Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-22


we'll and quietly served, but rather expensive
lunching places when one considers not only
the yearly dues, but the yearly assessment
for deficits.
TTNHE clubs that seem likeliest to survive
L are those which depend on other assets
beyond the mere meeting of men with men
for the enjoyment Of scdatc meals or con-
servative periodicals.
Certain enthusiasms for various forms of
sport hunting fishing, polo, cricket. tennis.
|, yachting, rackets, squash-will attract new
recruits among the younger men and Keep an
organization dedicated to them perennialIy
young and prosperous; certain connoisseur,,
snip In paintings or music or other arts VIII
make happy nucleus of club for gem
GRAFTON after generation of artists and mu-
sicians, actors and writer's; even repu-
tation for culinary fcats can be made to
form the raison dctrc for a little group. OF
good eaters who keep their original number
intact by carefully selected newcomers. And
there are business clubs and professional
clubs and scientific clubs that can always
sustain waiting list. There are even here
and there very exclusive conversational
clubs, but thought the other afternoon that
the club which in this town has survived
the longest and has drawn its members the
closest and kept their memory green the
longest was - curiously enough - club
chiefly devoted to the art of war-the or
ganization known as the City Troop.
TT SEEMS odd that a clubhouse. where the
L manual for killing is taught with a mat
ter of fact directnesS and where those who
join its membership must face from their
initiation the possibility of sacrificing their
lives in order to uphold its traditions, should
have an atmosphere of complete good fell
lowship and loyal comradeship not, think
to be duplicated, at least TO the same degree,
IN any other clubhouse in the city
Even to casual visitor the effect Of the
mementoes and portraits the hundreds of
photographs of groups Of men about camp
fires and on guard or at drill. or at war
is an effect of singular cOngeniality and of
well tried friendship. The very tones of
mems voices when they speak of the
"troop,' or refer TO some past episode in
its long history has n fond eager loyalty
that very few other CnthuSiasms nave the
power to inspire
WONDERED last Sunday as sat listen
J. ing to the brief memorial speeches of
Judge ]. Willis Martin and Colonel George
Thaycr at the unvcilng Of the tablets to
the men who had died in the late war what
there was about the whole ceremony that
made il so touching and so rcvcrent that
more than any ceremony Of the war it
seemed to cpitomiZp the wars solcmnity
I and its sincere sacrifice. Coming so soon
after the uncOuth refractorinpss of Harvey's
London speech on Americas reasons for
going into the war; it made that bit of in
temperate banter sound like n schoolboy's
moody exaggeration. not worthy of any
serious refuting.
As the list of names of the men who had
died and were commemorate on the tablets
was read by Colonel Thaycr. STOPPING over
the tablets as he read them and pausing
reminisccntly at each name, vision of mosf
OF them came to us who were spectators Of
the troops commemorative act. Most of
them | knew only by sight the war record
OF only one | knew succincty, and of the
manner of most of their deaths I was only
vaguely aware.
The members Of the old troop were
Phineas =. Chrystie, captain 312th Field
Artillery Norton Downs. Jr.. first lieuten-
ant, Air Service; Thomas Graham Hirst
first lieutenant, 151st Field Artillery Ed.
ward IngersoIl, captain. Air Service Harry ,rp
lngersoll. captain. 313th Infantry. and
Frank F. Battles, captain. 314th Infantry,
The volunteers were James Albert Bon
sack, William Stokes Bonsal. Richard
stockton BHllitt, Orvillc Samuel Kidwell
dallas Walker Rooms. Nelson Whiteman
Perinr, Frederick Borrodaile Prichctt. Carl
Daniel Scholze and Taylor Everly Waltour.
THE boy whose record | knew was Tom
L Hirst-ThomaS Graham Hirst. son of
Or. Barton ,Hirst and Elsie DuPuy Gra-
ham Hirst, of 1921 Spruce street When he
was killed he was First Lieutenant Eirst
of the 151st Field Artillery. Battery r
Rainbow Division.
His brief and active experience might
well stand for that of the others
He served with the First City Troop on
the Mexican border. having been n mem
Der OF th' troop for hve years He was A.
home tire" months before being commits.
stoned @ second lieutenant. Reserve Corps,
| and sent to the official training camp at
Fort Niagara May II. 1917. Hc was pro.
Noted in August to first lioutenancy in tho
| Field ARTILLERY and sailed from Hobokcn
september " for liavrc. He went to the
"rI"Ty from ora'Ins camp at Saumrr October
| - ana from ther' was transferred to Coct-
| quidam. Brittany. the first of the wear,
| I9lS, and assigned to his battery in the
Forty second Division. Fighting with the
kainbow DIVISION, he arrived at the front
| in Lorraine February 10. 1918. Eo was
at OF" IH hatlIIon while serving ns laison
%if., %ifcrr. lie was removed TO an evacuation