OF La Junta for
an artesian well.
| Milton Reynolds has our thanks for
a photograph of himself and wife as
standing beside one OF his apple trees, of
the product OF which he is especially
proud.
The Golden Rule has novel and
attractive show window-a miniature
dining room-the furniture representing
Reifels stock, the fruits, etc, being con-
tributed by Cheuey's Grocery.
| Tho Metropolitans are playing at
Odd Fellows hall this week and are
greatly pleasing crowded houses. The
troupe is first-class one and they pre-
sent only the best of plays. Their week
l hov -, lr f,,1