A Happy Reunion.
Members of the Hargis Family Gather at the Old Home.
Personnel of the Assemblage—Interesting Talks—A Good Dinner—Capt. “Dick’s” Hospitality.

Five years ago Capt. Dick Hargis invited his brothers and sisters, with their families, and a number of friends to his beautiful and attractive home four and a half miles from Cartersville, to enjoy a reunion of the Hargis family. Such a pleasant and profitable experience did they have that they decided that on each recurring anniversary of the birth of their father, Milton Hargis, they would hold a reunion like the first, and from that time the Hargis family reunion has been a fixed annual affair, and the ever increasing interest and pleasure manifested indicates that the institution will be perpetuated. By common consent the reunions are always held at Capt. Hargis’ home, it being the old home place where the boys and girls of the family spent the happy hours of their childhood together.

This reunion came off last Saturday, and all who attended spent a day of solid enjoyment. Capt. Hargis has taken care to make this reunion better than any of the former ones. He went to the house of his ancestors in Pearson county, North Carolina, and brought back with him his father’s sister, Miss Lavina Hargis, an old lady about eighty years old. This was her first visit to Georgia, and her nieces and nephews were delighted to have her with them on this occasion. It was affecting to see the love they bore her. Besides the aunt spoken of there were present: Capt. Dick Hargis and family, Cass Station; Mr. Thos. Hargis and family, Mr. “Fant” Hargis and family, and Mr. Jas D. Rogers and family, Kingston; Mrs. O. P. Hargis and children, and Mrs. Lumpkin, Rome; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Loveless, Mrs. N. Gilreath and children, Mr. Henry Hargis, Mrs. J. M. Purse and children, Felton Jones, Felton Loveless, Ab Goodwin, Cartersville; Jno. R. Banton, Cincinnati; J. A. Banton, New York; J. O. Hargis, W. & A. Railroad; Thos. McKelvey, Mr. C. N. Quillian and family, Dr. Griffin and Misses McKelvey, Cass Station; Mr. W. A. Chunn, Cassville; W. C. Walton, Bartow County; Mr. W. S. Mundy and family, Chattanooga; Misses Rogers, Bayless, Barrette, Bruce and Dunlap, Kingston; Mr. Bostwick, Southern Express company, and others.

In the morning the crowd enjoyed themselves in various ways, some wandered about the scenes of their earliest days to notice the changes made by the hand of modern improvement, others walked to admire the well ordered farm and ideal home, and the children were grouped about laughing and chatting in much merriment and glee.

At one o’clock it was said that dinner was ready. It was enjoyed in picnic style under the shade trees in the grove surrounding the house. A grand dinner it was. Only a side glance at it excited the appetite to a desperate extent. It was a substantial meal, prepared by substantial hands and taken in by a substantial crowd.

When the feast of food was ended then came “a feast of reason and a flow of soul.” All the speeches were short and abounded in wit and good sense. The popular voice made Capt. Hargis master of ceremonies. He spoke first; many considered his effort the best of his life on any occasion like this. His listeners laughed at his rich fund of wit, and cried when he alluded to his love for his kindred and old home. “I know I love you all,” said he, as he looked at the faces of the dear ones around him, and the tears that coursed his cheeks told that it was true. He spoke feelingly of Freddie Hargis, son of Mr. Thos. Hargis, of Kingston, as the only one of those at the reunion last year who had passed from earth since then.

Messrs. Jas. D. Rogers, John Banton, Jas. F. Hargis, Harry Hargis, W. S. Mundy, Dr. C. F. Griffin, W. A. Chunn and Tom Hargis all made remarks appropriate to the occasion. The speeches were very much enjoyed.

When the speaking was ended the sound of voices in sweet accord with the piano was heard in the parlor. A chorus of voices sang “Home Sweet Home,” and “There’s a Land that is Fairer than Day,” and then came the parting farewell.

Thus ended a day fraught with many pleasures and the hope of it returning many times is cherished by all who were there.