Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-02-24
IN CALIFORNIA

Editor Republican:
Two more weeks of Long Beach, a
few days in the San Joaquin valley,
and then back 20 Cameron. These
beautiful days of birds, flowers and
sunshine makes one feel good. Run
ming away from the winter seems
rather strange, for in all my life this
Is the first time | have missed seeing
snow in the winter time. OF course
for that matter, we can see snow
now, but it is quite ways off in the
mountains to the northeast. That is
one Of the pretty sights-the Their
mometer standing at seventy degrees
above. and the glistening snow-cov-
cred mountains off across the San
Gabriel valley. An old lady, ninety
two years of age, remarked here yes
terday that the Southland, with flow
ers, fruits, vegetables and scenery,
was a wonderful work Of creation
and beauty.
i have the pleasure of attending
| the Veterans Union held here each
Monday afternoon in the city audi
forum. 1t is said that this is prob
ably the only organization Of its kind
in the United States, for its mem
bership consists of both Union and
Confederate soldiers of the Civil
war. This is on of the strongest old
army organizations in the Union at
present, consisting of from two hun
bred to three hundred gray haired
veterans in attendance at the weekly
meetings and a total enrolment of
about three thousand, I am told. The
martial band is a wonder and when
the old soldiers get busy on their ten
of twelve instruments, they are
magnet which draws everybody in
hearing distance, Our f. j. Free
man is a member and Audubon coun-
ty folks need not be told that wien
he beats the old bass drum it is done
right. While talking with Mr.. Free
man / could not help but 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 set, so far as our
great country is concerned. How
ever, the sun never sets on Old Glory
for it is one flag that enjoys con-
tinuous round of sunshine. 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. Freeman, 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 mentioned are still living,
they are widely separated and will
probably never again thrill the peo-
pie of the old home county with
Civil war music. / have heard them
make the old Cameron Center school
house fairly echo with martial melo-
dy back in the days when James G.
Blaine, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin
Harrison and James B. Weaver were
in their glory.
Since last writing we had the priv
ilege of attending the Illinois state
picnic, held in one of the parks near
our home. Former Lieutenant Gov
ernor Abel, of South Dakota, and
Governor Lowden, of Illinois, were
the chief speakers. Ten thousand
people were present, not all from Il
linois, however, for you can't have
anything hereabout but what is pref
ty we'll seasoned with Iowans. Pref
ty good seasoning, too. Eight per-
sons were present who heard the
Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1853. IL
linois is one of our great states, be-
ing excelled, of course, by Iowa.
Allow me TO mention a few little
items of a miscellaneous nature
which are a part of the everyday
history of this city. For instance,
one Sunday school class gave their