Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-05
RainPreventsH Holding
OF Clambake and
The Field Sports
Out of Doors
Evening Sees Many Travel the
Desert Sands TO Shrine

greatly hinder the gathering here
Thursday of the Shriners of Maine to
hold their Sth annual Field day.
| Though the field sports had to be
given up, and all plans for out-of-door
work suspended, the many Shriners
who did attend were amply repaid by
the entertainment provided.
This was the eighth time the Shrine
had met for an annual Field day and
fully five or six times the event has
been pulled og in this city Very much
depends on the residence of the il
lustrious potentate. once it has been
in Bangor and once in Augusta, but
! in these cases the head of the order
lived in those places.
Very fortunately for Lewiston here
is the Shrine building and here a ma
jority of the Shriners may be found.
Under these circumstances it is but
natural for the annual meet to be
! held here. 1t is as easy as rolling off
a log and it seems to be the proper
place. For this there are other rea-
T
and there is but one Fred Names He
knows how to cook 'em and the mem
bers all have a hankering for one of
his feasts. AS Fred lives in Lewiston
it is to Lewiston that they must
come for a royal clambake.
Lewiston is famous for providing
leadership for this great body. Its
| first iliustrious potentatew as the
late Frank Faulkner, who might as
well be called a Lewiston man as he
lived but few miles away and came
| here for his higher degrees in Ma
sonry. Then came the Rabbit broth
ers Frank and George, who occupied
that high place of honor. Fred G.
Payne came in turn and R. r. Att
wood, E. S. Stetson, John H. Mer
rill, Freeman Lord, A. NJ. Penley and
last, but not least, DR.. Bolster, who
sits on the throne today. He had
planned a mighty program for this
occasion and this would have been
carried out had not all nature frown-
! ed. With a committee made up of
some so of his trusted knights who
| had trodden the burning sands and
proven equal to face and overcome
every danger, it was the intention to
eclipse all former efforts. With Fred
Names as chief of staff this would
have been the result but alas, alack!
The rains fell as the winds howled
and these were the causes that wrung
from the doctors lips the doleful notes
that head this report.
Big Crowd Came
However. the affair was far from
k1i, 60,
cess even though not bowling one,
so far as attendance was concerned
They came by hundreds even though
the thousand mark was not reached.
| Not only was sport on the program for
the day. but the initiated knew that
many weak and weary pilgrims were
to face the burning sands Thursday
evening and their agony is a matter of
glee. Very little sympathy is ever
shown the poor devils and as for tears
they are never shed except by the VIC
Tins This ordeal was to be preceded
by big banquet provided by Rounds
& Sans and this was a matter that
the members could not afford to over
look.
The members began to pour In with
the early dawn and after that each
train brought its full quota. The big
Shrine building. Main street, was
abloze with light and good cheer,
while music from the Brigade Band
resounded through all the rooms In
fact. the early part of the day was
largely devoted to band concerts al
though other features of socialbility
were there. There was plenty to en-
gage the attention of the 800 or more
who gathered in the hall and jokes
and laughter went their merry rounds.
Brought Eats to Town
But there were disappointments and
some of these were deep and bitter.
The clam bake was to be pulled off
at the fish hatchery beyond East Au-
burn and Caterer Names and a big
staff of assistants were early on the
grounds and had worked like Trojans
all the forenoon. Superintendent
Bowie of the electric road had detail
ed a lot of his men to take the crowd
out in extra cars and the start had
been ordered for II o'clock. That hour
came and passed. No one knew exact
ly what to do. To go out there In
rain storm was not an inviting thing
to do, even though scores OF bushels
of CLAIMS and Holsters were smoking
hot and waiting to be devoured. They
had been cooked under the greatest
difficulty as the rain would put out
the fires about as fast as they could
be lighted.
Then came hurried consultations
and at 11:3O the word was sounded
that the trip must be abandoned. II
was grievous disappointment to one
and all but hope still kindled the hui
man breast All was not lost, as ii
was announced that CLAIMS and all oth
er eatables would be packed up and
sent down to the Shrine hall, where
they would be served at / o'clock. Al
though this might lack the picturesque
features of dining beneath the trees
and TO the music of the festive trout
splashing and leaping from the waters,
it would at least stay the pangs OF
hunger. 1t was a case of making q
virtue of necessity and many were the
smiles that played around the features
of hungry men. The band footed loud
er and sweeter than ever and all hands
declared that they were happy. FREQ
Names was equal to the occasion anC