Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-09-19

COlumD1a to enter Camp Jackson for
active training. There were GO of
the boys to leave to-day, the nine
who left two weeks ago bringing
Oconee's list up to 72. There was
large crowd of citizens at the depot
to see the boys start, and they were
a cheerful, good-humored, sturdy
set Of young fellows, ready "to do
and to dare" Several brief talks
were made just after the arrival Of
the boys at the depot. Veteran J.
Russell Wright, Capt. s. X. Dendy
and Harry r. Hughs, Esq, spoke
briefly but to the point.
Meeting Tuesday Night.
The meeting at the high school au-
ditorium Tuesday night surpassed
all expectations in point Of numbers.
Walhalla had expected a large num-
ber, but few had dared to hope that
every nook and Granny of the large
auditorium would be filled, standing
room at premium, and the grounds
about the building taking care Of the
overflow" to the number Of several
hundred. ,sl
The new" boys were given seats at
the front Of the auditorium, while
the soldiers from Camp Sewer,
Greenville, were ranged just to the
rear Of the new contingent. %
The meeting was opened with an
appropriate invocation by Rev. w. B..
Aun. of the Lutheran church, and the
singing of America" -
The meeting was then addressed
by r. Il. Jaynes, Esq, who unveiled
the handsome United States, flag
awarded to Oconee by Governor
Manning In recognition of our eoun-,
tvs leadership in the State 4Red
Cross campaign for funds. ItEwas
regretted that Governor Manning
could not be present, but in his abb
sence the beautiful silk emblem !of
liberty was taken as the Representa-
1--we at once Of Uncle sam and the;
sGoysrno not y her = Use jlpoi tbtanf.
'eanfs the unaV6 da 81 Is "a abseince oF
Capt. w. d. Workman, of the Butler
Guards. whose presence had been
hoped for. f
James NJ. Moss, chairman of the
meeting, then introduced j. T.. Craig,
of the Oconee Exemption Board, who
spoke briefly in regard to the work
Of the board, and OF and to the boys
about to be transformed into "sol-
diers Of freedom
Mr.. Craig was followed by Ellison
Smith, who delivered an Grafton,
"The American Flag" which had
been most appropriately revised by
him to meet more fully the present
times.
Major VIM. j. Stribling was then
called upon and responded from the
body of the audience, making a most
admirable talk. He referred to the
worthy and heralded action of
young man Of Laurens county, who
had not only refrained from asking
exemption, but had refused to per-
NIT exemption papers to be filed for
him by members of his family "Oco-
nee Is not behind In heroes of this
kind" he said. "There is young
man among the number Of select men
here tonight, tenant on my place,
who refused positively to permit ex-
emption papers to be filed for him."
(Major stribling's reference was to
Pete Kelley, son Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Boley Kelley.) Major Stribling very
appropriately closed his remarks by
quoting President Wilson's message
to the men of the selective draft, in
which he admonished them to bear in
mind that they are in a peculiar sense
"the soldiers of freedom"
Hon. Frank M. Cary, of Seneca,
followed with plain, practical talk,
beginning with his personal feelings
back in 1914, when, he said, he be-
lieved there was no man more scrup-
ulously neutral than he. Events had
completely changed his position,
however, and he believed America
was rightly IN a righteous war
against Kaiserism and for the free
dom of the nations Of the earth. He
felt peculiar interest in each one of
the boys preparing for the fighting at
the front because he had in the VOL
unteer army boy not yet 81 years
of age.
Dr.. j. l.. Stokes followed Mr.. Cary,
delivering a most admirable address
to the boys, full Of good, sound ad-
vice, bubbling with hope and good
cheer.
DR.. e. G. Doyle, Of Seneca, a men,
Der of the County Exemption Board,
spoke next, admonishing the boys to
make records for themselves that
would do honor to Oconee and to
South Carolina.
All Of the speakers were we'll re-
ceived and heartily applauded.
r. T. Jaynes, in behalf of the Red
Cross Association, announced that
the ladies of the three Red Cross
chapters Of Walhalla, Westminster
and Seneca had made up Comfort
bags" for the boys going to the front.
and at this point these tokens of
love to "our boys" were distributed
by young ladies Of the Red Cross.
These Comfort bags" were filled by
the ladies, each bag containing toilet
articles, needles, pins, thread and
other articles that will come in handy
for soldier thrown to some extent
upon his own resources for "repairs."