The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-30
OLD SOLDIERS GONE AWAY
Reunion Ended With Special Memoir.
iaI Services

iai DEVICES.
The nineteenth annual reunion Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic Of the state
of Kansas closed or Sunday afternoon
With memorial services, after a six days
interesting meeting. The union men,
With che ex-confederates who frsterniEed
with them upon the occasion. are g unit
in declaring that it an ideal reun-
ion. Old battles were fought over. Incl
denEs related, stories told of the times
of nearly two generations ago, when this
country, now the fairest and most ma
jestic under The sun, was torn by civil
strife that threatened its complete dis
ruplon; when brothers glared angrily
along the pregnant rife barrel or tore
each others throsts in desperate conflict;
when rancorous hate filled the breasts Of
the honest men Of both sections; when
the green fields of the beautiful south
were splashed incarpadine with the
blood Of men who strove for what each
considered the right, and when the land
was laden with the wall Of the widow
and the cry Of the orphan.
The men who recounted the events of
those days are old and bent. but their
souls are warm, their hearts young. as in
the days they marched forth to give for
their country their consecrated lives, but
with the difference that no more 40 those
hearts and souls hold aught for whilom
foes but kindness and fraternal feeling;
all bitterness has vanished down the
hazy vista OF the past, and because Of
the events that have filed the years
since then they stand together. the blue
and the gray, the natural guardians Of
a reunited country, q union forever, 'one
and indivisible." The camp-hres at South
Riverside park have burned brightly for
the past week, and the fund of anecdote
and experience told by the veterans Of
both uniforms added glow Of warmth
10 the hearts and faces OF the reciters
and. the listeners.
The talk on Saturday night of Com
rade J. NJ. Knapp Of Wichita was that
Of the ideal soldier. It was spontaneous,
frank and generous, and the veterans OF
10th sides will carry q recollection Of
II FOR long time. Rev. z. n Lynch Of
Wichita made the memorial address on
Sunday afternoon. and IL was conceded
sv ali 20 have been a perfect one for
the occasion. He spoke Of the dead sol
der and Of his hsllowed devotion TO duty,
and of the place he would always hold
in the hearts Of his countrymen. He told
OF the united country and Of the re-
hsbilitsted south. which at the first call
10 arms for war with Spain had respond
p eagerly and had borne well its part
in that short but glorious struggle, thus
showing that indeed there was union
again. He offered in conclusion his spir-
itu.l advice 10 the gallant old men and
besoucht them to round out their lives
with a love for Christ and his teachings
His address was eloquent and touching.
and was received With perfect apPreci-
alton
Rev. c E. Brsdt Of Wichita delivered
the benediction. as he also offered the
opening prayer
Mrs. Childe and her daughter, Miss
blanche. sang two duets during the ser
vice. which were splendidly rendered and
which pleased greatly. These two ladies'
eye artist. and their efforts are always
appreciated By lovers 81 music. Miss
Frohman accompa MED the singers on The
piano with fine effect.
The ex-confederates are happy over the
TACT that they contributed largely 20 the
success Of the reunion n securing the at
tendance and services o1 DIT " Mckay
Dougan and Attorney =. P. Gore OF Ok
lahoma. whose patriotic addresses So
cured the unqualified approval of all
who heard them. The crowd Of visitors
who assembled 70 take part IN the ser
vices and 70 say goodbye 10 the veterans
was the largest that has assembled CT
the grounds during the reunion The
asv was fire and the park overlooking
with enthusiastic friends ~ the old sol
diers. who carry away with them The
kindest recorections q Wichita and Us