Connecticut western news., 1913-11-27
" The Iron Soldier Still SaIutes John
 Rodemever"

Rodemeyer."
 Under the above heading a letter appeared in the Winsted Citizen, signed by "R. s. H." The writer declared that he has summoned to the old iron soldier Tn the Monument.
 The letter continues:
 "Well," I said, "what is it?"
 I was surprised to be speaking so nonchalantly, but after all it seemed natural enough then, no matter how it affects me now that I have come home. Somehow 1t didn't appear strange while I was there. All we older people were once on speaking acquaintance with the iron warrior {; we were introduced years ago.
 Is 1t true ?" was the response.
 "Is what true ?'
 "Is John Rodemeyer married ?'
 Now l had just been reading to nights Citizen when I rose to go out doors. How I came not to lay it on the table don't know, but didn't. I had it in my hand when the flash came and had thrust it into my pocket when I started on run to respond to the summons. remembered and I pulled it out in short order. Then, sitting on a cannon, the old soldier above me and beyond him the stars, 1 read to him the account of the we'd ding in Canaan.
 There was absolute silence for a few minutes after I finished. It was broken by the soldier.
 "Will you take message to John ?"
 Sure"
 Now, if anyone thinks that I am going to write down in detail all that the old soldier said tonight about John Rodemeyer and all that he wanted me to tell him. there's another guess com ing. John was the only chum he ever had or ever will have. To him the soldier opened his heart and many of his quaint and pointed remarks were given to the world through John, but 1 know now that there were many more that were never printed, that were not for publication. The old sol dier sees much. but beyond that is a clairvoyant sense by which he reads and knows the thoughts of this com- munity he watches over. There are lots of details that he could add to The Citizens best stories, but it Is plain that"ie will never be in sym. patby with anyone else as he was with Rody in the years that are past. The brazen heart of the iron soldier can never be touched or interpreted again as it was then. It is true, too, that no recollection of those days has ever faded from him, nor ever will. So I am going to give only little of the message.
 "Tell John," he said, "that every man and woman in Winsted whom he has cheered by his breezy, good-natured witticisrns congratulates him and wishes him joy. Tell him they remember much he has perhaps for gotten-not all the same thing, but everybody something-that has come from his pen and which they are glad he wrote. Tell him the healthy humor which greeted them every evening in his paper used to relieve the tension that hard days brought to all-the fagged-out business man, the tired laborer. the weary housewife, the overworked scholars. Tell him these things that he may know thelr congratulations are real and heartfelt, Tell him last of all, that the iron sol. dier still lives, and salutes him for Winsted."
 Under perfectly clear sky, for the clouds had gone, l saw that iron flag unfurled tonight for moment at 15 minutes to 12. Then everything was as if it had not been, and came home Is It strange that this letter is strange? k. 5. H.
 Nov. 20, 1913.