The Republican journal., 1900-02-08
Waldo County Veterans Meeting.

Thursday. Feb 1st. was gala day for
North Searsport. The occasion was the
meeting of the Waldo County Veterans AS
sociation. The day was cold and clustering,
the travelling hard, yet did not prevent the
veterans from coming to this place. The
forenoon was spent in renewing old &C.
quaintances and talking over the days of
1S61-1865. A fine dinner had been prepared
by the good people of this place, and prompt
| ly at IL q clock the veterans and their ladies
were invited to the dining room where a
birds eye view would have convinced al
most anyone that the dinner was appreciat-
ed by all. After social chat and the usual
| smoke, the secretary, in the absence of Pres.
j. .. johnson, called the afternoon meeting
to order, and invited Past Pres. A. E. Nick
erson of Swanville to preside. In the alb
sence of the Chaplain, Colnrade Fl. R. Daw-
son opened with prayer, followed by singing
by the Grange choir. The records of the last
meeting were read and accepted. On motion
of Comrade Stlnson Miss Ethel Staples was
voted an honorary member of the association.
The names of Comrades Prince Colson aud
Samuel Stevens were inserted on the record
as having died since our last meeting. The
committee on time and place of next meet.
ing reported as follows: Time, March 1st,
place, Thos. III. Marshall Post, Belfast Then
came the program, opened with the follow
ing address of welcome by Miss Carrie B.
Stinson:
MR. PRESIDENT, COMRADES, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN: Again has fallen upon me
the pleasant duty of offering you welcome
at North Searsport; and in behalf of the
comrades and good people of this place, I
extend to you cordial welcome. Yes, we
welcome you to our tables, and we welcome
you to our hearts. We are proud to enter.
tain such noble body of men. We have
looked forward to entertaining the Waldo
| County Veteran Association, and will try
to make the day pleasant while you are here.
Comrades, am pleased to be able to give
you welcome, and am proud to be an
honorary member of your association. Yours
is a organization of those who, when treason
thundered at the very doors of our Capitol,
| and when traitors hands were striving to
pull down our old flag, came to the rescue.
1t was you, dear comrades, who went forth
when called for, to give your lives to pro-
tect the Stars and Stripes; and in the pres
ence OF so many men who answered to the
call to arms, who left warm fresdes for the
cold dangers of the prison cell, who bid fare
we'll to loved ones for the possibility of
deaths embrace, by whom the lonely sentry s
beat and the wild charge toward the cannon 8
! mouth alike were bravely met-to them we
give the glory, and for heroic conduct in the
hour of conflict we write their names upon
the tablet whereOn are inscribed the names
of the world's s benefactors. And now, com.
rades, again extend to you welcome, and
may this meeting be a pleasant one to you
all, and when you leave to 60 to your several
homes, may you carry that friendly feeling
that it has been good to be with us to-day.
In closing, Mr.. President, when the last
granite slab, or the last block of marble that
marks the resting place of the last Grand
Army man, may have moulded to dust, may
we still have united nation, and a free
country.
The response was by Hon. A. E. Nicker-
son. Then followed a recitation by Miss
Ethel Staples remarks by Hon. II R. Daw-
son; reading by Mrs. Jennie Jackson; re-
marks by Hon. Nehemiah Smart; song by A.
Stinson rem arks by Comrade Bowen; song
by A. Fl. Ellis; singing by the choir ;remarks
by Comrades Cook Crockett, Piper and many
others; recitation by Comrade James
Knowlton. Many of the ladies made appro-
pirate remarks, and all seemed to vie with
each other to make the maeting d success
A vote of thanks was given the good people
of North Searsport. the choir, and all who
helped entertain and make the meetin Q
pleasant; and a special vote of thanks, by
rising, was extended to Comrade A. Stlnson
for his part in the days program. The
meeting closed with song by Mrs. Callie
Hartman; and if we are any judge the boys
went home feeling that the day had been
well spent. A. Stinson, Sec.