Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-10-09
A GERARD LECTURE
MISS SHOWALTER WRITES SHORT
BUT CHATTY LETTER ON
WESTERN EVENTS.
Colorado, Sept, 1918.

SOIoA duO, OSpL., 1910.
Dear Mr.. Editor
1T is a great privilege to live in
Colorado" You hear that expression
very often out here by Native Sons"
1t has been my privilege to spend
ten days in the city of Denver, and
be taken about every day in an auto.
(No we didn't ride on Sunday0 Den
yer has wonderful system of large
and beautiful parks connected by
! parked boulevards. One can ride for
hours, clear around the city, on them.
There are lakes, fountains, pavillions,
shrubs and gorgeous flower beds ev-
erywhere.
There are fine public buildings and
they are now putting up a "Civic Cen
ter" near the Capitol. 1t is something
like the Court of Honor at Worlds
Fairs. A splendid fountain of bronze
figures and light granite has just been
erected in City park. 1t was a pres
ent from Mr.. Thatcher and is called
the Thatcher Memorial. 1t was made
by Laredo Taft who was present at
the unwilling.
We took a number of short drives
TO places of interest outside the city,
and one all-day drive, nearly 100
miles, on the Denver Rocky Mountain
Park Driveway, all owned and kept
in fine condition by the city. At the
top of Lookout Mountain we visited
the grave of Buffalo Bill and each adj
ded stone to the pile that covers his
last resting place.
1t was my great privilege to attend
two patriotic meetings in the Denver
Auditorium The first was the open
ing session of the Grand Chapter of
o. e. S. at which an entire patriotic
program was given-music by the Ell
Jebel Shriners band and the wonder
full Municipal OrganS songs in which
the audience took part; address of
welcome by the Mayor and response
by Star sister. Then the main ad-
dress of the evening was given by a
Methodist minister, Rev. Mead, who
had just returned from spending a
year with our lads on the front line
in France. My, it was interesting.
He said no matter what their condi-
ton, wounded, disabled, suffering, he
had never heard one lad complain.
A few nights later / was one of
about $4,000 citizens of Colorado call
ed in mass meeting to form League
to Enforce Peace (Colo. Branch).
Inc duulGuCG DIS We'll do Tic u0lS-
gates assembled were given a chance
to vote upon the bylaws, platform,
and officers of the League.
AS the business neared the close
the audience was growing restless.
The chairman was saying something
about music by the organ" when a
man in the crowd discovered the
speaker of the evening in one of the
wings and called out Gerard" The
cry was taken up and as the great or
gan pealed forth the strains of the
National Anthem, the audience arose
cheering madly; and James w. Ger
ard and escort marched in and as
cended the speakers stand.
In a loud clear voice, with no dra-
matte effort, but in plain, simple
words, he told us that he was the man
who had seen the kaiser face to face
and had forced him to "show his
hand" He said he had not only seen
the kaiser, he had raised him.
He spoke of visiting Colorado 80
years ago and the kindness of the
ranchmen where he was regaining
his lost health.
He reviewed his experiences in
Germany, and gave us his ideas on the
present situation; the great struggle
ahead of us; and the final triumph of
Peace.
With love to all, S.