Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-06-17

~ " W. |
City" had turned out grandly to !
grace the occasion and were present
by thousands.
General Emory, the old division
commander Of the regiment Was the
orator of the dav.
Our Southern friend of course, I'M
der the circumstances felt very small,
and asked Gen. Davis to be allowed
to mingle with the crowd and remain
per du.
The General demonstrated, saying
that his guest should be treated with
every consideration, but finally, in
Difference to his request, asscntcd.
Then came the parade and process
sion of splendidly uniformed troops
in serricd ranks, preceded by score
OF rcgimental bands who made the
welkin ring with their strains of
martial music. Arriving at the mon
II ncnt the programme of exercises
was duly carried ont, the orator l.rC-
nouncing most eloquent address.
Immediately ten. Emory conclud-
ed, our lonesome and disconso,ate
Georgian Slipped ont of the crowd |
and returned to the residence of Gen.
Davis.
Some half hour afterwards, while
convcrsing in the drawing room
with Mrs. Davis. the General gal
loped rapidly to the gate and hurried
ly announced that the troops were
about TO pay marching salute and
sercnadc to his wife and family, and
as he was forced to be on duty else
where, he would expect his Georgia
kinsman TO make the customary re-
Spouse.
The poor "Confcd" considered this
the grimmest of jokes, and told Mrs.
Davis some one of her husbands
ncphcws who were present, must do
the honors Of the house at the proper
moment.
Soon the blarc of trumpets and roll
of a hundred drums announced the
coming Of the host.
They filed in and filled small park
an acre in extent in front Of the court
house just opposite, as closely as a
pack of cards.
Then all the bands united and rem
dcrcd "IIail Columbia The Star
Spangled Banner Home, Sweet
Home" etc. Suddenly there was Il
pause and perfect stiffness. AT this
ljuncture Mrs. Davis cntreated her
Georgia visitor to acknowledge the
compliment paid TO her absent hus-
band.
Quick as thought he consented To
do 81, and appeared upon the porIico,
where a sea of brilliant uniforms and
upturned faces greeted his vision.
Pausing for single instant, u spirit
of indomitable defiance took posses
sion of him, and he spoke in sub
stance as follows:
"Fcllow Citizens and Soldiers
You see before you to-day an unrc-
= constructed Georgia rebel; aye, and
, one who glorics in the name. In the
/ great struggle which has just termi-
}. mated, the South was OvcrpOwcred by
, the weight of numbers. But tell me
it on every stricken field you did not
encounter focmcn worthy of your
stccl? Having, however, appealed
to the arbtramcnt of arms and failed.
! my people in good faith are now
/, ready to accept the situation and re-
new their loyalty to the old flag. But
/ if YOU would transform us into real
= friends, he generous and conciliatCry
/ in this the hour of you suprcmcd tri-
t umph. Act thus, and 'bygones shall
a be bygoncs' and the dead past will
e be made ito bury its dead. And
| should the thunder cloud of a foreign
= war ever again darkcn our horizon,
4 and an enemy invade this smiling
!. land, when the tocsin is sounded and
/ every section sends her sons to meet
= the foe, be assured whether in the
Z deadly imminent breach or on the
C bloody field of battle, the soldiers OF
l. the South will be found in the van
a ready, if needs be, to die for Their
i country. appear before you not OF
i my own volition, but as the kinsman
V of General Davis, at his request, to
4 thank You for this generous and
= grateful testimonial in his behalf"
;, During this address a profound
II stiffness rcigncd, which was only
T. broken at the conclusion by the wild
est applause. Cheer after checl
pealcd forth, and all thought more
highly of the South than if its repre-
sentative had eaten humble pie and
= grovccd in the dust before her con
querors.
I The above actually occurred, and
APPLY illustrates the true animus Of
the fighting men on both sides.
h In war they were enemies, but thu
5 white winged dove ofpcace has agaiI
: transformed them into friends, anC
they can mutually admire each Others
a proves and strike hands once more
IL in amity as brethren of the sam'
o blood.
: The name of the gentleman WHIT
Il related the above incident we are no
5, at liberty TO disclose, but it certain!
= IpOints an interesting moral. IL. IL. d