Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1919-06-05
TEARS, FLOWERS AND CHEERS

beyond, and cheers for the new sold
iers who have returned from the
world war. That is the sentiment ex-
pressed by the actions of the people
of Trego county on Decoration Day
when services in honor of the soldiers
were held at Oga1lah, Wa-Keeney and
Co11yer, according to the custom
which has long existed the Memorial
services were held at Oga11ah on May
10Th that the people of that vicin-
ity who desired could come to Wa
Keeney on May 80 The exercises
were very patriotic and the address
delivered by the Rev. Woodward was
especially appropriate He not only
appealed to the patriotism of his aud
ience but drove home an appeal to
their better natures for more sac
red and more useful life for both per-
sonal good and for the betterment of
the nation.
At Collyer the memorial services
were in charge of the Sons of Veter-
ans of the civil war and were largely
attended by the people of the west
part Of the county. There are but
one or two surviving members of the
G. A r. Post of Collyer, which, at one
time was strong organization, and
these old soldiers were the guests of
honor while the younger men and the
returned soldiers conducted the exer-
cises. The music was furnished by
the Collyer band. The address was de-
ivered by Rev. Robb, of Quinter.
A large number of the Kahki clad
soldiers were present to take part in
the cerenn onies-
All the soldiers and citizens of the
Wa-Keeney for the observance of the
day and the crowd was the largest
ever assembled here on Memorial day
At 1880 a. m. the procession was
formed at the west side of the court
house square headed by the band and.
followed by the National CoIors o1fi
about sixty returned soldiers, sailors
and marines of the world war and the
few remaining veterans of the war of
81 to 65 and citizens in autos. At the
cemetery the usual ritualistic service
of the Grand Army of the Republic
was read. A firing squad gave the
salute of twenty-one guns to the dead,
the graves of the soldiers were Off
cially decorated in honor of the G.
A. R. by Comrade Pershing and the
girls of the Camp Fire Girls organ
| 1zation. The graves of Eddie Moore,
Day Moore and Archie Stanton are in
| France but plats in the family lot in
| the home cemetery were marked and
appropriately decorated in their MEM
ory and honor.
After the services at the cemetery
the crowd returned to the court house
square where community basket
dinner was held in honor of the re-
turned soldiers. This was not of the
noisy, hilarious nature but all seemed
to enter into the spirit of the occa-
sion and conducted themselves accord
ingly- The boys in uniform were all
taken care of and given proper feed
and recognition. 1t is estimated that
from twelve hundred to fifteen hun
dred people partook of the dinner
At 2:3O O'Clock in the afternoon
Lieut. Coldiron, officer of the day, re-
| formed the procession in front of the
court house which marched to the
fair grounds where the concluding ex-
erclses were held in Floral Hall. The
big building was equipped to seat
about fifteen hundred and all the seats
and sanding room was occupied, show
| ing that the citizens have a new and
greater interest in Decoration day
than ever before. The music was
furnished by the band, Mrs. Steinber-
gers orchestra and a quartette com
posed of Mrs Lynn, Mrs Niesley. Mr.
Wade and Mr. Hickman, Miss Mar
garet Hardman playing the piano
| Ihe decorations were the red. white
and blue, arranged to represent the
IcoIors of the three great nations with
the colors of Italy and Belgium. They
We're very attractive and were de-
signed by J. H Hickman
Lieut. c. c. Yetter, commandant
and representing the surviving mem
bers OF the local post of the Grand
Army OF the Republic, spoke in thei1
oehan and turned the affairs of the
day over to the soldiers of the Young.
er generation He said the chanpf
had been in contemplation for sons
time, not because the old veterans
| were slackers nor because thew die
| fxa.aI