The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-05-11
LAURENS, .. c., Nay III, 1904.
Entertain the Veterans.

The following editorial was written
two weeks ago and misplaced in the
printing office. 1t was reproduced for
this weeks paper and put in type be-
fore 1t was known that q luncheon
would be given the veterans on Memo
rial Day. However, we do not consider
the suggestion entirely stale, as the
dinner which the editor contemplated
was to be an affair OF wider scope, aud
to be given annually.
In several towns in this state the
Daughters of the C~onfederacy have
adopted the custom of at least once in
the year entertaining the Confederate
Veterans of the county at the time of
the meetings of their camps. In Pick
ems, Anderson and Darlington coun-
ties the ladies are now preparing to
give to the old soldiers a dinner to
which all in the county are to be in
vited.
THE ADVERTISER suggests that 1t
would be q beautiful and pleasant
thing for thu ladies Of this town to in
vite all the "O.d C%onfeds" of Laurens
county to q dinner to be given here
some day this summer. 1t should be o
picnic dinner and it should be a good
dinner. Everything for insuring q de-
lightful day should be provided and
the affair should be distinctly and al
most exclusively for the veterans. 1t
should not be q day for the young PEG.
nla fn nathnr md nnfn.tnto tl~x~.1,o.
there are plenty of other p;cnics for
that sort of thing but it should be
given over to the old soldiers to enjoy
In their own way. 1t should not aver
be attended by the young people gen.
orally, excepting those who would be
active In assisting in preparing and
serving the dinner and adding to the
pleasure and comfort Of the veterans,
the guests of honor.
We are sure that if the ladies will
undertake The management Of the on.
tertainmens the business men of this
city will be glad to contribute literally
to d~efraying the expense. In our opin-
ion these expenses should be considera-
bic. We mean that the dinner should
be a fine affair and that expense should
not be spared in making it especially
enjoyable.
The rapidity with which the ranks of
the veterans are thinning is a melan-
choly and memorable fact. There is
not q day that the daily papers do not
chronicle the deaths of two or three.
Many others pass away whose deaths
are not mentioned in the public prints.
The opportunity to honor the heroes of
the Lost Cause will in a few years have
departed with them and the younger
generation should not neglect the lit
tile time left to add to their pleasures
in their declining days. Apart from
the immediate pleasure to be afforded,
the brave old soldiers should be made
to feel and know before they are gone
that their deeds of self-sacrifce are
appreciated and understood and that
they will not be forgotten.
An incidental benefit that would be
derived by the city of Laurens if
the suggestion be adopted would be
the closer knitting in friendship of the
people of the county with those of the
city. Most OF thu veterans live in the
country and at the proposed dinner a
large majority of the guests would
therefore be from the country. A con-
sequence would be the inspiration of
au even more cordial and kindly feel
ing towards the city of Laurens than
now exists.