Veterans Meeting at Forney
Commerce Journal, Commerce, Hunt County, Texas
21 August 1914
ABOUT REUNION AT FORNEY
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Capt. Mangum Writes of Meeting of Veterans Last Week
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At your request I hand to you this short writeup of the reunion at Forney. Comrades E. Murphy, J. M. Williams and myself boarded the Midland motor last Tuesday evening for Forney. As we went down that evening we ran into a very heavy rain at Terrell but it did not extend very far west, so when we reached Forney we found it dry and the weather was ideal, cool and balmy.
On reaching there we met Rev. E.B. Thompson, who preceded us. He took charge of me and carried me to one of his good friends, Mr. John Daugherty, where no one ever had better entertainment extended with a wide, free and open hand. Sister Daugherty was untiring in her efforts to make us happy and everything pleasant. They are true types of Southern chivalry. They have two very interesting young ladies boarding with them, who added greatly to our pleasure. The hospitality was never better at any reunion. It was good, better and best. Bro. Thompson and I fell heirs to the latter. The bright smiles and cheering words were evidence everywhere.
Dinner was served both days in a large building on two long tables with comfortable seats and everything to eat that the cravings of a hungry appetite could desire and ice tea and hot coffee to drink. There were a host of beautiful young ladies mingled with several young widows, married ladies and young gentlemen to wait upon us. They were untiring in making us comfortable and seeing that we lacked for nothing in way of edibles and pleasure. All we lacked to complete the jollity of the occasion was the presence of our good looking ladies. It was probably best for him, for he might have smiled himself away.
We cannot be too loud in praise of the good people of Forney, a beautiful little city of some 1700 inhabitants surrounded by as fine black land as there is in North Texas. The session was never more harmonious and pleasant, held under two large tents and stretched upon a beautiful mesquite lawn, in fact no people can beat it. Commerce has held the laurels up till now. We must take off our hats and bow in humble submission until we have another opportunity to cope with Forney.
Bro. Thompson has a host of friends at Forney. He taught school there for five years [1876-1881, Forney Public School] and later as pastor preached them for four years. Our hostess was a pupil of his. He also solemnized the rites of matrimony for them when they were married. If he did not have a hearty welcome, no man at Forney did. Among those we met were many of his students of many years gone by, some of whom learned from him their letters, who are now heads of families, while older ones show evidence that the corroding tooth of time has marked furrows in their faces and the weight of years have caused their forms to bow. I am glad I had a full share of Bro. Thompson’s welcome.
There was nothing left undone that I was capable to judge to make their hospitality complete. The trains were met by the reception committee and autos to carry the comrades to their assigned homes. The little city was well decorated. The welcome addresses were strong and cordial and received hearty applause. Your humble writer had the task and honor to respond to them the best he could.
The next reunion for 1915 will be held at Ennis. Our ranks are fast thinning out. Soon our reunions will be a thing of the past except in the memory of a few patriotic young Southern men and women. I wish to extend my profound thanks to the good people of Forney for their lavish hospitality extended to us. May no storms ever disturb their happy homes, may peace and plenty abound with them.
Respectfully,
W. E. MANGUM
