The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-23

cut, rom New En8lanO states, ana SO
 away quarters of the earth, where
 tion to the procession of events. B
 Connecticut, or of New York. or of or of the Islands in the Sea, they W The body may live only in a pla
 ing soul may occupy a larger space their Elkdonl- Each wore the same in the addition to the order that has hand to preach the brotherhood of T Eakdom to teach And a thoroughly royal time did with its quickstep, its bands, scum and affection for mankind was but operation and its power for brotherh upon the streets upon a cold evening Not that one is to infer that Elk; are, as body. of so spiritual a con tent that they are 'lean'', like Iago, o, 1 long and lank and lean" like the An c1ent Mariner.
 Not so. dear reader. The gospel O.
 the Elk1 is a gospel of good faith, ani material well being. Their doctrine lis the doctrine of there's enough fol all. so spread the butter thick A moro cheerful multitude of advocates
 of the, obligation of fraternity among
 men never anywhere were seen. Vel Eset up men, were they; we'll clothed
 we'll groomed, athletic, and marching with a fine, quick step to make the .heart of a. soldier rejoice.
 As a matter of fact, Grand Marshal Walter Stapleton was se pleased with the appearance of the parade that his pleasure gleamed from his own face and from the countenances of his mounted staff. the latter so carefully
 selected. by the way, that not a single one of them betrayed any unfamiliar iity with his horse. it's acceutrements,
 Or the best method of bestriding it.
 And Esquire Joseph I. Flint assisted by his aide de camps, John A. Shea, iWiH1am H. OHara and Fullerton Mor- l. <~t,,a <.f
 antlers, shared in the glory of the oc scasion. There was enough glory, too, for all and while the grand marshal
 and his mounted staff and the esquire and his assistants did their part nobly
 it most not be forgotten that it was the rank and file of the membership that made up the pageant and that
 the boys of 36 never showed to such A splendid advantage as on this occa- sion.
 vodoe from the crowd: By heavens,
 thoSe Eaks can do anything. Ths-n
 on horses look like cavalry. Them
 waiking march like nQilitiamen.'
 But enough of these side issues and ethe pAss1ng comment of the street. It 4 was Q satisfactory E1k-like parade, I with plenty of red fire, lots of bands and band music, and more especially lots of brotherhood.
 Because, know ye. citizens. who know not the joys of banded frater- nifty. those bands. those lights, those silk hats, those smiles upon the faces i of tho brothers, were but the tricks, the frappings, the least consequential cloadngs of E1kdom.
 The blaring bands, the shining, scar let fire, the silk hats, the trampling horses, the appearance Of holiday. might have been omitted from the show and nothing of the essence of Elkdom woulf have been absent. So only the brotherhood in the hearts of the brothers was brought along, in obedience to the rituals. orders, com mandz, and demands made by the or der upon its disciples, noviatiates and seekers at its portals.
 The way to the new Home was a
 triumph. Especially was it a tri- umph for those members of Bridgeport lodge who have borne the burden of the fray.
 Have you, my friend. ever preached the doctrines of the brotherhood of men. of the joy of living, of the obli- Eations of one man to another, until you have seen them embodied in a structure of steel, and stone, and brick and bronze, all furnished without and furnished within, to be a corner of the world where men may, for brief per iods, lay down the work-a-day doctrine of the survival of the fittest, and en- ter into the pursuit of cooperation upon the plan of "one for all and all for one?"
 If you have not so done my friend; if you have not so labored and so ac- compliShed, you will need imagination vivid indeed to picture the minds of Elks who have done this very thing, l right here in Bridgeport.
 It is one maj tier to have faith If | is another matter to command faith | into the aspect of an Elk home. cost | ing $1G0,000. finely furnished, and one | of the finest things given to a great | order in great nation. |
 So understanding. Elks were not | sparse of their appreciation of the ! regime of Exalted Ruler Joseph C. | frers, whose administration has seen Bridgeport lodge more prosperous than | ever before.
 So, too. there was sorrow because 1 William " Dewitt, chairman of the l fnt to witness the dedication of the |
 lome which he and his faithful asso- l rates on the Building committee had 'oone more to accomplish perhaps than most others. The illness of MT Dev- lit was the more regrettable in that 1 II mad been, in part at least. occasion | cause
 The dedication was a solemn cere- 'mony Not until it was completed could the new home be said to be Actuaiiy home of Elkdom, for not untii then had it been accepted by the sTaho slodge and received by immer saon i. m the proper rites of the order ton of the Elkdonn that runs wf1er- ever the flag flies
 right noble celebration it was that followed the formal ceremonies No tacK or hospitality was there any where To an Elk last night the world was an oasis with everything just needing to be picked The visit DTS all said they never had been more royalty entertained. But the praise TGf Gr4fefm was that of Elks who,
 um