Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-03-23

Ceptcu the gilt In rev Dr1el WOrdS
and the picture which had been
| veiled with an American flag, was
unveiled.
Presentation Of Flag Cabinet
Hon. Norman H. Bassett present
ed the flag cabinet and the picture
Of Walker Blaine Beale in behalf of
Mrs. Harriet Blaine Beale, telling of
the young mans boyhood and his
appearance as well as the love which
all who knew him had for this Au-
gusta lad who gave the last great
sacrifice for his country. Mr.. Bas-
sett spoke as follows:
Commander Dunn and members Of
James Fitzgerald Post:
On June 13. 1920, the State brought
back from Washington to Maine and
TO Augusta. his home. the remains of
James G. Blaine. His grandson, Wal
ker Blaine Beale. had fallen on the
| battle line in France and his grave,
marked with cross. was in that "a
away country. The Governor of tn :
State invited you to select from your
ranks bearers for the body of the dis
tinguished stateman and to lead the
way to it's last resting place upon tie
hill. None could more fittingly have
performed these duties than tnis
Post Of the American Legion. one of
whose charter members, by your
laws the grandson was. In that
spirit the invitation was given to you
and In that spirit you accepted. 1t
was indeed an impressive occasion
and you and the way you performed
your duties were most impressive
part of 1t. Your hands tenderly car
ed for their burden and your drum
and flag and ranks led the way. No
words of mine are needed to tell you
how deeply your tribute to her father
and son touched the heart Of Mrs.
Beale and she earnestly desired to
show you her appreciation ard graf
ltude in some way, some lasting way
that you have now made SO attrac-
lively. You needed place in which
your Posts flag and your Country's
Tag could be kept safely and ready
for use. Mrs. Beale was very happy
to find You had this need, this partic.
ular need, and to satisfy 1t. The
ing those two glorious flags. Mrs.
Beale has had placed upon It this
inscription. '1n memory Of Walker
Blaine Beale this flag case is given
by his mother, March %. 1922" and
she now asks you that you accept 1t
in the spirit in which she gives it.
How pleasing and how memora bic
this evening is made for you by these
two gifts one from a father. the
father of the boy whose honored
name this Post bears, and the other
from mother. We came to realize
keenly what this awful war meant to
YOUR fathers and mothers. We have
often thought about them and spoken
, about them. Is it not a fortunate
event that you can see and feel here
tonight at the same time these vis-
lble tokens of the great love Of
fathers and mothers for their sons .
| wish that Mrs. Beale were here to
speak for herself as Mr.. Fitzgerald
has spoken so finely for himself. But
YOU will not be without word direct
from her because she has sent me u
. letter to YOU, which I shall =, q mo-
ment read. Before doing so, may
not say just word about Walker, a
personal word which the mother
could not and would not say, and I
do so that you may all know him a
little more intimately and remember
him little more humanity. James
Fitzgerald you knew well. for all his
life was passed here in Augusta. He
went to school here and lived and
worked here until he went into the
service. Walker was born here but
lived here only a part Of each year.
Some of you may have known him in
his hoyhood days for the Blaine
homestead was a great rendezvous
of the neighborhood boys and they
played long and hard. He went to
the Nash school for year and when
he loft made a present of books to
the school of which he was very fond
Walker was killed September 1S
1918 at the age Of o. Today is his