The Green Forest tribune., 1916-08-18

For weeks in advance the all-absorb ing topic of conversation in places of business, on the streets and among friends was the coming Con federate Reunon-an event that is always look ed forward to with delight and pleas urable anticipations from both young and old of Green Forest, Carroll and adjoining counties. In fact, it is a Red Letter Day in our history and as the day approaches for the assembling of the remnant of one of the gneatest fighting machines, according to num- bers, that history has any record of, hundreds are attracted to our shores. On Thursday, the first day of the meet ing little else was done other than mak- ing preliminary arrangements for the morrow While the crowd was large on Thursday it was nothing when compared to that of Friday.
 History tells us that away back yon der in the dim vista of the past that an roads lead to Rome and that seemed to be the case as regards Green Forest on Friday morning. People came from the four winds and when assembled at the large City Park where
 
 crowd was one seething, jostling mass time, intermingling with relatives and and the Gray to recount incidents oc- curing on the tented field or in the battle strife It must be remem- bered that the soldier who wore the Blue in the Civil War had special in- Vitation to be present and participate and many did so. It was literally a Reunion of the Blue and the Gray and so far as we were able to discern not a discordant note arose to mar this happy fraternalism. May it ever be thus.
 On Friday morning the sun arose in all it's splendor and majesty-not d cloud obscured the blue dome of heaven, typical of Gods goodness to us and in- dicative of an suspicious day for the gathering of the few of both sides still left in this section-fo forgetting past differences and that they had met in deadly conflict over fifty years ago so contend for the mastery for which each deemed to be right, and for which both were ready to offer up their lives as sacrifice.
 The parade formed at tt.e little park in the town. headed by che Green For est Cornet Band, the.l float contain ing sixteen lovely and beWitching young ! ladies arrayed F. spotless white. The float was alsatJcovered with white cloth | and on sefher side of which were pinned | tinn.sfiags of Old Glory and the Stars | and Bars, the emblem of the Southern during its short and stormy existence. Following the float came the old soldiers headed by Col. J. Polk Fancher. commander of the camp, bearing aloft Old Glory, which, one of the speakers declared to be the emblem of the greatest coui itry in the world, and last, but not by any me4s the least in the pars was J. w Hymn, ,si H 5,t, s,,s, s 5 E ,,se As we gazed upon this remnant of wo mighty armies whose deeds, of her ism caused the civilized world to re- gard with awe and astonishment we .ould hardly realize that they were once in the fuh vigor of young manhood and responded with d proud step to their country call; but now lnlEe seer and yellow leaf then atepo d.c uateady . and tottering. They have climbed the nlll and are now on the descent on the other side with a consciousness of duty well performed.
 Arriving at the park the young ladies in the float sang Dixie and the Bonnie Blue Flag. These soul-stirring war songs of the Southland awakened fond and at the same time sad memories of the past They had the effect, it seem ed, of infu5ing new life into the old soldiers of the South. Their footsteps 9ppearal more elastic and firm and their manner more alert.
 After selection by the band and the invocation by Comrade E. M. Estes, Mayor A. J. Tabor. in few we'll chosen remarks, welcomed the multi tude and gave them the keys of the city, so to speak.
 pr. H. L. Routh of Batavia was se- lected to respond to the welcome ad-