Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02
Echoes of the G. A. r Encampment at Atlantic City


interested in all things, big and little:
alert of mind, full of plans for the years
Yet to be. 1t was wonderful to watch
them. -.
4 4
Where did they get the physiques to
do these things? one wondered. OF
course. it was to be remembered that
they were the remaining factors of the
cream of the youth of the north, the
fit survivors of the pick OF tho north
country. Yet that did not serve to ex-
plain their limberness, their fine con-,
dition as a whole. their high spirits
forty-fye years after the termination
OF the great conflict in which they took
part. 1t occurred to me that perhaps
after all. the ld-fashioned method of
living. of constitution building. must
have been the better method; that these
men, most of them born to the open
air and to methods OF life and of diet
that the modernS would call elemental,
really got better start than we later
ones along the path of physical and
mental well being. Perhaps, after all,
we of the later day coddle and pamper
ourselves too much; take too much
thought of the hygienic method; are
trife too keen to trace foolish little
symptoms of our departure from the
normal. and all that sort of thing.
j saw a great many of these Grand
Army men. their ages ranging all the
way from sixty-five to eighty five. at
their meals down here. The things
some of them ate The combinations
- of victuals wherewith some of them,
even the Oldest RECALLED themselves,
The hot breads. hot biscuits. hot cakes
that they put away. without ever
thought, or the need for a thought, Of
the consequences The heavy meats,
on the warmest days; the pastries they
consumed. and the gulps of iced water
with which they washed down the
weird solids
And the speed with which they ate.
They had to eat speedily, because there
was something doing for them all the
time-some call to answer. some meet
ing to attend. But speedy eating
seemed to be quite natural to them. and
not in the least injurious. I could not
help but laugh inwardly when l re-
Elected how most of the old boys would
stare at the person who would have
the hardihood to attempt to teach them
the Fletcherizing doctrine! ! could not
help, either, but wonder. not vaguely.
either. what would happen to most of
the youngish crop of men-oh. well,
those perilously near the age of forty,
say-if they were to attempt to par
take of the heroic messes of food that
most of the CHEEKY old Grand Army
men were eating without ever thought
of the heroism OF it.
One blithe old Grand Army boy l
watched with particular interest. He
was from Wisconsin, l was told. and
his age was eiehty-two He was taking
his breakfast at one Of the hotels. An
hour before the big parade was to come
off. He was a tall. outstanding old boy,
with shoulders as broad as a door. a
shock Of all-there silver hair. and a
skin as pinky as girls. Now, I here
state exactly what he ate for break
fast: Three large, well Drowned pork
chops, with plenty Of fat on them;
large dish of hash-browned potatoes;
four piping hot French rolls: three
fried eggs: an immense stack Of wheat
cakes. smothered in maple strip: three
large cups Of coffee; a large dish OF
peaches and cream to top of on. and
two finishing glasses OF iced water.
Finishing is about the word That
is how / viewed the proceedings, any
way, as l watched him. entranced.
There, I unused from my point of
vantage at a nearby table-there sits
an old boy of the q. A. r.. who Is close
to his finish. He may have gone nobly
through the great war. but he'll never
get through with that breakfast. 1t
is impossible. 1t is unbelievable. that
any human being. much less q battle
Scared man Of eighty-two. can get