The Republican journal., 1917-03-15
Meeting of Waldo County
Veterans.

County Veteran association was hell
March LIST. by invitation, with Grant,
Grange, North Searsport. The day wa
made to order the travelling fair, and thu
veterans began to arrive early. Invent,
reported at the morning session ant
the arrivals later of friends and relatives
brought the number present up to abou
one hundred. The records of the las
meeting were read and adopted, anc
Comrades Bussey, Whittum and Stinson
committee on the time and place of the
next meeting. reported as follows: Time,
April 5th; place, Richie Grange hall,
Waldo; if stormy, the first fair day.
Their report was accepted. The presi-
dent made some remarks, and Comrades
S. L. Crockett and F. l.. Palmer intro
duced their newly elected brides to the
association.
The dinner call sounded and at the tap
of the drum the veterans and their wives,
sweethearts and friends, marched to the
dining hall, where sumptuous repast,
prepared by theSisters of GraniteGrange,
awaited them. After dinner cigars were
passed by the newly married and Mrs.
S. L. Crockett gave candy to those who
do MT smoke.
President Trask called the afternoon
meeting to order and the following pro-
gram was presented: Singing America:
prayer by the chaplain, George L. Merrill
of Searsport; calling the roll of those
who have passed away since the Febru-
airy meeting in Belfast 1t was the
largest number of deaths reported in
any ore month since the organization of
the association rs years ago. Following
is the list: |. V. Miller of Belfast, navy;
Frank Overlook of Belfast, 9th Maine;
James A. Colson of Searsport, Co. E,
10th Maine; James O. Kneeland of Sears
port, 18th Maine; Capt John O. John
son OF Liberty, navy; Charles Ewell of
Swanville. 4th Maine; Hiram A Hustus
of Monroe, Co. D, 10Th Maine; Gen.
Frank S. Nickerson of Rosindale, Mass,
who enlisted from Searsport in the 4th
Maine.
Comrade Stinson recalled the many
times Capt. johnson had come from his
pleasant home to attend the meetings of
the association. Until old age and fall
ing health prevented he was regular
attendant and will be much missed. 1t
will be hard to fill his place He also
spoke of the lafe Comrade ]. A. Coson,
member of Co. E, 18th Maine, as one
who will be much missed by his surviv-
ing comrades, four of whom are living in
Searsport.
The address Of welcome by Mrs. Au-
gusta c. Stevens, lecturer of Granite
Grange, was given without notes and
was pronounced very fine. Comrade S.
L. Crockett of Brooks responded in his
usual happy manner, Then five girls
sang ''There Are Many Flags in Many
Lands" and Mrs. Carrie b. Spaulding
followed with recitation, 1.-The Old
Grand Army Boys" composed by our
late Comrade Robert B. Cookson of Ban
gor, and which the association asked to
have printed in The Journal.
THE OLD GRAND ARMY BOYS.
You may talk about the Masons,
And the Odd Fellows and such;
You may call them so fraternai
As to fairly beat the Dutch;
You may praise them if you choose to.
With their mystic rites and noise, but they
cannot hold candle.
To the "Old Grand Army Boys
Fer man that has memory can learn about
the craft;
He can get degrees and pass words that can
make funeral laugh,
And be loaded down with symbols
But for true fraternity they cannot hold a
candle,
To the "Old Grand Army Boys"
You may talk about your badges. but the one
Is the Star, Flag and Eagle, that is far above
them all
1t has won when cannon Numbered.
Mid the battles smoke and noise,
So there's nothing holds candle,
To the tOld Grand Army Boys"
Why, they fought and bed together.
And they shared the prison pen,
And they faced the front in battle,
With the elbow touch of men. There the com
pact was cemented
Mid the conflicts crash and noise,
So there's nothing holds candi,
To the "Oid Grand Army Boys"
They fraternal? Well reckon.
Aud their charty's all right
Are they loyal? They have proved it. for they
left their homes to fight
And the nation owes them homage for the
peace it now enj ,ys,
For there's nothing holds candle,
To the "OId Grand Army Boys"
Comrade Cookson was formerly of
Unity and gave one of his legs for his
country. He had met many times with
the association at Windermere Park, the
veterans home. Comrade George L.
Merrill said he was ''jiner," not a
joiner with carpenters tools, but a
elmer" of all the different orders, and
the church, but none of them could hold
a candle with the old Grand Army boys.
Remarks by Mrs. Nettie Smart were
followed by singing by Misses Lawrence
and Fernald; dialogue, Betsy Ross and
the First Flag, by three children, Eve
lyn Spaulding, Clyde Hartman and Mil,
bred Smith. the latter dressed as George
Washinpton: singing, Don't Bite the