Connecticut western news., 1911-06-01
FINE MEMORIAL DAY.
UNUSUAL INTEREST SHOWN
 ...~ IN ITS OBSERVANCE
Eloquent Grafton by MT. Chandler Sons of Veterans Fire voIleys Over
 Dr.. Eddy's Grave Splendid Sing ing by School Children. ..


 Dr. Eddy's Grave Splendid Sing
 ing by School Children.
 Memorial Day opened wet and with 1 every prospect of 8 rainy, disagreeable } day. The heavy showers of the night before had given the earth thorough soaking, and left the roads muddy and uninviting, besides making the ceme- tories more cheerless than ever and the work of decorating the graves more than usually unpleasant
 At 2 o'clock, the hour appointed for starting on the tour of the cemeteries, three grizzIed veterans were assembled in front of the1r headquarters-Com- mander W. R. Weddle, ,Abram Coons and James Reel. Shortly aftsrward James Quinn and George Fields joined them. and a half-h hour later they started, the five indomitable soldiers, with cou- pie of Comrade Reels grandchildren. in one of Briggs canopytop three-seaters. Comrade E, Hawver and his wife drove in their own rig, and Oomrade Harmon Soamerhorn and daughter went to- gether.
 They drove first to Ashley Falls, stopping at the Catholic cemetery on the way. From Ashley Falls they went to Clayton, Canaan Valley and East Ca- naan bringing up at the Canaan Lower Cemetery at about noon.
 .1<4,r %1, ko rades joined the detail, ,and in all. these veterans participated in the work of de- corating, or joined with the Post at the hall Levi Stannard, Wm. Amstead, E. s. Roberts. George L. Parsons, David D. Walter, A. P. Briggs, H. P. Morse, Michael Keane, Norman B. Oakes, Alonzo Sackett, William Saokstt, Charles Thompson.
 With the exception of Ashley Falls, all the villages turned out delegations of school children to greet and assist the veterans, and provided bouquets of fow- for the decoration of their soldiers graves At Clayton 30 school children met the soldiers at the cemetery and sang appropriate songs. and an abund. ance of flowers was in readiness. At Canaan Valley eight children did their share; at East Canaan 60 children turn ed out and the patriotic citizens had bountiful lunch in readiness.
 It was 12 o'clock when the little pro- cession of teams reached the Lower Cemetery in Canaan, where detail of Sons of Veterans in uniform, from Hiram Eddy Camp. of Lakeville. awaited the soldiers arrival before performing their special duty of firing three volleys over the grave of Dr. Hiram Eddy, for whom their camp was named. The de- tail was made up as follows: Com mander Eli VanValkenbergh, Levi A. Speed, Charles H. Schleiffarth, R. 0. Miller, Chester A. Sackett, Fred. Mar shall, Ernest Senior, Charles Thurston. The Post stood at attention while the volleys were fired. -. n..
 After the ceremonies at Lower Ceme- tery the veterans and Sons of Veterans e-embarked-the latter in automobiles placed at their service by A. P. Freeman and H. B. Lyles-and repaired to Pill grim Church dining rooms, which had been thrown open to them with the same generosity that characterized the good ladies of the community in their bounteous contributions of eatables for the occasion, in response to the commit. tee of ladies having that feature In
 
 charge-Mrs. N. l.. Jackson, Mrs. A. P. Briggs, Mrs. H. L. Ross, Mrs. B.. A. Peirce, Mrs. O. T. Vosburgh, Mrs Sam. Reel, Mrs G. w Ford, Minnie Wilcox and Katherine Roraback, who worked as siduously to make the banquet success There was more than enough, as shown in the fact that after feeding about 100, including the school children who parti- ,cipated in the exercises, there was con siderable quantity of provisions left, which was disposed of where it would do the most good.
 At 1:30 the veterans and guests filed into the Town hall between two columns of school children drawn up in line un- der command of School Superintendent George J. VOgel, who ott1c1ated as pre- siding officer. The children remained at the entrance to act as escort to Hon. George B. Chandler, of Rocky Hill, the orator of the day, who arrived on the train from the east. On MT. Chandler s arrival he was escorted to a front seat while the children, 40 III number marched up on the stage and stood while Key. Harry Cornford offered the invocation.
 The children then sang medley of patriotic airs in manner which showed careful training, and were roundly ap- plauded.
 Principal Eldriag9 read in an impres- siye manner the famous Gettysburg speech of Abraham Lincoln.
 CContinued on Eighth Page.)