Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1924-10-31

The Little White Ras
In village not far from the mountain,
In vale near the sundown sea,
Is practiced very queer custom
Which at first seemed strange unto
me.
On the first OF each month In all sea.
sons
ana l labor not under a jag
There appears at the door or the gate
post
A most unassuming white rag
IL comes like ghost in the twilight.
When morning appears 1t is there
Its folds do not seem to be graceful
And never arranged with much
care.
10 the stranger 1t carries ne message.
His interest would very soon lag,
But to those who are asking for ra.
tons
"Tis most important white raj.
To the soldier who fought for hi.
country,
Or the widow who stands BY his
side,
IT'S prayer that is very soon an.
swered,
Ills a silent but meaningiul guide.
There appears soon the we'll laden
wagon,
Uncle Sam, tho not wishing to
brag,
Has answered the soldiers petition
And saluted the little white rag,
Orting is quiet, unpretentious
town OF thousand virtuous souls.
The citizens take life easily and com.
fortably, and the dictates OF Dame
Fashion are not closely followed.
Some Of the aged inhabitants are de-
lightfully quaint and original and
love to reminisce OF early days when
most of the Orting valley was a for.
est. The people have progressed with
the development of the country, vet
they do not care to adapt themselves
to the speed of the large cities. The
town or Orting is divided by the
Northern Pacific Railroad, and traffic
Is very heavy on this section of the
road, for over 1t are hauled logs and
veneer blocks from the logging
camps to the lumber mills to Tacoma
and Puyallup. These heavy log
trains go creaking and grooming
through the town. Occasionally a
train will have as many as 100 cars
OF logs The cars are Al feet long
and carry from three to seven mon
archs Of the forest" cut from So to 40
feet long and many of them are sew
eral feet in diameter.
The pension roll of the Home and
Colony amounts to from $4,000 TO
$4,000 per month, but has amounted
to much more than this. Each year
ilnds 1t growing less, as many of the
veterans have answered the final roll
call during the past years.
Some of the marriages contracted
in the Colony are real romances and
the date of friendship of parties mar.
ried within the last year or two be.
gan away back in the early SOS. Old
age is not considered hindrance to
matrimonial bliss. Recently a veter-
an of 81 winters led a bIushing bride
of 81 summers to the altar. and thew
were happily married and are enjoy
ing life in the coy home of the
groom. There are quite number of
pretty bungalows and cottages hous.
ing the married people and widows OF
the Colony.
Affiliated with the work of the Col
ony are several organizations, includ-
ing two g. A. r. posts, the Orting
and the Lawton; two Woman's Relief
Corps the Orting and the Lawton:
and the Lucy B. Hayes Circles, La
dies OF the G. A. r. These auxiliaries
are instrumental in carrying on social
and charitable work among the veter-
ans and their families which otherwise
would not be well done. These organ
i2ations maintain halls in Orting and
there hold their business and social
meetings and give their dinners and
conduct sales and bazaars.
Dr. D. A. Cove. an old resident, is
the physician for the Home and Col
ony and much loved and familiar
figure in both places
An interesting feature Of the Home
and Colony is the cemetery, about a
half,mile from the Home and mile
and a half from the Colony. Nearly
1000 Of the Boys in Blue are resting
there. The cemetery is on promi-
nence and is easily seen from the
Home and other distances. 1t is sur
rounded on three sides by original for
est and is picturesque spot. The
tombstones are arranged in circular
lines and form pleasing view from
the road. Each veterans funeral is