Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-07-04
Reunion at WeStfieId.

Some good folks would have us be
lieve that nothing in this wicked
world is perfect But | know better
This 9th day of June, 1907, is a per-
feet day. AS l sauntered along this
morning by the village mill, turned to-
ward the right down along a meadow
path. ovtr two rustic bridges, each
spanning sparkling brook, wound my
way up the opposite bank and along
side the larger stream, through a
most beautiful grove to village of
white tents along the bank, l was
SO impressed by the beauty of it all
that l said, this day is indeed a per-
ect one, and the beauty of the wind
ing path over the bridges and along
he shady bank, the deep shade of the
grand old forest trees the rich foliage
of shrubs and ferns and the snowy
white of the new tents,-all these
combine to make the scene a perfect
one This beauty spot is the place
selected for the 1907 reunion of the
association of veterans of Adams, Mar
lguette and Waushara counties to be
held mere today.
| found several of the tents in
habited, some old war veterans hav-
ing come there with their families
for a Uhree-days outing while visiting
old comrades and listening to fife and
drum and band music, patriotic
speeches and "reminiscences of the
war. Just beyond the tents, on the
bank above the stream, there was a
rustic platform fronting a good
sized area of plank seats Here the
exercises were to be held.
A few people sat about the tents,
but the most of the old boys were
gathered around the platform where
one Of their number was entertaining
the camp with music from his gramO-
phone. He had selections of all sorts
INT mostly of a patriotic nature,
arms songs and the like. I co not
think l ever heard such an instrument
sound better than this one did under
those old trees.
In the meantime people came sing
ly and in groups along the winding
path, and as the hour of ten ap-
preached, in q continuous stream vii
lage folk and visitors. At ten the
village band and a drum corps came
leading a long line of men wearing
he G. A. R. badge, and these were
JllOWed by more and more people, till
seemed as if the village and all the
surrounding country must have been
deserted because of this reunion of
old war veterans. There were peo
pie who had driven from WautOma %
miles away: from Friendship, 18
miles distant; and ten miles from
Oxford
Others had come on the trains
from Plainfield, Hancock and Coloma
to the north, and Packwaukee, Mon
telle, EndeavOr and Portage to the
south Because of their annual re
unions, nearly every G. A. r. man
there knew all the others, and the
same may be said of many of their
families, and so there was a general
time of hearty greetings all round.
There was not much of formal pro
gram during the forenoon. All the
people choosing to visit The old
| fellows talked over battles and
Bieges and marches, camp tricks and
foraging expeditions.
The president of the association,
Comrade Simeon Pond. called the
audience to order long enough to bid
everybody a hearty welcome to West
field and to give Comrade Charley
Pettibone, late assistant adjutant
general of this department, an Oppor
tunity to accept. in behalf of the
WestfieId G. A. r. post, beautiful
banner presented to the organization
by a Mr.. Perkins. for which Mr..
Perkins received not only hearty
vote of thanks but three rousing
cheers.
Near by there was a registry tent
where all comrades were supposed to
make their mark. During the day 81
names were put down on the book,
also ten names of sons of veterans.
These young men were from the
academy village of Endeayor where
there was at one time a camp of 100
members. They brought band
with them.
This association Of veterans was or
ganized more than twenty years ago
II has since then undergone some
changes but has held a large and en-
thusiastic meeting every year with
one Or two exceptions, during that
-tme
AS the noon hour drew near there
as something doing in the commits
cary department. Many of the peo-
pie had big baskets full of rations and
they grouped themselves here and !
there in family parties for picnic din
ners. The good ladies of Westfield |
set long table under the trees with /
such rations as old soldiers are wont !
to talk about and every G. A R. |
man was ordered to fall into line and /
march to mess, very much as he used /
to do in old Camp Randall Veterans
may be losing something of this or
that as they march down the sunset |
slope, but in certain ways they do not |
fail.-they still have remarkable ap- /
petites, and they maintain, by much |
practice, their skill with the knife
and fork.
Everybody told how good the din,