Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Thirteenth Year - Number 29
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, September 18,1902
CONFEDERATE DAY.
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Second Day Dawned Bright And
Beautiful.
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Town Given to Veterans.
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The second day of the Marlin Street Fair and Merchants' Carnival began brightly
and the sun rose upon an increased crowd of (peo)ple, either here or on their
way.
This was Confederate day and the veterans
who wore the gray during the troublesome days from 1861 to 1865 were in full and
absolute possession of the town. They came from all parts of Falls county
and considering the fact that this is an exceedingly busy time with most of
them, the attendance was all that was expected.
The men who were boys in the stormy days
and who have now grown gray with the years, seemed to enjoy themselves as men
seldom do. The old, old stories were told anew and listened to with marked
attention. The dinner, prepared by commitees of Willis Lang camp, the
noble band of daughters assisted by the sons, was such that no reasonable man
could complain of and none there were who did. All went away satisfied in
peace love and unity.
The day was spent at the I & G N park, a
most ideal place for such an occasion. The Daughters of the Confederacy
had charge of the dinner. Further, comment is superflous, suffice to say,
however, that the tables were laden with the substantials and the delicacies of
life in ample profusion. The good ladies found inestimable pleasure in
performing their part and the result was at once triumphantly happy.
At about 11 o'clock the march was taken up
from a point near (the) Reed addition and the procession moved with solid front
through town and on to the park, where later on the charge was made on the
commissary department and the same completely captured.
The procession to the park was formed as
follows:
1.--Band. 2.--Veterans on foot.
3.--Daughters of the Confederacy float. 4.--B. C. Clark Light Guard.
5.--Private vehicles, 6.--Firemen. 7.--Sons of Veterans' float.
8.--Private vehicles, sons on foot. 9.--School children.
10.--Musical Club, float. 11.--Kindegarten (sic).
Capt. J. D. Shaw addressed the veterans in
that eloquent style peculiarly his own. His speech was full of love for
the cause he and his comrades fought for through four long and bloody years.
The speaker was introduced by Hon. B. H.
Rice in a speech referring briefly to the Confederate cause and to Capt. Shaw's
connection therewith. Both speeches were listened to with rapt attention.
By special invitation Congressman Henry
addressed the veterans in the afternoon. His speech was well received,
arousing much enthusiasm.
NOTES.
The Wednesday Matinee Musical club float was a lovely creation, as indeed all of
them were. The float was decorated with club colors, purple and gold,
little Miss Alvah Fountain dressed in (cl)ub colors occuping a position in the
center.
The sons of the veterans float was an
extensive one, and was occupied by a score or more of boys all dressed out in
gray uniforms.
The float representing the daughters of the
Confederacy was the creation of artists. It was occupied by a bevy of
little girls. On either side the words "Dixie Land" were visible.
This feature of the decorative parade was a most excellent one.
Willis Lang camp U. C. V. was represented
in the parade by a float bearing the officers of the camp and the sponsor Miss
Mae Hutchings. This was elaborately decorated and bore appropriate inscriptions.
When the procession arrived at the
intersection of Winter and Live Oak streets an alarm of fire was turned in from
Welle's gin.
This caused great excitement for a short
time until the Fire Department could disengage itself from the parade.
A feature of the Veterans parade was the
float representing Miss Madeline Bartlett's kindergarten. It was a most
elaborately decorated affair and won admiration from all.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing
by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas
