Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-11-20

Land.
Extract from q speech delivered by ex-Gov-
crnor st. John in presenting the diamond
medal, awarded to Miss Minnie Warren, at the
Dcmorest medal contest, Music Hall, Cincin-
natl, June %, 1892.
We little realize today just what all
this means. We look upon this young
lady and say with one accord, isn't she
beautiful" and Wasn't she grand?'
Eight thousand bright eyes are now
centered on this magnificent, diamond
mounted gold medal. Everybody seems
happy, even the defeated contestants
who acquitted themselves SO nobly Join
in their heartiest congratulations.
A generation from now the fact will
have dawned upon us that back of this
young woman and back of this medal
is great cause. And two generations
hence the world will know that the
cause and inspiration that enabled her
to move this great audience to the high
est pitch of enthusiasm were of God.
1t requires no great stretch of imagi
nation to look ahead GO years and see
the winner of this prize, now still n
her teens an old, white haired
grandmother, who has passed her three
score and ten. 1t seems we can almost
hear her great grandchildren, as they
gather around her, say:
Grandma, please tell us story"
"Well, children, what kind of sto-
ry would you like?''
"Will grandma tell us about what
happened when she was e. young LADY,"
Eyes, yes, do" cry the rest with
one accord.
Without another word of reply she
moves slowly across the room, opens t. 9
upper drawer of an old fashioned bu-
reau and takes therefrom little box
and as the children watch eagerly she
quietly unwraps from around it yards
but now yellow from age, and at last
the box is opened, and from the midst
of some cotton batting she brings forth
this medal.
The children's eyes as they watch
her fairly stand out as they exclaim,
ooh, grandma, what's that?'
"a Demorest diamond mounted gold
medal, children.
"Demorest! Who was Demorest?"
"Why, children, he was Christian
philanthropist who a long time ago
lived in New York city. He was once a
poor boy, but by his honest, industrious
habits, as he advanced in years, he in
creased in wealth until he was enabled
to spend thousands of dollars annually
for the good of humanity. He organized
what was then known as the Demorest
medal contests. This is one of the med
ais. l won it when girl" "
"What made that mark on it, grand
MAJ"
"Why, l gave it to Dots papa to play
with when he was cutting his teeth,
and he bit it!'
"Oh, the naughty little thing!'
"What were the contests all about,
grandma"
"Why, you see, children, Mr.. Dem
crest wanted to get rid of the saloon"
"Saloon? Why, grandma, what's a
saloon?"
"Why, the saloon was place where
they used to sell poisonous drink that
made men so crazy that they would rob
and steal and murder and sometimes
even kill their own children.
"Oh, my, wasn't that awful? Why
did they let them keep such places?"
"The laws authorized them to do it
if they only paid money for it. -
"Who made such laws, grandma?'
"The Democrats and Republicans.
Democrats and Republicans? Why,
what's Democrat and what's Repub-
ican?"
"Well, children, they belonged to po.
litical tribes that used to inhabit this
country, but they are extinct now."
Don't they have 'em in the circus,
grandma
"No"
ooh, how we wish we could see just
onep'
eff ever you visit Washington city,
children, you can see few specimens
of mummified Republicans in Smithso-
nian institute.
"Well, aren't there Democrats there,
too, grandma?"
mo, they couldn't preserve them,
They tried it, but they wouldn't keep. "
"But were there no churches then?"
"Yes, children.
"Well, what did they do, grandma"
"They passed resolutions. 4"
What did the preachers do?"
"Why, most of them said they were
holy men of God and didn't want to
mix politics with religion.
"Well, you mixed 'em, didn't you,
grandma
Eyes, children. -
Ibid grandpa mix 'em too?''
"Well, children, it has been long
time since then, and your grandma's
memory is not as good as it used to be,
but can say that your grandpa said
grace and held family prayers twice a
day and was always very kind to me. %
"What became of Mr.. Demorest,
grandma:"