The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-06-01

WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS MAKE AP-
PR0PRIATE GIFT TO MILITARY co.
rs A PATRIOTIC CELEBRATION
The Presentation Speech is Made by DR..
Helen Harbert, While the Flag is
accepted for the Company by
Capt. Miller-other Speeches.

One of the most highly interesting
and enjoyable entertainments ever
given in Kenosha was the entertain
ment given last evening by the Woman's
Relief Corps on the occasion of the pre-
sentation of a beautiful flag to the
members of Company E of the Wiscon-
sin National Guard. The entertain
ment was a patriotic one in every way
and reminded one of the old fashioned
Fourth of July celebrations. The hall
and the stage were draped with flags
and bunting while all about the stage
in graceful clusters were arranged
great banks of flowers and palms. Old
Glory was of course the central figure
in the decorations and all about the
stage tloated the stars and stripes.
The meeting was an enthusiastic one.
Every song that was sung breathed a
message Of love of country, and every
address made was filled with patriotic
sentiments. Company E was the guest
of honor and occupied an important
place in the center of the house. The
S. Henry Cadets also attended in
body. One of the features Of the even
ing was the music which was furnished
by the Stemm Brothers full orchestra.
G.. F. Stemm acted as master of cere-
monies and kept the audience in good
humor during the evening with we'll
directed wit and stories. After the
opening selection by the orchestra, M.
Niesen opened the program with a
baritone solo which was greatly appre-
ciated by the audience. This was fol-
lowed by piano solo by Miss Bessie
Stebbins. Miss Stebbins played pretty
arrangement Of patriotic airs which
quite captivated the audience She
was forced to respond to double en-
core. After selection by the orches-
ira the beautiful flag, which was later
presented to the soldiers. was let down
from the wings 1t was greeted by an
outburst of cheers. - .. The flag is very
large and beautiful one and the COM
pany may we'll be proud of it. In pre-
senting the flag Mrs. Helen Harbert,
president of thetW. r. c., spoke few
words in which she told of the work of
the W. R. c., its origin and it's history.
She spoke of it's close relation with the
G.. A. r. and said that the W. r. G.
were proud of all the comrades, both
old and new. She said that the beauty
of the G.. A. r. and the W. r. G. was
that they were the finest organizations
in the world. They were not founded
on riches or social position but on
and bravery. The W. r. c.,
continued the speaker, boasts of all
sorts of women who earn the living for
themselves and children. She spoke
of the heroes of the civil war and
declared that the man who claimed
that the old soldier was loosing his
vigOr should be referred to the work of
Dewey, Sampson..and Schley. These,
she declared, were the heroes of '62 as
we'll as 1913. The old soldier never
grows old. His mission is to teach the
lessons of patriotism, learned on the
bloody field of battle to posterity. In
this work it is the mission of the W. r.
G. to assist him. She spoke Of loyalty
and stated that she could we'll second
the statement of ex- Gov. Hoard when
he declared: &C. pity the man who is
too high toned to be an American"
In closing, Mrs. Harbert spoke of
Company E and said the entire city
was proud of it and the W. r. G.
was proud to be able to present st
with the emblem of all that is true and
noble" The Star Spangled Banner"
In response to the address Capt. W.
W. Miller accepted the flag on behalf
of the company. He said in part that
the company did not think they had
done anything to merit such gift, but
accepted it in the spirit in which it was
given. 1t would never be disgraced.
This emblem, he said, means much to
the boys in blue. 1t is grand old
national sentiment and it is well
known fact that thousands of citizen
soldiers have been inspired to great
deeds of valor by the appearance of the
we'll known emblem of Old Glory. 1t
calls back the fact that that flag in
spired a Grant at Shiloh, it urged
Sherman and his men in their long
march to the sea, and it was the flag
of the Stars and Stripes that inspired
little Phil Sheridan at Winchester. He
spoke of the heroes Of the Spanish