Meade County news., 1917-07-12
Presented With Badge

| IeLlIluS DcpdT lmSuI OOu Ill duu
er, was presented with hand
some badge. A mistake was
made IN the nun ber of his regi.
ment and it had to be returned
to the manufacturer for correc.
ton. Mr.. Painter received it
this week and is taking great
pleasure 10 showing it to his
Meade friends.
1t is one of the handsomest as
we'll as costly articles of it's kind
made. The top is the American
Eagle, the regulation G. A. r.
Department Com mander badge.
on the regulation silk ribbon.
Below the eagle is an epaulet
indicating the rank of Major
General, Suspend from this is
bar, with the inscription, Com
pany K, 9th Iowa Infantry. A
cartridge box, the Identification
of the 18th Army Corpse, of
which he was member, is also
attached, and above it is large
diamond. On the back of the
star, the badge of the G.. A. R.,
is engraved, "Presented to Rob-
ert M. Painter, Commander
Department of Kansas G. A. r.
|19l6.17."
A. w. Smith made the following
presentation speech;
"Comrade Painter, we welcome
you to our ranks as a past depart
ment commander. We want to con
gratulate you, sir, upon the glorious
record you have made during the
year that you have presided over
this great body OF the grandeSt men
the world has ever produced. AS
you retire to private life and take a
place among us We expect you TO be
the same loyal, grand, comrade sAat
you have been during the year that
you have aned this high and exalted
office. You come into the ranks
with US now with the. respect and the
the love and the aduiifatl06 of every
comrade in this department. Your
rulings, your conduct have nser with
the APPRECIATION of \all'mefI6crs' of
this organization. I was abOHt to |
say you have surpassed the eXpecta
tions of those of US who were active |
in promoting your candidacy and
helping you to the great honor That
you have had. II has beeR the cuS-e
tom--and we want it to be sOMc-
thing more than . custom In thFS in
stance--to presenl to our ret1TTng
{ commander a badge Of the Office he
ha just so ably and honorablv 6E-
ed. AS 4 slighttokcn of our apprc~
citation of you, and as a ScmeHtO
that you NAV always cherish and
look back to aud bequeath TO- vouwI
children and your grand -chiidrew,
we present you with this maguigceuTl
badge, and we hope that YOU will
wear it with pleasure. and we know
you will wear it with honor the rel
mainder of yourlite. and may GoTSI
blessing rest upon you IN whatever;
avocation you may engage"
To which Mr.. Painter rephed.
Comrades, Commander, a few
moments ago, standing under that
flag, for reasons over which l haf no
control, | was unable to reply To
that grand speech of Past Depart
ment Commander, A. W Smith. |
wan, to say to you that in the inner
most recesses of my heart have fov
every comrade in this department
the kindlest feeling No mans
hands have been held up better than
mine in the past year. There has
been no friction; there has been no
misunderstanding | take home
with me kindly feeling and love for
every comrade in this department.
| don't know how. could have beer
treated better. do not know of /;
| single thing that ought to have beer
e done for me that was not done. II
a In this connection l would like t.
saw a word about Mrs. Gilyeat. Sh'
$ has known more about the work o
e this department than | did-mor
n than you. Comrade Smith, and al
e the rest Of US put together-and
= honestly believe we will never b
y able to repay her for the splendi
h word she has done. Now, comrade.
ie again want to thank you for tn
n kindness YOU have shown me an
Ag the trust you have placed in me
ed have tried to 10 my duty. God b