Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1909-04-30

sented, in the name of the local w. @.
L. U., a fine brooch of Black Hills gold
to Mrs. Reed. Mr.. Reed was then pre-
sented with fine gold watch and
chain by DR.. Wilcox in behalf Of the
Home and his many friends in Hot
Springs. Refreshments in the way Of
ice cream and cake were served by Mrs.
Geddes, matron OF the Home. Mr..
and Mrs. Reed both responded with
short addresses, the Majors response
was as follows in substance:
"lt is with mingled feelings of Joy
and sadness that | attempt to say
anything to you tonight. Joy that I
have been remembered so kindly tyr,
my comrades and friends in present.
ing me with this beautiful token of
your regard for me.
And sadness because of the fact
that after have done talking to you
and have grasped you by the hand and
the goodbyes have been said, that it
will be the last goodbye for many
of you and before | shall have the
pleasure of grasping you by the hand
again many of us will have gone
into the great beyond. known and
feel this because as look into your
faces tonight miss very, very many
dear faces gone forever since l came
into the Home. Nearly one hundred
have answered the last roll call, and
knowing the fact that we are dropping
out one by one, | realize that this
is the last good-by and that fills mo
with sadness.
An,. ROW comrades may never
see some Of you again, and ] want you
to remember what say. l leave you
for good on Friday morning and as
the train carries me out of sight
around the bend | want you to remem-
Der me kindly as one who has been
your friend and as one whose whole
aim and object has been to do my
duty towards you as quartermaster Of
the State Soldiers Home and in SO
doing if | have given offense or been
impatient with you | ask your pardon
because L can truthfully say that
there is not member of the South
Dakota State Soldiers Home toward
whom cherish any i'll will or feeling
after my pleasant association with you
for almost six years, | will love you
still and will remember you kindly
and as leave you there is one thing
that grieves me most of all. 1t is this:
During the past years [ have had
charge of your personal comfort in
the matter of food and clothing and [
have made your interests mine and [
have watched your daily life and L
think | know what has been for your
good also what has been for your good
also what has been harmful to you and
in all my six years service | have
noticed that the thing most harmful
to our beautiful Home has be on the
Hot Springs saloon. My heart has
been made sad many times rs l have
seen my comrades reeling the streets
in state Of !ntoXication and my
heart has gone out to that unfortunate
comrade in pity My comrades there
is something better for You than hat.
God never intended that you should
be drunkard. He has got something
away ahead of the Hot Springs saloon
for you if you only will, and as long as
God gives me health an an opportunity
am going to try to make things
better for you along that line, both by
my vote and my means, and l shall
rejoice if at next springs election ]
can pick up Hot Springs paper and
read the following startling headlines:
"Hot Springs Gone Dry Because ut
CnntiIued to page 8