Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-08-23
interesting Reunion Of Veterans,
ENTERTAINED BY cohRADE JOSEPH A.
MOVES AT SOUTH PARIS.

IENTERTAINED BY CoNRADE JOSEPH A
MOVES AT SOUTH PARIS.
| One Of the oldest organizations o
veterans in this vicinity, at least as far ~
the period of its regular reunions is con
cerned, and one which never misses III
annual meeting, is the association com
posed Of survivors of Co. G, Eighth
Maine, and Co. F, Ninth Maine. ThiI
year the association was entertained BY
its president, Joseph A. Noyes Of South
Paris, at the home of his son, Maurict
L. Noyes, on Pine Street, the day o.
meeting being last Wednesday.
A beautiful day, neither hot nor cold
added to the pleasure Of the assembled
veterans and their guests. The attract
i've home of Maurice L. Noyes and
family, which was built last year, wa.
decorated with flags and bunting, ant
the shady piazzas were early filled with
the arriving visitors.
The number of veterans Of the two
organizations In attendance was not
large, from a variety of causes, but those
who did come brought their families,
and there were number of associate
members and veterans of other organiza
tons and invited guests.
At ii :15 the business meeting OF the
Organization was called to order by
President Joseph A. Noyes, and quite an
amount of routine business was trans
acted. An invitation was received from
Comrade Frank j. Brown Of West
Sumner to hold the reunion with him
next year, and the invitation was accept
ed, the date to be as usual the Wednes.
day nearest the goth of August.
| Officers for the year were chosen as
follows:
\ President-Frank J. Brown, West Sumner.
| vice Presidents-Isaac p. Davis, Mechanic
Falls; g. II. Billings. South waterfo d.
Secretary. and Treasurer-F. L. Wyman,
South Woodstock.
in the first floor of the stable, which, as
no animals are kept on that floor, is
clean, sweet and airy. A bountiful
feast of baked beans and brown bread,
with all the adjuncts which usually &C.
company the army reunion dinner, was
enjoyed by all The party was just
about fit for the seating capacity of the
tables, while those who assisted in pre-
pairing and serving the dinner were seat
ed at a second table. In all dinner was
served to about eighty.
After dinner some photographs Of The
assembly were taken by Photographer
Washburne of Lewiston, and then the
programme of the day began, President
Noyes in charge. Prayer was offered BY
Rev. T. N. Kewley.
~ TDl ha Nd
ed Coat of Blue" and was heartily ap-
plauded.
President Noyes then said that the
next thing would be an address by Hon.
James S. Wright. Mr.. Wright express
ed his objections to the magnitude of the
announcement, aud spoke only few
minutes. He referred to the pleasant
surroundings of the occasion, and the
pleasant lines in which our lot is cast,
and asked what might have been the re-
suit if the Southern Confederacy had
won. We should in that case undoubt-
eddy have been two weak nations, in
stead of one powerful one. He reviewed
the marvellous progress of the country,
material and intellectual, which has
made us the guiding star among the
nations of the earth. This is not all due
to you veterans, but a large share in it is
due to you, as well as to the women who
stayed at home and others who could
not 60 to the front.
BRIGHAM and Warren of Buckfield, or
"Billy and Phon," as they are Familiarity
known, filled the next number on the
programme with some stirring selections
on fife and drum.
Rev. +. N. Kewley of South Paris was
next introduced. Mr.. Kewley said that
| il seemed to him the programme at these
reunions is apt to be wrong end to-that
instead of the outsiders talking to the
veterans it should be that the younger
generation should sit at the feet Of the
veterans and learn of them. We hear it
said sometimes nowadays that the great
struggle might have been avoided by
some form of compromise, but 1t is difh'
cult to see how it could have been done.
There can be no compromise with evil,
the only thing to do with it is to cut il
out, as surgeons remove the appendix.
As the result of the struggle, there was
emancipation, not for the black man
alone, but for the whole Southern peo'
IDLE. Nothing that is worth while has
ever been secured without sacrifice
Liberty has progressed by the shedding
OF blood While the mounds in the
cemeteries cause sadness, the results oil
your deeds and your sacrifices must
cause pride and inspiration.
A number of the veterans and Others
were called upon by the president. +
IL. Wyman, who has long been the secre
ltary and treasurer of the association, IL
his remarks noted that the association
started its annual gatherings about thir
lty-five years ago, which have ever since
been kept up. At first the meetings
Iwere held at West Sumner, and every
Ibody spent the forenoon of the day get
Ting ready for the affair. OF late year.
1.-THE plan now in vogue has been followed
of meeting with some one OF the mem
bers.
Isaac P. Davis of Mechanic Falls spok,
eloquently of the work of the Eighth
Maine, particularly its strenuous servic'
during the last week preceding the sur
render of Lee.
President Noyes, being called upol
from the audience, explained why it hap
peued that these companies, in two dit
I1erent Regiments, ua'o 'non ioe"U
gether. The Eighth and Ninth Main
were organized about the same time
were in the same division and quit
closely associated, and after the war
number of members of these two com
panies were living in the near Vicinity
West Sumner so as to make it convenien
flor them to gather. Mr.. Noyes wit
much feeling spoke of some OF the ex
perieuces of both the Eighth and tn
Ninth Maine, both of which saw muc
hard fighting and suffered heavy losse
} both in battle and from disease.
Others spoke briefly, and few aske
to be excused, and the programme close
BY all joining in the singing of America