The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-01-12
Waldo County Veterans Meeting.

The Waldo County Veteran Association
met with Geo. c. Davis Post, Brooks, Jan
8, 1899. The meeting was called to order by
President Lorenzo Jones. In the absence
OF the secretary, who was detained at home
by sickness, Comrade John Gordon of
Brooks was appointed secretary pro TEN.
Comrades Plummer of Monroe, Higgins of
Thorndike and Whitten of Jackson We're ap-
pointed committee on time and place
OF next meeting, and reported as follows:
Time, Feb. ID; place, f. NJ. Billings Post,
Monroe. Remarks were made by Rev. F.
S. Dolliff of Jackson. The noon recess fol-
lowed. AT / p. N. the meeting was again
called to order and the following program
carried out:
Music by the band prayer by Rev F. S.
Dollitf; music by the band address of well
come by Miss Mamie Hobbs response by
Comrade A. j. Billings; reading by Millie
McCarty music remarks by Rev. d. Brack-
EFT; song by Miss Mae McTaggart remarks
by Rev +. S. Dollitf; reading by Miss
Jessie Peabody; music; remarks by A. j.
Billings, John Gordon and President Jones.
The meeting closed with singing the Star
Spangled Banner. [John Gordon, secretary
pro TEN.
Since the foregoing was in type we have
received the address of welcome by Miss
Mary A. Hobbs, as follows:
Mr.. President, Comrades, Ladies of the
Relief Corps and friends: 1t is said that
n ha6 10 onll 1,,fx md hai,,f
soldiers daughter, as well as president of
the W. R. e., the Commander of the Post
assured me that 1T was my duty to speak a
few words of welcome to you on this occas-
sion. deeply appreciate the honor bestowed
upon me and will endeavor 10 perform the
duty to the best of my ability. But l am
only novice in the art OF speech making and
l hope the Comrades will show me as much
or perhaps little more charity, than they
would have shown raw recruit in the days
OF 81 had he failed to obey orders in true
soldIerly style. Comrades, in behalf of Geo.
&. Davis Post and W, r. c., welcome you
to-day with a welcome far deeper than
words can express. You may rest assured
that the heart of every veteran of this post
is filled to over-howing with a well
come which only you, who have stood
shoulder to shoulder and faced death
together, can understand. Since you met
with us a year ago last October our country
has been enveloped in a dark cloud of war,
and although the struggle was short, and
the early dawn of peace, is but another proof
| that God always protects the right" Yet
many homes are desolate because of the
loved ones who marched away and gave
their lives for their country. They were
brave and loyal and we give to them the
full measure of honor which is their due
and yet in the midst of all this We do not
forget that it is owing to you that we to-
day have no North or South, but are a unit
ed people. strong and powerful, and able to
gain a speedy and triumphant victory over
Jyrannlcal foreign foe. Comrades, you
fought and suffered for four long weary
years to remove the blot o. slavery from
our flag, and at length you returned to your
homes a victorious remnant of mighty
army and proudly proclaimed to the world,
that we had nation indivisible, one couu-
try and one flag, and now you are boys
together again.
Grim and grizzled and gray,
And your hearts as full of that far away
AS is full of to-day.
How can one cover with ringletS,
The crown of a frosty head
And how can one bridge with story,
The gulf OF day that's dead?
| We can not give you back those four years
| of your life, and we know you do not regret
| them, but count them as years well lost,
since they gained for us the grandest ma
tion on earth and for you an eternal and
| deathless fame. But we are not ungrateful,
and the loyal people Of this country have
| tried and will continue to endeavor to repay