Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1906-06-16
10th ANNUAL ENCAMPMENT II

and gone since we first met and organ
lied our association at Sturgis They
Fave been years OF struggle to many,
changes to all. Not more than half of
those who were with us on that never
to be forgotten occasion are now living
No blare of trumpets or brass bands
heraded our coming, but the whole
people turned out to welcome us, and
there were such hand to hand clasps
and heart to heart greetings as will ever
remain beautiful memory. We had
no great orators to make stately speech
es, but we had short talks filed with the
spirit within us; pathetic stories, incl
dents and anecdotes that caused stream
ing eyes and shouts of laughter. There
were songs, too, that carried us away
back to the long weary march, the biv-
ouac, and the fierce fiery struggles of
battle, They were present also the
wives aud sweethearts of comrades, some
of whom were still waiting to hear the
familiar football that never came.
That, in brief, was how and under
what circumstances we held our first re.
union. The executive committee are
planning to have our nineteenth annual
meeting at Hot Springs on the 26th and
27th of this month on similar lines, and
it appeals 70 every old soldier in the
Hills to lay aside his ever round of toll
and duty and give two days to fraternal
greetings and the renewal of good com
radeship, knowing that it will not be for
long that We shall be permitted to so
meet and greet each other and 60 not
forget to bring the good wife who has
all these years been faithful in many
things, and in none more so than in
memory of the great struggle for nation
al life and the days you wooed and won
her,
The outing, though brief will add to
the garnered memories of the long ago.
The members Of the Woman's Relief
Corps-our more than comrades-whose
grand work is only measured by the
length of their lives, are invited to be-
come part of us, adding to our enjoy
ment and bringing good cheer to all. |
need not say that the Spanish-American
war veterans who are part and parcel
Of our organization, receive the right
hand of fellowship.
A few weeks ago in every city and
hamlet of the Black Hills, and all over
the land, the people came together and
with loving hearts and tender memoir
les, and crowned with flowers and
branches of evergreen the graves of our
departed comrades.
The thought comes to me sometimes.
that if we would strew more flowers in
the pathway of the living and fewer on
our graves, they would tighten the bur
den of many weary heart, and cheer
the life of many a lonely comrade, lift
ing him TO higher plane of duty, and
the sunlight of his life would be bright.
ened and cheered as the twilight gathers
around him.
1t is not what he may be today with
gray hairs and faltering steps, mayhap
an empty sleeve-and ofttimes a bur-
dened soul-but it is what he WAS and
Did in his young strong manhood, and
to him and to those like him we owe all
we are as mighty people, in unity, in
strength, in power, in peace, commerce
and wealth. They saved nation, re-
deemed a race and preserved a union
of the states and made all glorious the
flag that is honored in every land, and
Is the symbol of liberty to the oppressed
of all nations, we would therefore most
cordially invite those of younger gen.
Grafton to put aside their strenuous life
for brief span and come and join with
us and let your presence inspire anew
our loyalty and love of country and
leave the fragrance of flowers on the
hearts and lives of these comrades while
living.
The press of the Hills, which has ever
been most generous to our association,
is asked to give this meeting the widest
publicity and no class of citizens will
be given kinder welcome to our good
cheer, and a special invitation is hereby
extended.
The lowest possible rates will be Sc
cured by rail, and every effort will be
- Al 4
diers' Home and citizens of Hot Springs
to make all welcome. The program of
exercises will be issued later.
g. V. GARDNER,