The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-07-20
Young Men At Vernon Center
Feted By Citizens
GIVEN ROYAL sEND.OFF
These Boys Will Assist In Car
ing For Members of the
Second Regiment
From Tuesdays Daily.

From tuesdays Daily.
Vernon Center, July 17.-Word was
received from Major Merrill of AM
boy, Thursday morning, ordering the
Vernon boys, who had enlisted in the
medical corps, Myron Randall, Jr.,
Harold Cox, Owen Lewis, Clifford
Lewis and Virgil Dimmich and STAN
dish Bowen to report at headquarters
I! in Amboy, Sunday morning, to pre-
pare to entrain for Fort Smelling, not
later than Tuesday. On receipt OF
this hurry up meeting was called
and DR.. T. G.. Clement, L. G. Rev
and R. G. Champlin were appointed
as committee to make all prepara-
lions for a big community reception
Friday evening in honor of young
men, who are making this great sac
rifice so willingly, for the nations
honor and suffering humanity. Fhe
committee at once got in phone touch
! with Rev. w. H. Clement of Mime
apolis, veteran of the Civil war,
Rev. Father Colbert of Winnebago,
who was chaplain in the Philippine
war, Attorney G. W. Champlin of
Lake Crystal and the Sandon orches-
ira of Mankato, all of whom promised
| TO be on hand to assist in the pro-
gram.
Mrs. Frank Grannis, chairman Of
/ the decorating committee with her
able assistants converted the opera
house into veritable bower of beau
/ ty. An auto was sent into the near
| by woods and returned with load
of ferns. These were ported, and
placed in various parts of the hall,
one pot in each window and across
the room. In front of the stage was
one continuous mass of green ferns.
Above these ferns, bowls and vases
of roses, oeonies and other red and
white flowers. In front of these dec
orations sat the six boys, the honor
guests of the evening. The speakers
occupied seats on the stage as did
also the mayor of the village who in
PRODUCED them. The hall was packed
| to it's fullest capacity, and many
were turned away as the hall could
not hold more.
j The PROGRAM was as follows:
/ Instrumental music, piano, violin,
slide trombone, by Miss Gladys Coop
er, r. E. Fate and Lyle Cooper.
Solo by Mrs. Fate.
Rev. Father Colbert was the first
speaker, who was chaplain in the
| Spanish American war, Fourteenth
Minnesota regiment. His talk which
was mostly addressed to the boys, was
i cheerful, hopeful, much of which will
never be forgotten, and will often
come up in the minds Of these boys,
wherever they may be called, and
will help them to be better, bigger.
truer citizens of this greatest nation
on earth.
Rev. W. H. Clement, soldier boy
4 in the war of 1861, closed his SPLEEN
did talk to the young men, saying he
congratulated them on this great
opportunity. He told them that he
believed that many of the American
boys who were called to duty, would
safely return to their homes, not be-
ing needed to go to foreign lands, and
said that he wished that he was
lyoung enough to offer his services to
Uncle Sam, to fight under the starry
ibanner, emblem of American liberty.
Music by the orchestra preceded
Attorney Champlin's remarks, which
were along most patriotic Zines, Civ
ling a short history of the flag, at the
conclusion of which he presented in
behalf of the citizens of Vernon Cen
tier, each of the honor guests with a
beautiful silk mounted flag. While
the boys were receiving the flags the
audience arose and sang one verse of
1.-THE "Star Spangled Banner" after
(which each boy made a little speech
lof acceptance. Refreshments con-
Isisting of ice cream and cakes,
Isma1 flag placed in the mound of
lcream, made dainty souvenir of the
Ievening. The ten young ladies who
Iare soliciting for Vernon Center Red
ICross auxiliary, dressed as Red Cross
nurses, very prettily served the four
hundred guests, who remained for the
Refreshments. The Sandon orchestra,
who had promised to be present did
mot appear, or even phone an excuse,
and the dance which was to have
been enjoyed had to be given up to
the disappointment of the younger
set. -.
Callers at the H. C. Kraus home
Sunday were Mr.. and Mrs. L. C.
Kraus andI children, and Grandma
Kraus, Mrs. Mary Wagon, and
Charles and Herbert, and Mr.. and
Mrs. T. Foley of Mankato, all of
whom motored to our little village
for their Sunday outing.
Mrs. II. Armstrong and two grand
children, Marion and Robert Rice,
are here from Austin visiting the
formers daughter, Mrs. M. L. Pat
terson
Clayton Wilbur Of Company H and
Miss Effie Norman of, Lake Crystal
were guests for dinner Saturday even
ling of Mr.. and Mrs. Lou Kraus.
! Mr.. and Mrs. James Pepper and
daughter, Miss Francis and nephew,
James Pepper, Jr., an electrician
from Minneapolis were Sunday guests
at the L. C. Rev home
Where Relations Are Strained.