The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-08-14
AT CAMP BRYAN.
A Rousing Ratification---What the
Campers are Doing.


Camp Bryan, August 9.-Perhaps a
few lines relative to camp life and what
the people are doing up here would
materially assist in "flling up" the
PRESS the coming week, and also be of
some interest to those who would like to
be here, but are detained at home by
business and harvest work.
BRYAN camp is located at Gold springs,
on the main road to Woodward's toll
gate, and is al ideal camping place.
The population OF the camp numbers
about fifty persons. The hail from
Athena, Weston, Milton, Walla Walla,
Hudson Bay and other places. Everyone
is sociable in all the term implies, and
are here to enjoy themselves in every
way possible.
The daily pursuit of the average in
habitant OF Camp Bryan seems to be
"rustling" after the luscious huckleberry,
which abounds in vast protusion in
proximity to the camp.
The evenings are spent in visiting and
congregatiDg around the campfire, in
front Of your neighbor's tent Saturday
evening the PRESS gang were rendered
an invitation to attend the Bryan ratifi-
cation meeting, which was held in the
Brilliant light of mammoth bonfire, on
VIM. Goodman's camp ground, near the
main spring
Everybody, bis wife and sweetheart
were there, and the demonstration was
such that one could not help but at once
comprehend by the enthusiasm dis
played by all present, from what source
this lively camp derives its name.
Everyone is for Bryan and silver; even
the old tabby cat at the Robinson camp
and the well.bred, curly dog that lives at
the home of the Goodmans, at Hudson
Bay.
The meeting was called to order by
President Prof. +. J. VanWinkle, of the
Eastern Oregon normal school. The
president announced that the nature Of
the meeting was to ratify the nomination
OF William Jennings Bryan, the boy
orator of the Platte, in connection with
which there would be instrumental and
vocal music, declamations, etc.
The first number on the program was q
beautiful and masterly executed guitar
solo by Miss Myrtle Goodman, of Hud-
son Bay. Miss Goodman's rendition was
we'll received by the appreciative audi
ence, who showed their pleasure by ap'
plauding generously.
Professor VanWinkle delivered the ad.
dress of the evening. His Grafton was
masterly effort, and his eloquent utter
ances struck responsive chords in the
hearts of his hearers, as was evinced by
the rapt attention given the speaker. BY
way Of predatory, the spea ker esid he was
considered the only orator in the Van
Winkle family, since the days of the
venerable Rip, and no doubt the speaker
was inspired to some extent by his wild
surroundings, and likened them to the
wilderness of the Cstskills where his an
cestor Il don't exactly know whether the
professor traces his lineage back to the
hunter OF stills or not) slept his sleep Of
twenty years.
America was sung by the entire audi
encs, led by Mrs. Eva Pierce, of Milton,
after which the president announced
that Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Floyd, OF the
ATHENA PREss, were present, and as Mr..
Smith was OF very talkative disposition,
he would perhaps crate and give those
present few pointers on silver and the
political issues OF the day. But Smith
wac tired from long, dusty ride, and
made the young ladies blush and the
young man from Walla Walla suddenly
take it into his head that tall pine tree
was pretty good thing to look at, by
stating that as he was new justice OF
the peace, and II any OF those present
wished to be jinrd together, all they
would have 10 do, would be to come
down to the PRRss tent, where his
shingle would be found without any
superfuous difficulty,
Several OF the ladies wanted to hear
Boyd, but when he faced the audience to
offer tlmid request that he be excused,
The 6relight played peak.a-boo with
growth of whiskers that will puzzle the
keen edge Of Parker's razors to NOV
down. He was let off easy by saying
that he thought Bryan was all right.
Miss Goodman then favored the audi
once with another guitar solo and was
followed BY Miss Luna 0'Harra who
pleased the audience with q defamation,
entitled "Woman's Rights"
"Home, Sweet Home" the song that
never grows old and is always beautiful,
was sung very sweetiy by quartette of
young ladies from Milton. The encore
which followed the rendition of this song
was so loud and long that the quartette
with "Juanita."
The professor then gave those present
m interesting account OF his trip east last
summer, and Il was interesting in the
extreme to listen to him as he reeounted
N detail the many historical places he
visited aud the ancient relics his eyes
had feasted on.
Tie had stood on the bridge that in
spired Longtellow to write his beautiful
poem that was afterwards put to music