The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-22
VETERANS OF
co. D HAVE
BANQUET
Original Poem by the Rev.
DR.. YasSar Was a Feature
of the Gathering.

lHo lOTly-IlTSl ANNUAL reunion OF |
Company d, Thirteenth New Jersey
Volunteers, was held last night at the
Continental Hotel. The company is
simmering slowly down, and there
were but few present of the party that
went forth in 1861.
Letters of regret were read from
James Is. Wilde and r.. d. Smith, Of
ST. Louis; David Morgan, of Nebraska;
George Fields, of Los Angeles; the
Rev. e. S. Allen, of Buchanan, N. Y,
and the Rev. A. NJ. Harris, of Port
Jervls, all members of the company. A
number of ladies, wives and daughters
of the members, were present.
Patriotic songs were sung by a quar-
tet consisting of Mrs. Matte King,
Miss Jessie Willis, Miss Lola Grammar
and Miss Helen Bishop. Miss Leonora
Reifsnyder was accompanist.
George NJ. Whitfield was POSTMASTER.
The Rev. Thomas E. Vassar, former
pastor of the Old South Baptist
Church, whose golden anniversary as
a clergyman was celebrated last spring,
and chaplain of One Hundred and Fiji
tleth New York Regiment, was the
Sh1oI III ~ 4OooIo . 5ifSii ~
Colonel William H. Van Iderstine,
Abram Van Arsdale, the oldest menu
Der of the company present, and Cap
tain ]. r.. Mulliken.
The Rev. DR.. Vassar, though nearly
So years old, wrote and read the fol-
lowing original poem:
A parting guest the other night
Stepped noiseless through the gate;
Old Nineteen-seven was lost to sight,
AnI IN clipnnd Nfnpfant .kni p1f1
It's name is scarce familiar yet;
IL bothers tongue and pen;
But heal its advent here are met
These veteran DIS AGAIN.
We foot our little horn like kid,
And strut about a bit;
With Captain links lift off the lid
From years when we were 1T
We tell the fairy, gauzy tale
OF field and march and mess;
Beside it Mother G0oseis pale,
Or sink from sight, l guess!
Were ever drawer charges made
Than our on Scooting pig
Did Stuart beat us on q raid
When COW was on the Dig
Don't all men know we fellows here
struck every telling. blow
That sent the Johnnies, wild with fear
Just tumbling down below?
Don't every bloody battle-page
Record our deeds of fame?
Show Dixie rent with fright or rage
AT mention Of our manner
OF course our modest ~ shrinking
tongues
Keep almost always mum;
It's only here we use our lungs
To tell how we were Some:
If not as quick at handling gun
AS in the days of yore,
we still put walters on the run,
And stunts at table score!
These lads just toting fodder round,
In spotless snow-white suits,
Said Of the feeders. I'll be pound,
They're hollow TO the boots!'
You see we're making up for lack
When Southern ''f'ssinmons" shrunk our
sack
To fit The rations low!
Let not our Continental host
Say OF this dollar spread,
"My eyes! II surely was a roast;
| didn't make a red!'
II may be not, but all the same
He learned n lesson so;
We all are playing sort OF game
At give and take, you know!
Now splice the cords Of Aud Lang syne
Anew, o men of D.
Dress up once more your broken line!
Lift strain of ancient glee!
Links yearly part that bounu SO IasL
Our serried ranks of blue;
That waster, Time, trays out at last
The bonds with comrades true.
They fade, o boys, they fad away,
The years Of war-drum's roll!
Around them gather shadows gray
Afar their memories toll!
The columns long of shining steel
Drawn up in proud array,
Show little left but men that feel
The foretastes of decay!
Just lonely trees where forest lowered
Aloft in beauty, strong,
They bent by age by ills that lowered,
As seasons swirled along!
Who nlourns. or begs that disl's hand
For him shall backward SWING?
Who hopeless signs of broken band,
Or hears but death-knell ring1
Not such as sight a shining shore
BY victor legidns trod!
Who know amid earth's wrench and roar
The calm, deep peace of God!
In cheerful trust, with courage braced,
These breathe their last goody-bys;
With hearts elate with sunset. faced,
And brighter morn to rise!
Mists lie around, but out they steer,
God leads. and all is we'll.
Faith eyes beyond the homeland clear
With every naSaiuH SWELL