Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-08-19
0TER0 COUNTY
VETERANS MEET.

VETERANS MEET.
Hold their Fourth Annual
Picnic and Campfire.
The Wsmanis Relief Corps Relieve
the Hunger Of Great Company
Of Old vetersns and Younger
Friends and FaraisA . Gssd Music.
al asd Lterrry lrogran.
Tho fourth annual picnic and camp
fire OF the veterans Of our Civil War, the
blue and the gray, residing in Otero
county. was held in Rocky Ford on the
fair grounds Of tho Arkansas Valley Fair
Association on Saturday and Sunday
last. A year ago the Veterans Associs-
tiou had membership Of l23, thirteen Of
whom were wearers OF the grey in '6l'b.
This year the membership was greatly
increased, which u significant. like every
thing else. Of the steadily increasing pop
ularity Of the county.
Tho generous invitation to the outside
friends TO join them in their annual pic
nio and shnre the hospitalities, called
out large company TINT quite thronged
the grounds and bordered several times
around the plenteous tables spread for
meas. Under the supervision OF Com;
rade Gerbing . fine OF weighing lt3O0
rounda vas barbecued early Saturday
morning and at noon Suttlers Webster
aud Reynolds superintended the black
ooflee and the boiled beans. To this the
ladies oe tho Relief Corps and their
friends added pies, pickles and cakea
ealore, making Q ball Of fars that con-
trasted strongly with the nations often
served south of the Mason 4 Dixon line.
Il REQUIRED some time TO feed the large
COMPANY, but nobody went away hungry
who could walt his turn at tho tables:
Before and after dinner story telling
went on among tho knots Of comrades
about the grounds, while Q larger com.
pany assembled on the grand stand and
listened TO addresses made by comrades
J. H. Russell, L. NJ. Campbell and Fin:
nerty Of LsJunta and Rev. B. L. Mitchell
Of Rocky Ford.
The annual election Of officers Of the
association took place at the close OF the
public meeting.
have been illumined by two public ad.
dresses and more war stories, but thun.
der storm accompanied by most vivid
display Of lightning stole march on the
speakers and the display Of historical
fireworks bad TO be postponed. Many
who started 10 the fair grounds about
7:0O D. m. turned back for fear OF a
dreuchipg. Very little rain fell, however
hardly enough 70 wet the blankets. let
alone the arior OF the survivors OF Shiloh
and Chickamanga.
Rev. W. E. CoiIest's address ON Sum
day morning was the feature OF the two.
days gathering. He spoke with force
and ability from the appropriate text in
the first book Of Kings, Davids words g
his son, solomon: II 60 the way OF all
the earth; be thou strong therefore and
show thyself q man." He had spoken 70
Otero veterans on former occasion
about the national extent and national
greatness Of their country and he now
wished to emphasize what he regarded
as Of still greater importance, the need
OF men and Of vomen-.manly men and
womanly women-as factor in the pro.
gress and the perpetuity Of onr nation.
We btO 1uucA ulSPoO0u, 10 oos"s -
enthusiastic when speakers declaim
about the national greatness and grand
eur Of our country, but il was OF vastly
greater importance thnt we have men and
women. David had raised the Hebrew
people to imperial might and splendor
and wealth, had made Of them a great
people and nation md now at the end OF
his days he saw social unrest and revolu-
ton among them and he hoped to stay
this tendency and establish peace and
by placing his son Solomon
upon the throne as his successor before
he passed away. He hoped to prevent
bitterness and discord among the people
by establishing Solomon's authority MS
ruler of the people. But he saw that he
must not only appoint Solomon his sue.
cessor: it was essential that his successor
should be mana man Of strength and
purity Of character he admonishes
Solomon: BE thou strong and show
thyself man." And men are apt to
think that greatness consists in being
part Of great country with great mate.
rial resources and wealth and they regret
that men are needed. We did not sutfi-
GENTLY appreciate, as people. the rich
heritage that had come to US out OF the
past. We did not realize what men OF
LuOlA Courage duu ucu VI oohoSichSc
there had been in the beginning Of our
history. Men who stood up
for right and did their duty when this
nation was in her very birth throes. Had
these failed to be men we should not be
the liberties and the privileges
We are today, and which We are taking
very much as matter of course because
We found these rights and privileges al
ready established for US when we were
born.
We are very apt to be deceived as to
what constitutes real greatness. That
man is generally Thought great who
stands aloof from his fellows in SELF
satisfied consciousness Of his own impor-
tance. The truly great man is he who ia
least conscious OF his own consequence,
the man of humility who goes forward in
the performance OF the simplest duties or
the most heroic causes unmindful OF
what the world thinks of him, giving
himself unreservedly to God and to the
service OF humanity.
The grand stand was thronged with
listeners, making a large audience, and
when the reverend gentleman took his
seat the congregation broke through the
decorum Of religious service
and indu1ged in a generous round Of ap-
plause.
On Sunday afternoon again q large
company gathered and listened to pat
riotic program of songs and declamations
war themes and incidents, all