The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-07-13

e;nll1b1y 4 at Wortf||
ECHOES OF THE CELEBRATION
Random Thoughts Of The Fourth
at Worthington.
Editor of the Advances:
( Feeling in rather a remjnis-
cent mood this morning I thought l
would register a few thoughts in
connection with the celebration of
our .'day of days" the "Fourth" at
Worthington.
Worthington had been promising
the people of Mobiles and adjacent
counties hearty and enjoyable
celebration, and when Worthington
promises an event, she never cuts
out the performance. It had been
months AMI months since we had
been to the city, but we had deter
mined to take in this event an so
with our "better half" We we're on
the grounds in fairly good season
though having made twelve mile
trip. All nature seemed to conspire
to assist Worthington in ''red
letter day" tor the participants.
The roads were good, the meteor
illogical manager was propitious,
patriotism was rampant and the
great American bird had the center
of the stage. AS the hour for the
speeches drew near the crowd drift
ed towards the Court House square,
from whose entrance at the landing
OF the massive granite steps the
speeches we're to be made. We
pressed our way we'll to the front,
and though in fairly good hearing
distance we were exceedingly glad
when s. S. Smith Supt. invited the
people in front to ascend the steps
and occupy them a. seats so as to
give the more remote part. t.:of.".the
assembly chance TO getsnearer.
With advancing years We find our
ear is getting somewhat heavy, 30
that it was peculiarly Gratifying to
sit practically at, the feet of this
'.calna,iel !, 80 ospeak, Of the great
NORTH Star State", Wallace .B.
Douglas, who was billed to be the
principal orator of the day. First
in order though was a neat speech
by s. S. Smith bubbling over with
welcome, which gave very one an
appetite for all the good things that
were to follow and it was delicious
menu, patriotically, socially and
intellectually. from start to finish.
The sturdy old soldier and model
citizen, Atty. J. A. Town was
called on for one of his characterize
tically stirring and patriotic talks.
This time it was the sieze and cap
ture of Vicksburg. A recapitula-
ton Of many cf these old and now
historic events that meant 80 much
to the life and welfare of this nation
is often dished up in a second hand
and warmed over style, but Towne
was up against the real thing and
knows what he is talking about and
80 he always finds warm apprecia-
ton and responsive feelings. Ex-
Atty. General Douglas GRAFTON was
thrillingly interesting and master
full and we wished that he had a
trumpet voice so that the vast
throng could all have taken it in.
Dan Shell and other leading
citizens were on the rostrum and
Atty. Town alludd to Dams huge
proportions by saying that on
occupying enemies works after that
siege he felt as though
he weighed as much as Dan. Well
we might just say here that Dan y
bulk didn t always correspond. with
present day proportions. The first
time 1 saw Dan the spring of 1872
be presented almost as hungry and
Cassius-like:look as Town himself,
but Dan. prospered in all his
ventures in early colonial days and
soon began to add, not to his loDgi-
t,dinal but to his lateral proper
lions. In a political and economic
sense Dan is an expansionist, but
Dan believes that expansion like
charity should begin at home".