Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-21
Jules Verne Cigars.
Toastmaster Opens Oratory

Toastmaster Opens Oratory
f. y. Head, president of the club,
was toastmaster, and n capital one
he proved. his Introduction following
the completion of the feast allowing
him an opening for the uncorking of
a fund of humorous hits prepared at
the expense of number of the mem
bers. Mr.. Head then grew serious
and felicitated the membership and the
city on having such creditable or
ganization as the Rock Island Club.
and dwelt upon the attractions it of
fered fer the entertainments of those
belonging and their friends no city
in the state outside of Chicago having
anything to surpass it, Thereupon
Mr.. Head introduced Robert ReXdale.
who recited an original poem, The
Homage of the Drum:"
THE HOMAGE OF THE DRUM.
Men of the nation, sires and sons,
Heirs of grandeur still to be.
sing of deeds whose valor won
The glory of Thermopylae;
sing the praise of gallant bands
Who held the pass against the foe
The hosts who stood with Washing
ton,
And gave the lion blow for blow.
The warning drum-beat wakes the
past,
In busy mart and mountain glen
All armed to strike for liberty,
Spring up the Yankee minute-men!
Again the belfry lantern CLEANS,
To signal that the foe is near,
And through the night, and far away.
Speeds on the steed of Paul Revere.
I see the fathers, reused for war,
Rush ON to die with faith sublime,
The offspring of a fighting race,
That humbIed kings in Cromwelrs
time;
| hear the tramp of marching feet,
The air is filed with wild alarms,
And from the darkness rings a cry,
MY countrymen, to arms - to
armsi"
Our heroes sleep where cities rise.
To greet the light of freedoms
morn,
Their graves priceless heritage
For generations yet unborn!
Nor time, nor tide, nor stress of war,
Shall dim the lustre of their name
1t needs no splendid Parthenon
To make secure the nations fame.
The guns of mighty battleships,
The rolling drum. the bugle shrill,
Pay homage unto Washington,
| The idol of peoples will;
The flag he loved. with newer stars,
| NTavps ,,No,. land onH ,,x.ar
And tyrants dare assaiI no more
Our country vast, united, free.
| In response to the persistent ap-
plause Mr. Rexdale recited another
poem of his own writing, an oriental
aIlegory, the story of Ben Ali Chan.
Mr.. Northcott Gives Grafton.
Lieut.. Gov w. \. Northcott was the
orator of the evening. He was ac-
corded an ovation when he arose to
speak and was called upon by one of
the guests to enlighten his auditors
on the state senate gavel incident
Tho lieutenant governor admitted
having brought the gavel down rath-
er hard on his table, but he wished il
understood in doing so he was acting
simply in self-defense.
Mr.. Northcott showed Washington
as the incarnation of a great princi-
pie, whose evolution required ages
the principle of human liberty, and
the formation of a government on
that principle which shall endure for
lagos. The speaker referred to the
mighty nations of ancient times
Egypt, Greece and imperial Rome
nations which achieved great results
in the arts and sciences. but which
disappeared from the stage of his
tory because their development was
from the top-the few being rich and
powerful. all absorbing all the cul