Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-05-25
MEMORIAL DAY NEXT,
Public Schools Instructed in Hon.
oring Hero Dead.
A DEWEY.yERMONTER HONORED.

| Conduct q. A. X. Afairs-'Bowie Knife.
| Potter, Best-Known Wisconsin Man, be-
fore the War Noted Hebrews and Rabbi
Hecht's Lectures-Austrian Prince Sees
Chippewa Falls biggest Saw Mill.
Madison, May 23.-Following on the
rally Of veterans at Milwaukee comes
Memorial Day-May 80, Superintendent
Harvey has issued a pamphlet full Of
suggestions to the public schools how to
get most out Of the day. 1t begins with
preface by Superintendent Harvey in
which he reminds children that the
privileges they enjoy in receiving their
education free is characteristic of their
country, and not common to all the ma
tons of the earth Then follows the
poem:
We are coming, Father Abraham, three
hundred thousand more,
From Mssissippis winding stream and
from New England's shore;
We leave our plows and workshops, our
wives and children dear,
With hearts too full for utterance, with
but a silent tear:
We dare not look behind us, but stead
fastly before;
We are coming, Father Abraham, three
hundred thousand more!
There Is an extract from McKinleys
speech at the Omaha Exposition and
James Nhitcomb Riley's poem in an
swer to the daily inquiry, Whence the
name "0Id Glory?"
And 1t spake, with a shake Of the voice,
and it said:-
by the driven snowy white and the liv-
ing blood-rcd
or my bars, and their heaven Of stars
overhead
BY the symbol conjoned of them all,
skyward east.
AS float from the steeple, or flap at the
mast,
Or droop DER the sod where the long
grasses nod,
My name is as old as the glory of God.
So | came by the name of
Old Glory.
IT is fitting our school children should
join In celebrating this great day to do
homage to the 100000 of Americas brave
sons who fell i'm battle during the mem
orablc civil war, to the 200, 600 who died
of disease in that struggle. And on the
new death roll Spanish war; 5000 are
counted, 1875 from our own Wisconsin.
A Memorial Day address by Senator
Spooncr and other good things make UP
the volume.
Captain Curtis, Literary and Brave.
General Harnden is the new com
mandcr Of the state G. A. r., and his
right hand man assistant adjutant
generaD is Captain c. A. Curtis, of
Madison. The Captain has lame leg
In 81 far his service He lives
in Madison and has bright family of
children, one of the boys being lieu
tenant in the present strife, and am
other being private secretary to Con-
gresham Dahle from this (Madison)
district. Captain Curtis was born in
Hallowcll Me, two miles down the
Kenncbec river from Bowie Knife" Pot
ter's Augusta, and was educated at the
Vermont Military College, and knew
Dewey. Shortly after his graduation
the Civil war broke out, and the sum-
mcr OF CT found the young man on the
shores of the Potomac drilling recruits.
In 1862 he was transferred to the
west, and there took part In that re-
markable pursuit OF the Confederate
general, Sibley. Then followed period
of Indian fighting, lasting until 1869,
when he was placed In command of
Fort Reynolds In April of go Captain
Curtis was detailed as commandant at
the alma mater and has since been sta
toned at ShattuCk, GAINESVILLE, Florida,
Gambler, O., and Marmaduke Military
Institute at Sweet Springs, Mo. lie Is
also II writer of short stories and has
Just now received an order from Harper
Bros. to compile all the stories that he
has written for them into book form.
a Howie Knife In the Dark.
The late John Il. Potter, three times
congressman, was 81 years old. lie
died at his home on Lake Reulah, Wal
worth county where he had lived since
he came to Wisconsin, Il boy of ~, in
1896. In the years before the civil war
and during that time was no better
known Badger. The story of his nc
ceptance of II challenge from Roger A.
Pryor, of Virginia. to fight u duel, when
both were members of congress, and
his selection of bowie knives IN II closed
room in the District of Columbia made
him the hero of the north and Served
the triple purpose of convincing the
southern fire eaters OF the dotermina-
ton and courage OF the opponents of
slavery, Of making more certain the
right of free speech in the halls of con-
gress. and of making dueling undcsir-
able even for southern hraggarts."
The terms were refused by Pryor, al
leginE the harharity of the terms pro-
posed Potter was invited to bauqucts
in his honor, Public meetings in all
parts of the country passed enthusiasts
tic resolutions and he was overwhelmed
with presents of bowie knives in minia-
turc, some of which are still preserved
in his home near Lake Bculah. The
original bowie knife, which he would
have used II Pryor had not declined to
fight. was presented years ago to Law
renee college, Appleton. where 1t is
treasured MS n relic II permanent inter
est
Potter was horn in Augusta. Me. lie
built his own log house. then boy Of
~, on the lake by whose side he died
Imagination helps us to realize the sit
uation OF the young pioneer walking
twenty four miles IL the pastutliCc and
wheeling home in his barrow a barrel
of pork and Il barrel Of huCkwhrut.
which should serve as provisions fur