The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-12-07
ANNIVERSARY OF A
VETERANS WEDDING

4 surprise party was given at
Frankton on the evening Of Novem-
her 20, at the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
h. D. Calkins, the occasion being the
26th anniversary of the wedding of
these good people. lt was also in
tended as house warming" the
Calkins family having recently moved
into their new dwelling. The party
gathered ut the home of Mr.. and Mrs,
Sam koplin, and from there marched
to the home of the intended victims,
The guests arrived at o'clock. A
few minutes later aud Mrs. Calkins
would have been in bed The weather
was not favorable for travelling in the
darkness, it being a out the most dis
agreeable spell OF the winter, and this
fact deferred a good many fIom at
tending who had contemplated taking
part, lt was, therefore, not surpris
ing that Mrs Calkins never dreamed
OF visitors, and was about to retire
for the night.
The evening was spent in social con-
verse, and at 10 o'clock Mr. and Mrs.
Calkins we're called to stand up and
go through the marriage ceremony
according to the new version impro-
vised by "Parson" Byerlee. The
"parson" got off his part of the pro.
gram in about four lines of verse, the
iast line only being remembered by
[ lie writer, It ended something like
this; "And Ill charge you half a
dollar" f" The groom was ratified about
this time, and thinking he had to put
N - fha fnnt hffa a L :.
pockets for his sack; but 10 he had
changed his pants and hadn't nary
red. The ''parson" was also some
what ratified, and in his excitement
forgot to kiss the bride. The ladies
present all pressed forward and
showered kisses and congratulations,
and when the most bashful among the
men folks stepped up and kissed the
blushing bride, it brougt down the
house.
After the wedding bounteous lunch
was served, and at late hour the
guests departed, voting this the most
enjoyable wedding ever attended.
The bride was the recipient, besi les
other presents, of handsome rocking
chair, presented by the guests of the
evening and Others who had failed to
attend on account of the raging snow
storm and the slush and mud in the
roads.
MIR. and Mrs. u. D. Calkins have
long been numbered among the worthy
citizens of Hood River valley. Mr..
Calkins was born in Wood county,
Ohio, June 81, l843. At the age of IS,
November, 1862, he enlisted in Com
peny A, Sixth Wisconsin infantry,
and went to Arlington Heights, Va.
Here the first member of his company
to die was buried where now repose
{ Q remains of thousands of soldiers
in great national cemetery. His re-
giment formed part of the Iron Brl
gade, becoming famous for its fight
ing record during the many bloody
battles participated in by the Army
of the Potomac At Antietam Sep
tember II, 1862, the first shell thrown
by the CoIfederates Gu the Union
right cut off his lett leg Just above
the knee. This ended his career as
a soldier at the front, though while
lying in the field hospital, with his
leg shattered, he shamed and drove
stragglers at the point of his musket
back to the commands they had cow
ardly abandoned.
Young Calkins, after recovering
from his wounds, served an appren-
ticeship at the harness making trade.
lie removed to Americus, Kansas,
where he met and wooed Sarah Coate,
and where, November 20, 1877, they
we're married. In Americus in three
years he built up the third best har-
ness business in town. In 1881 he
crossed the plains with mule team
to Colorado. He helped to develop
Dry Greek valley, and his farm was
one of the best. Parties came for 20
miles to see his famons crops. In
1883 he came with his family to Hood
River, and has since resided on his
place at Frankton.
Mr.. Calkins is a man of indomitable
will and energy Had he not been
handicapped in early life by his
wounds, and later by sunstroke in
Colorado, Whicl, shattered his health,
he certainly would have advanced to
the front rank in some line of work
among the men Of today who are max
ing our country great Mr.. Calkings
is q pensi ner at $40 a month. He is
a member Of Candy post, g. A. R., in
which order be has always taken an
active interest Long may this
worthy coupla live TO enjoy their new
dwelling h-use at Frantton and may
they have ugny happy returns OF their
wedding aNH.' efSary