The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-31

MCKAY Oh later UdyS.
Ex-Mayor Dobie says he well re-
members, as boy, being kept out
of school several days proceeding the
annual celebration to fix up the
barns and sheds for the accommodate
ton of the teams of theses who
drove long distances. On one 7occa-
sion in that early day the club is
said to have gone to the eKtrava-
gance of buying a barrel ofIapples
and another time they INDUCED in
an oyster supper AS an illustration
of the changes time has wrought
and the increased cost of living, We
will go back just a few years, to
1898, twenty years ago when the
society held it's first meeting in a
public hall. The total expenses of
the club being $10.39 and that's was
thought pretty steep. Last tyear
S34116 was expended to givey the
admirers of Bobbie Burns a good
time.
At a gathering twenty-eight years
ago the curriers' who INDUCED lin the
national game were Chris GreYe Jas.
Robertson, George Mckay, VIM An.
derson James Morrow A. j. Ellis,
and Thomas Taylor, George and An
drew Hollenbeck, John Morrow, d.
l.. and Thomas Blair, Slaterd being
the skip. Most of these men were
known to many of you. How many
of them are with you today? The
James Ellis Jr, who has JUST erect
ed a fine home, a hundred and fifty
persons We're present. There were
thirty numbers on the program,
mong them Icing two eulogies on
Burns, one by that grand old man,
loved and admired by every pioneer
of Mapleton and Sterling Rev. ]. e.
Conrad and the other by Andrew
Hollenbeck, evidently being size
up of the poet from a saints and a
sinners point of view Willie 5Tay-
lor, who appears on the program to-
night as w. w. Taylor, gave a3reci-
tation and has been on the program
nearly every year since, andL J. f.
Brown, who is always missed when
the hagsis is passed recited THE
Unce Guild" The highland reel9 was
danced by John Sharp, Mrs Nc.
Kay, James Ellis, Sr and Mrs. Rob-
ert Taylor. who at the age of 50
years is still with u.s.
Reference might be made to- the
various programs, which have been
rendered during the AZ years. the
club has been in existence, but it
would be largely repetition and Of lit
tie interest, yet it might not be- out
of place to say added interest was
given to the meeting of 1867 by the
appearance at the summer gathering
OF James Ellis in full Scottish cos
tune, while the meeting of 1904 was
made illustrious or notorious as be-
ing the one at which the donuinee
danced. This member of the cloth
was Rev. John Lloyd, at that time
pastor of the Methodist church at
Waseca. He was here to deliver
the annual address and became so
enthusiastic over the Scotch dances
that he was soon whirling around
with the best of them Indicating
that he was no novice at the high
land fling
A. J. Ellis has held the position
of secretary for 90 years and bdur-
ing that time has missed butiione
gathering. In 1910 the club met
with many obstacles. Both 4Presi.
| dent Taylor and Secretary Ellis
were ill, and Miss Sinclair, p the
dancer, was snow bound at Wells,
but substitutes were secured Iand
the program carried out successfully.
For many years Chris Grey was
the venerable piper of the clubjI He
was succeeded by VIM. Russell. of
Minneapolis, in 1900, in 1908, Major
Hugh Smeaton played the pipes,
since which time Major Sinclair has
been the official piper of thegclub.
Commencing with 1895 an annual
address has been a feature oftcthe
gathering, Rev. VIM. Wilkinson, 1.-THE
Wall street preacher, gave the first
address. He was at that time
resident OF st. Paul. Next 3.came
Rev. j. NJ Smith, of Amhoy,
Scotchman and veteran curler.
then the Rev. Thomas McClary, n
pioneer Methodist circuit rider; Rev.
Alexander McGregor, Congrega.
tional clergyman from MINNEAPOLIS
followed, then James Grey, whootwo
years ago was candidate for gov
ernor and who at the time hes gave
the address was mayor of Mime
apolis, DR.. A. B. Medium, now of
Cleveland, Ohio, gave perhaps athe
most notable address ever given be-
fore the club. He was followed by
Rev. F. E. Miller, pastor of the First
Baptist church of Mankato; Az e.
Clark, new a leading attorney of
Portland, Oregon, and a candidate
for United tSates senator at 1.-THE
last election, filled the placego
couple of hours notice when osome
other speaker failed; then scame
Rev. John Lloyd. the dancing, hdom-
inee just referred to; the next year
came Rev. T. G. Sykes, of st. paul
who gave such excellent satisfac.
ton that he returned the next9ceIe-
bration. Dr.. j. B. Watson, of Gleve-
land, Ohio, will always be remem-
bered as the big hearted Scotsman
that gave two addresses in, one
night. Then came Donald Mckenzie.
who passed away at Duluth last
year just after delivering the Burns
address in that city, Then Judge
H. 5. Cowles, of Whitehall, Wisaon-
SIN; Mrs. Fl. C. Hotaling, of our
nome talent; Rev. T. ]. McCrossan
and Rev. S. Banks Nelson, ofINTin.
neapolis.
The question of bringing the club
10 Mapleton was hard to decides as
there was no place to curl, andtthat
was two-thirds of the celebration
and it will be remembered how soma
years the devotees of the game,were
found playing the national game
of h. D