The Press., 1908-06-03
UNION.

UNION.
 Miss Martha Richards of Westford spent Memorial day with her cousin.
 Mrs w. Richards
 Memorial day is one of the great days. perhaps the most important in all the year to the people of Union.
 Ever since the D. P. OoIbin Grand
 Army Post was organized in 1884 the day has been fittingly observed, and the public exercises attended by near
 ly all the people of the town. as we'll
 as by large numbers from Ashford,
 Eastford and other towns. Many former residents come back to town for that day, SO it has become a sort of 8 reunion time. There is no one who takes more interest in the ob- seTvAnoe of this day than John W. Oorbin of New York, who regularly makes his pilgrimage to Union to decorate the graves of the members of his family, to visit old friends and lend his assistance in the exercises of ! VHO 0&ys @A40 yCAAS Oy AAA&hS5OAAOAV with the Grand Army Post. he sent invitations to large number of the old Union boys" to come back and make short addresses. They respond
 ed in large numbers, and since the day on which the soldiers monument was dedicated in 1902, there has never been so large an attendance or more interesting and inspiring addresses. The church was so we'll filled in the afternoon that extra settees had to be brought in from the town hall The newly organized band from East Woodstock was secured through the efforts of Elmer Ohaffee, and greatly assisted in the musical part of the pro- gram. In the forenoon the decoration of the graves in the East and Center cemeteries took place as usual, and the exercises at the soldiers monu- ment. At half past one the gathering was called to order in the church by R. B. Horton. who presided, and who gram, so each speaker would be limit ed to ten minutes. Prayer was offered by Rev. H. M. Lawson of Brookfield, Mass. and the choir sang "God of our Fathers. ; After the reading of the orders and Lincoln's Gettysburg address, the speaking by the school l children took place. First came ''The Flag Salute;' by members of the Center school; who wore the oolors of the national flag and made a pretty sight. The rest of the school pro. gram was as follows: "The Soldiers Prayer,'' Lysle Miller; 'tBlair the tRegulator, ' Zelma M. Cooper; "The Sisters Last Request, Elsie L. Hor- ton; "Death the Peacemaker, :" Myrtle Davidson; *''The Black. the Blue, 1.-the Gray,,'''" Edith Horton; "In Memoriam. by the school; "Where are They ?'' Olive Higgins; "Our Standing. Army" Myron Agard; Decoration Day." Ida Heck Life. and Death," Esther Young ;, song, "Just Before the Battle. Mother;" by feur girls; 'Sheridan's Ride, >" Harry Aldrich; "My Flag" Evan Volliere "Sleep. Comrades, Sleep" Rebecos Volliere; !" Driving Home the. Cows" Gideon Aldrioh Pride. of Battery B." Mildred Aldrich. The speaking by the school children, Wassexoelbent, and showed good training .outhe part of the teachers. Then the U nfon | boys" who were present were called1 on for short addresses, and we'll did they respond. M. P, J. Walker, l George Thayer and Willis G.. Howard gave interesting "reminiscences of their | |experiences in the army. f@Frank o. Letcher of Southbridge and Leverett o. Snow of New Britain spoke in a 1 felioitous manner of their early ex periences in Union, where they found their good wives. Francis Cleveland of Hartford, who had not visited Union for many yeara,t spoke briefiy.il Morgan Reed told of drawing alders | to Hazardville, to be made into | powder, SO that the soldiers could | use it in fighting, and his brother, | Judge Joel H. Reed, among other | things, told of his work being recent | ly in New Haven, the largest nity in the state, which was often con- trasted with Union, to the disadVant- age of the latter, as the smallest town which sent two representatives to the legislature. And yet he, Union them straighten out their difficulties. | Dr. George N. Lawson of Middle Haddam read poem which he had written on Memories'' O. A. Proulx recited a vivid description of the partings of the war days. John W. Corbin was called on, but only spoke of his purpose to clear the ground about the burial place of the revolutionary soldier, James Armour, beside the road to Mashapaug. Dea. E. N. Lawson gave "reminiscences of the Oorbins. Rev. H. M. Lawson expressed the feelings of all when he said that these were about the best Memorial day exercises that Union ever had. He also referred to the r changes of population. the incoming of foreign families from New York city, and the possibility of, making them and their children patriotic Americans. He invited alf-old resi- dents and friends to the old home day picnic to be held on Mt. Oehepetpok August 18th. Alyarado $ Howard | spoke of the sacrifices swh hiohsmust he made@tO insure peace. oproerBss and general twelfRre. Roscius Newell of Three Rivers, Mass. spoke encourag- ingly Of tie progress We. hre making in the solution espf the great :, problems tiE which now i'oen io'oenfroOnt us; suqh as the assimilation and uplift of the multi tudes of newcomers to our shores. Thia nlnsad h3n axnnfiennn .-lr.I,s.,l,. .uaua |