Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-01-15
TELLS OF JOYCE
KILMER AT CLUB
Author, Lecturer, Professor, and
Soldier One Of the First to Fall
In Great War

"Joyce Ki1mer' was the subject of
the paper read at the Catholic Wom-
ans club on Wednesday afternoon
Mrs. James McGinnis wrote the pap
er, but being unable to be present,
Mrs. Robert G. Fogle read it. She
said in substance:
Joyce Kilmer, poet, author, and
lecturer, was the first man of letters
In the American army to give his
life in the cause of human freedom
He was born in New Jersey in 1886.
He is survived by his parents. his
wife and four small children He was
a graduate of Rutgers college, also
Of the Columbia university ETc WIS
a latin professor, a member of the
editorial staff of the Standard dict
ionary, of the New York Times, and
Current Opinion and also lecturer
on literature for Columbia university.
Seventeen days after war was DE-
clared, he entered as private In
the 7th Infantry, from which he was,
soon transferred to the headquarters
"
was part Of the Rainbow division. He
was then sargeant Kilmer. Ie was
in the battle of the Marne he receiy-
ed his mortal wound The death Of
Joyce Kilmer, in the high-tide of his
manhood, removed from the list Cf1
fighting men, gallant soldier; from
the ranks of American poets, a genius
of great nobility Of character and in
finite. spiritual ideas, and from tie
mass Of humanity, man whom kind
ness was creed and fidelity the very
breath of his soul. He met his death |
in the heroic performance Of his 1
duty. His published works Of bota
prose and poetry are many. He was
an intimate friend of the late Rev. /,
Father Durward One of his latest !
poems, '"The White Ships aud the
Red" which commentaries the tor
poeding Of the Lusitania, gained fame
throughout United States, Greatl
Britain and Canada:
went not forth to Battle. I
| carried friendly men,
The children played about my decks
The women sang-and then
And then the sun blushed scarlet,
And heaven hid it's face
The world that God created
Became shameful place.
My wrong cries not for vengeance,
The blow that sent me here
Was aimed in hell-my dy;Gg scream
Has reached Jehovah's ear
Not all the seven oceans
Shall wash away the stain,
Upon the brow that wears crown
am the brand of Cain.
When Gods great voice assemblies
The fleet on Judgment day,
The ghosts of ruined ships will rise
In sea and strait and bay,
Though they have lain for ages
Beneath the changeless flood,
They shall be white as silver
But one shall be like blood.
The ladies were very fortunate in I
having with them Miss M. GattikerI
who delightfully."- entertained ne club
by giving a very interesting lescrip-
tion of her visit to Oberame-gan,
some time ago It was an intellect
ual treat to listen to Miss Gatuker
tell Of her visit to this famous village.
"Oberamergan is situated in the
southern part of Bavaria and is fam
Gus for being the home of the passion
players
She gave a general summary of the
play from the very first act down to
the crucifixion of Christ and the
removal of his body from the cross.
The people of Oberamergan are a re
fined and educated class They rel
ceive all their instruction from tho,
monks, as there are man. monster
les in that country.
She had several pictures of the diff
srent buildings in the village also /,
pictures of the characters in the play
Anton Lang, the man VINO imperson-
ates Christ, is now the c.retakeT CT
the village. The play, which is give1l
every ten years, will not be givel this
year, as they are in financial distress
owing to the war. They are, however
soliciting aid throughout Europe and
America and hope to be sc5n in al
position to resume the play. Therei
ire several hundred people who take
part in it."
The musical program for the after
noon was given by five little girls
and two little boys. It was very well
given and very entertaining Soc.