Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-19
VETS AT A FEAST.
Cavalry Reunion Has Delight
full Ending.
ORAT0RY AND WITTIOIsN THERE,

Soldiers Kehesrse "Reminiscences Of the
Bloody Conflict Between the North and
the South and Pay Tribute to Their
Comrades Who Have Gone Before.
Men who carried the musket in
the conflict between the north aud
the south in company with them
families and friends Toasted and spun
years at association hall last evening.
1t was most fitting way to conclude
the eleventh annual reunion Of the
Ninth Illinois Cavalry Veterans as
ISOLATION. 1t was delightful occa.
sion and the scenes and stories told
by the gray-haired soldiers will long
live in the memory of those who had
the good fortune to attend.
The hall was tastefully decorated
with bunting and American flags.
Long rows Of tables grooming under
tempting delicacies were strung
along the hall. And that the
veterans and their friends did JUS
tice to the feast goes without saving.
Sam Van SAINT was toastmaster,
and after the company had ar
rived at settlement with what held
forth on the tables, he uncorked the
oratory which flowed for a couple of
hours afterward. ID. Cleland re-
sponded to"Our Fallen Comrades" in
which he told of a few incidents Of
war times where one boy in particu-
lar, whom he personally knew
became i'll and passed away many
miles from home. and before his dis
charge reached him. They laid him
away in a little grave down in a
nearby dell. and made a pillow of
leaves and covered his body with his
garments Of blue, and then wrapped
him in the blanket of mother earth.
Mr.. Cleland told of another equally
as touching. He paid a glo wing trib-
ute to the soldier.
Col. A. K. Mock, of Cambridge,
answered the toast. 1.-The Ninth ILL
nois Cavalry During Hoods Cam
paign," in which he drew q vivid
picture of the hair breadth escapes
the boys experienced during that
long and exciting battle Of ca days.
"The Soldier in Time of Teace'' was
handled in mastery manner by
Col. Horton, OF Iowa.
Rock Island Soldier Boys.
Rock Island Soldiers" was the
toast which N. &. Van SAINT was
called upon to respond to. He said
the recollection of his boyhood days
spent in Rock Island were among the
most cherished OF his life; that the
city should be proud of the record of
its soldiers who went to the war.
Mr.. Van SAINT had been trying to
think of ooe mean man whom he
knew in Rock Island. but he could
only recall one, aud he remembered
that his school took half hol day to
see him hanged. In every grea. bat =.
tie of the civil war there was q Rock
Island soldier. who fought we'll, died
nobly and left record of which his
ancestors might we'll feel proud.
Capt. Harrington spoke of 1.-The
Ladies" in happy manner. He
loved them all; had lovely mother
and a lovely wife, who took care of
the children at the wars outbreak
and told him to go and do his duty.
He knew one Rock Island county
lady-she was in the hall-who told
her husband to shoulder his gun and
she would pick the whole 80 acres of
| corn herself.
DR.. n. Soule Davenport, of Chica-
go, spoke on 1.-The Gentleman.
She said that earth without gentle
men would be a decidedly dreary
place. .Sons of Veterans and
Young Men in General" was re-
sponded to in an able manner by A.
nj. Bruner, assistant state secretary
OF the Young Mems Christian Asso-
cia'ion. Joshua Bell spoke Of The
Army Bean" W. +. Crawford Of
The Army Mule" and Hon. p. V.
Fitzpatrick OF "Our Flag"