The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-12-10
FROM THE S. D. U r
Delray. Florida. Dec. 3. 1911

SAS my otohC otdlC VIC pun ChdoCu OuI
tickets to the southland via Washing
ton, D.. c., getting a stopover at Harris
burg, taking a side trip to visit home
and friends we had not seer in seven
teen years.
Few indeed were the friends and
loved one to greet us; most of their
names are carved on the shafts in the
silent city.
A snow storm and a very cold wave
struck the place about the same time
we did making it very difficult and dis.
agreeable getting round.
How we wished for the good roads
and fine weather we were sure you
were having in South Dakota.
Ten days later we were again in
Harrisburg, paid storage and recheck-
ed our trunks and were off to see the
sights in our beautiful capital city. /
had heard, read, and seen pictures of
the interesting places the statues and
monuments, ETC., but had never been
in the city. l was a little disappointed
that it was night when our train pull
ed in.
We went to a nearby hotel where
we passed a restful night, but at day
light / was peering from the window,
and l could locate the dome of the
capitol and Washington's monument
and some other places. We saw flags
and more flags, eagles and equestrian
statues everywhere. After breakfast
we "set out toward the capitol over
an old worn out brick sidewalk. Many
were going the same way expectorat-
ing freely on the uneven sidewalk. I
said nothing but was right sartin that
neither the walk nor the splitting
would be tolerated in Bookings.
The head of the family seeing me so
interested and anxious to see every
thing, waxed eloquent in his descrip-
tons OF the city "befo' de wah." He
with his regiment was encamped in
the city FIVE months in 1861 and 81. So
he began telling me for perhaps the
Tooth time of his camp life, his visits
to the Patent Office, to the Smithson-
ian Institute and l know not where
else. / listened politely of course,
| and of course heard about as much of
h;c ctnru nc 7 did IF tho old o,idnsc
harangue as he hurried his victims
along repeating his piece like a parrot
twenty times a day or o~ftener, describ-
uting each painting or statue he pass
ed, telling with a great show Of learn
ing things that every school boy
knows as well as does the old guide
himself. For instance, Patrick
Henry's speech in the Virginia Con-
vention, Caesar had his Brutus,
Charles the first had his Cromwell and
George the third may profit by their
example if this be treason make the
most of it," and Ethan Allen the hero
of Ticonderoga. | just wanted to look
and admire the fearless old leader of
the Green Mountain boys, and l didn't
need to hear again of his demanding
the surrender of the fortress in the
name of The Great Jehovah and the
Continental Congress.
And who wants to be hurried past
the grand manly statue of Alexander
Hamilton first Sec. of the Treasury?
One never tires looking at his strong
manly face, but the guide must tell
of John Stark's speech to his men,
"See men there are the red coats, be-
fore night they are ours or Molly Stark
will be a widow"
When l came to the marble image
of General Adams our uncle Sam"
and Jonathan T%rumbull, that great
patriot and financier, our Brother
Jonathan" just wouldn't bulge until
I got ready.
Then I must take a good look at
| Pennsylvania two statues, RObt. Full
ton and the noble Muhlenberg the
Episcopalian Clergyman of the Blue
Ridge country who after n of his in
spring Sunday morning sermons said,
"there is a time to preach and a time
to pray and there is also a time to
fight and that time has now come"
pronouncing the benediction he threw
off his robe displaying a full military
uniform, commanded the drum to beat
for recruits and about 800 of his con
gregation enlisted and marched away
to offer their services to the immortal
Washington. This was in IT'S. He
became a Major General. Pennsyl-
vania is justly proud of her fighting
preacher and her great inventor, the
first to make practical application of
steam power to navigation. He built
the first successful steamboat, "The
Clermont" in 1907. "a also curious
to see how Virgipia's two statues look
ed standing in the same niche. They
arc Georpa Washington and Robert E.