Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-07-10
Reunion at WestfieId.

Junet
Then, if ever come perfect days.
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 | sauntered along this
morning by the village mill, turned to-
ward the right down along a meadow
path oVtr two rustic bridges, each
spanning a 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 | 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 y lnion of the
association of veterans OF Adams, Mar
quette and Waushara counties to be
held here today.
| found several of the tents in
habited, some old war veterans hav-
ing come there with their families
for a three 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 tleir number was entertaining
the camp with music from his gramo-
phone. TIe had selections of all sorts,
but mostly of a patriotic nature
arms songs and the like. do net
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 APP
preached, in a continuous stream viii
lage folk and visitors. At ten the
village band and drum corps came
leading 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 PEG
pie who had driven from Wautoma, p
miles away: from Friendship, IS
miles distant; and ten miles from
oxford.
Others had come on the trains
from Plainfield, Hancock and Coioma
to the north, and Packwaukee, Mon
tello Endeavor and Portage to the
south Because of their annual re
unions, nearly every C. 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 a formal pro.
gram during the forenoon. All the
lpeople choosing to visit The old
: fellows talked over battles and
sieges and marches. camp tricks and
| foraging expeditions.
Comrade Simeon Pond, called the
audience to order long enough to bid
everybody hearty welcome to West
field and to give Comrade Charley
/ Pettibone, late assistant adjutant
ger raj of this department, an oppor
tunity to accept, in behalf of TIE
] Westfeld G. A. r. post, a beautiful
I banner presented to the organization
Iby a Mr.. Perkins. for which Mr.
Perkins received not only a hearty
vote of thanks, but three rousine
cheers.
| Near by there was a registry ten
where all comrades were supposed t
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 Endeavor where
there was at one time camp of 10C
members. They brought banC
with them
This association of veterans was or
ganized more than twenty years ago
1t has since en- undergone som'
changes. but has held a large and en-
Ithusiastic meeting every year witt
one or two exceptions, during tina
tine.
As the noon hour drew near there
as something doing i the commits
cary department Many of the PEG
pie had big baskets full of rations anC
they grouped themselves here anC
there in family parties for picnic din
ners. The good ladies of Westfiel'
set long table under the trees will
such rations as old soldiers are won
to talk about. and every G. A. R
man was ordered to fall into line an'
march to !. ess. very much as he use'
to do in old Camp Randall. Veterans
may be losing something of this O
that as they march down the sunse
slope, but in certain ways they do no
Ifail.-they still have remarkable ap