The National tribune., 1910-06-30
LIVE DEPARTMENT.
Appomattox Posts Hospitality and Its
Singers-MemoriaI Day.

Comrade r. G. O'Brien, of Oakland,
Cal, while visiting in California in the
Spring writes that he had the good
fortune to attend the Department En-
campment of California and Nevada, G.
A. r., and he says that he enjoyed
season of comradeship seldom equaled.
The spirit of Fraternity, Charity and
Loyalty controlled every event, while
the work of the w. r. c. and the La
dies of the G. A R., Daughters and
Sons of Veterans displayed very ac-
tive interest and spread abroad Won
derfully congenial spirit of fraternity
which was beautiful to behold. Com
rade O'Brien was particularly pleased
with the hospitality OF the city of Oak
land, which he says was lavish for the
comfort and pleasure of the veterans,
and the five Posts of Oakland, Alameda
and Berkeley were tireless in their at
tention to the veterans.
Comrade O'Brien writes that he
wants to speak particularly of Apo
mattox Post, so, of Oakland. 1T kept
open house" he writes, with all good
things for the comrades, and during
the four days Of the Convention its
members fed 1000 people; no one left
the hall hungry. He says that the 9TH
er Posts of Oakland also kept open
house. One Of the beautiful features
of the parade was fully 1000 women,
ali dressed in white and carrying flags,
keeping step with the comrades to the
music of the bands. Comrade w. r.
Thomas, Commander of Appomattox
Post, which position he has held for IA
consecutive years, was elected Senior
Vice Commander of the Department.
He has a wonderful memory, being
able TO stand in his place at Post meet
ings and call the full name of every
member Of the Post without reference
to a list Of any kind. AMI the meetings
seldom number less than 60 or so COM
rades.
THE Post has organized Glee Club
from among its members, composed of
seven comrades each of whom has at
Eome time In his life Ueen teacher of
singing, led a choir and conducted cho-
ruses. Their aggregate age numbers
t89 years. The oldest member is "A
and the youngest SO, the average age
being 81. The club is a feature in the
Post, furnishing music for al occasions
of joy, as well as seasons of sorrow in
The death of its comrades. And you
Jhould see the interest they take in
their part of all occasions; the kindling
brightness of their eyes at the recollec-
uons of younger days; the melloNing
influences of years on voices once strong
and robust bring pathos and suhdued
harmony in the o:d war songs they so
feelingly sing.
Never a meeting of the Post occurs
without winding up it's proceedings
with a goodly store of sandwiches,
doughnuts and coffee tucked away un-
der the belt of each comrade to sustain
him on his journey homeward.
"On this far-on coast we haven't as
many of the boys in blue as you have
in the East, but they are just as pa
triotic and know the meaning of Fra
ternity, Charity and Loyalty fully as
well.
I'VE have inst passed tf,ru ,Le COL
emn services of Memorial Day, beauti-
fully conducted and feelingly observed.
Many new mounds met our gaze as we
entered the hallowed precincts of beau
; tiful Mountain View Cemetery to pay
our annual tribute to the memory OF
the heroic dead.
Fraternity was most strikingly illus
trated on this solemn occasion in this:
That instead of the five Posts of the
three cities named above marching in
separate organization Immediately after
their own Post flags, the five flags were
grouped, side by side, at the head OF
the procession, and the comrades Joined
arm in arm, irrespective of Post assem-
bly,, and wended their way to the 'Si-
lent City to fulfill their solemn yearly
duty.
THE day was warm, unusually sc
for this locality at this time of year
and many of the older and feebIer com.
rades suffered from heat, and, sad to
say, one comrade, well advanced ir
years, whilst in the act of placing his
floral tribute upon the graves of his
father and mother, who had passed on
long years before, suddenly dropped
over on the sacred. grassy mounds and
Joined them in the other land.
1.-The ranks are thinning rapidly, but
the knowledge remains that after We,