Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1921-02-24
In California
Editor Journal

Editor Journal
Two more weeks of Long Beach,
a few days in the San Joaquin val
by, and then back to Cameron.
/: These beautiful days of birds,
flowers and sunshine makes one
feel good. Running away from the
! winter seems rather strange for in
Ill my life this is the first time l
have missed seeing snow in the
J. winter time. OF course for that
!; matter we can see snow now, but
Il Is quite a ways:of in the noun
! tains to the northeast. That is
one of the pretty sights-the ther-
nometer standing at seventy de-
grees above-and the glistening
snow-covered mountains off across
the San Gabriel valley. An old
lady ninety-two years of age re-
marked here yesterday that the
Southland With flowers, fruit, vege-
tables and scenery was a wonderful
work Of creation and beauty.
I have the pleasure of attending
the Veterans Uhiohi held here e each
Monday afternoon: in the city y u.
aitorium. 1t is said that this is
probably the. only organization of
It's kind in thesU, S..-for its mem
bership consists Of bo:h Union and
Confederate soldiers OF. the Civil
War. This is one of the strongest
cid army organizations in the
Union at present, consisting of
from two hundred to three hundred
gray-haired veterans in attendance
At the weekly meetings and total
enrollment Of about three thousand
l am told. The martial band is a
wonder and when the old soldiers
get busy on their ten or twelve in
struments, they are a magnet
which draws about everybody in
hearing distance. Our own E. j.
Freeman is a. member and Audu-
bon county folks DON'T need to he
told that when he beats the old
bass drum il, il! done right. While
talking with Mr.. Freeman could
not but help think of his eventful
career first as soldier, then as an
early settler in Audubon county,
seeing it developed from a prairie
to what it is now then the sunset
Of life to be spent where the sun
does really setfso4fari as our great
country is concerned. However,
the sun never sets on Old Glory
for it is one flag that enjoys con-
hnuous round qfsunshine. l never
hear military music but what my
mind runs back at once to the old
times at home,-the Fourth of
July. Decoration Day, political
meetings, ETC., where E. j. Free
man, Am Drake and Robert Ping
were always on hand to give us
music which none but old soldiers
can give. Did you ever. think
that although all three of the above
mentione d are still living, they are
widely separated and will probably
never again thrill the people of the
old home county with Civil War
music. l have. heard them make
the old Cameron Center school,
house fairly echo with martial mel.
cdy back in the days when James
9. Blaine, Grover Cleveland, Ben
.jamin Harrison, and James b.
Weaver were in their glory.
Since last writing we had. the
privilege Of attending the Illinois
state picnic held in one of the parks
near our home. Former Lieuten-
ant Abel, of South Dakota, and
Gov. Lowden, of Illinois, were the
chief speakers. Ten thousand peo-
pie were present, not all from ILL
nois however. for you cant have
anything here but what is pretty
we'll seasoned with lowans. Pretty
good seasoning too. Eight persons
we're present who heard the Lin
coln-Douglas debate in 1858. ILL
nois is one Of our great states, be-
ing excelled, Of course, by Iowa.