Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-02-21
MAN DOING
DUTY in CALIFORNIA


DBL. Freeman of this city re-
ceived a very interesting letter from
his father.s f. j. Freeman, who is
spending the winter months in Long
Beach, Calf The letter is so full
Of patriotism and enthusiasm that
we thought the people of Audubon
would. still be greatly interested in
Mr.. Freeman, who is in fact, the
rather of Audubon. His letter under
datesof February 10th is as follows:
| t"'I am going to make this one a
double header" two in one as ii
were; also, of course. largely got
to write of what l see and experience
here among strangers, though it
may not all be Of interest to you
fellows. Also you must remember
that I must talk and tell of what is
here of course. 1t reminds me of
skit by DR.. Johnson. long ago
gathered to his fathers, who elas
quite a poet. A lady had told nm
that she did not care for him "three
skips of "a louise" He replied,
"A lady has told me in her own
house
She cares not for me three skips of
a louise;
I'll not take offense at what the
dear creature said,
Since ladies will talk of what runs
I'm their head"
Well, yesterday l attended the
Canadian Tourists Picnic" Tour
lists picnic, remember. not resident
Canadians. gathered here from all
of southern California. All officers
are residents of Canada, and they
are live bunch, with lots of money
and not afraid to spend it. In ap-
pearance it reminds me so much of
our own "bully good" Dane people
in Audubon county. Fat. jolly, good
natured, earnest, patriotic, fully
aligned up alongside the Old Mother
Country, England. Union Jack ev-
eryvsere" held meeting in Bixby
Park (Dan knows) the tug of war
game taken part in by men of two
different provinces of Canada, Cnot
man from California;. Well, that
bunch would make Kimballton and
Elk Horn "sit up and take notice."
1t was FIGHT. Then at might we
adjourned to the Auditorium which
will seat 10000 and it was filled.
Great program; music was English
of course. All parts except our
Municipal Band was taken by Can
adam residents. Then here. for the
first time, realized that there was
war going on lover there" Our
Drum Corps was assigned to escort
all Canadian soldiers now here from
any cause. onto the stage. There
were five of us. Had a French
Piolu in front with the tri-colors.
then the Union Jack alongside of
Old Glory, then drums, then over
thirty wounded, disabled Canadian
"Tommies" in all stages of repair,
many Just from the trenches, Grip
pied pups in all shapes, all yelling
fea1ty to the Old Mother. and sing
ing her songs. Well, we went in
playing the British Grenadiers -
The audience rose to. their feet with
their hats in the airs, Il was a long
hall. we played the music slowly,
and the audience soon caught on to
the significance of the music, and
well the audience done the rest
We reached the stage. The chair
man was a good talker-much on
the Kimball order. He introduced
the men individually, telling where
they fought. Each man of them
received an ovation that they never
will forget. Then when we were
finally dismissed we all marched out
together. giving them Columbia,
the Gem of the Ocean" Then there
was something doing Could not
even hear my own bass drum.
We are as. well as usual here. all
of us. Have just spent few days
with the O'Connels; nothing new
there, Eva getting we'll again all
right and Will is on the County
Grand Jury, years job. guess that
suits him pretty we'll. not much mus
cular action about that job. Well,
today monday we play at two
O'Clock for Veterans Union: at four
o'clock at the Lincoln Monument in
Pacific Park uincoln Day Observ-
ance); tonight we visit. play with
and eat off of one of our members
(Comrade Tennant.) It is his S0th
birthday. Tuesday is another Big
Day. We go to Los Angeles with
Pythias. Big parade there of all the
lodges of southern California, then
ball at night at the Shrine Audit
orium-an effort to Guido the Shrin-
ers in their efforts for Red Cross.
The Shriners raised $4,000 so you
see the X. P's. will have to Ego
some at that"
Weather beautiful. no rains yet
and the farmers are getting alarmed.
The temperature runs about so to
80 each day, generally about 40 at