The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-07-27
SARGE PLUNKETT
At the Reunion Of the Old Confederate
Soldiers at Decatur.
A GREAT DAY IN De KAlB
The Seventh and Forty-Second Regi-
ments Hold Their Annual
Reunion.
(For The Constitutlon.)

For The Constitution)
Surely the past few days has been
season of joyous goodheartedness in the
| county of Dekalb.
| Preparations began some ten days De
! fore to receive the survivors Of the sew
| enth and the Forty-second regiments IN
| their annual reunion on the 2lst instant.
| A year before Decatur had been selected
as the place for the next meeting OF these
old confederates, and how well the people
| of Decatur have done their part can De
| attested by every one present upon last
Tuesday. and the whole programme was
arranged and the Injuries provided without
the least strain-lille witchery our htue
town caught the graces of hospitality anu
with a joyous elegance the people NloN
in furnishing the good things Tor the %
casion. IL there is any selfishness III TINS
old county at any time it certainly does
not exist when 1t comes to providing LOT
an entertainment of the old confederate
soldiers The ladies of Decatur, especialy'
took it in keen relish TO furnish ther
part and to do their share of whatever
was needed to make the occasion a mar
monious combination of bountiIul hosll-
tally and joyous lightheartedness. That
"Dixie's lands a land of cotton
"And old times there are not forgotten
was fully apparent at the meeting. l."
fact, al just such gathering as TINS Is
the place to see the olc-time Dixie II II
here that the old veterans Stdiiu ut'piA HiiN
plane. At their reunions they break loose
from formalities. throw of reserve. llVe
again through the years of the sixties, ana
YOU see the Cracker and the banker NM
gle in the spirit which porvaded the south
I'm the days when men knew not OF classes
as drawn from wealth, but honesty anu
integrity was the passport of ali aIlAe
Every year these reunions bring the oid
veterans closer and closer together. Ihere
is nothing revolving in the assocllIioH
there is no lower order Of life as between
these men. Some hail from the clIles ~
be at these meetings; some from the h'li.t9'
some from the shops. and many from 'i0
farms. some are lawyers. some bankers
some preachers. some mechanics, some
countrvmen; but they are all types oil the
south as she used to be, and nothing mean
nor dcbasing can live in the almosph"'V-
some of them are simple anu TouA"'
but none of them are vulgar, and SO ll'e
distinction of rank mingles with me VII
tues Of the lowly, ana never a line can ne
drawn between the pleasures OF such "A
occasion.
In The preparation for this reunion we
saw SO many evidences of the 6''"iIc77 'l
people that Brown has promised 10 never
again grumble about the changes w
rc.simeuts were right smart ior " 'o"i
of Becatur's size to entertain, loset''ti
with the crowd that would naturally sd'n-
or. but God bless you, she could nave GU
tcrtaincd six such regiments just a. S''--
Just let us know what YOU want Ni9
what every woman of Decatur 'oia tHe
committee of arrangements, anu t"l.S
what was asked of them would come. II
was thus of the men. the old ana the
young. tin Brown and ! nave most Gun
I .ludfd that pcKaib folks are mighty nlSh
ass Aood as Pike county folks, and Stld
.t-uzovviuss. frl.r ----.ia. women We're. NOT 10
be ] III out, ana every northern man IN the
town done his part. II We're We'll II an
the writer's Tor newspapers VINO VIII pretty
soon look around TO lind matters 20 fire the
northern readers against the democratic
nominee, could visit these reunions ana
size up tRe spirit that perNades there ~
is of little Importance TO the people of
the south what these designing writers may
send to the northern newspapers. Dul u
is important to the northern people that
they cease to consider our section down
here as against them.
At an of these old confederate reunions
every opportunity Is taken 20 snow
that the zudliest feeling exists. Many eX-
union soldiers visit these meetings. ana u
IS one Of the pleasures To see now they
mix and miugIe with the Old coGtcderates
and enjoy themselves together. IL the New
T.n,e1anI etutrs or any of the states.
should nnd some day feeling of autipathy
between themselves and the southern peo-
pla they viii only have 10 thank Such
writer's as dip their pens IN gan Tor point
zeal effect against the SCUM anu b-@ile
themselves for giving cncouraEemeht 70
such papers as circulate such literature.
Long ago these old soldiers have been
.,,irbt s,,oc1 If bitterness ISLANDERS
of the few has been the only trouble. L
should not have advcrtcd to this, but from
the fact thaI we are Just nov starting mo
a presidential campaign and, Judging the
future by the past; ineie win ne ihuln
EFFORT 10 irritate hostility between the
Yankee and the southcrner for political
effect The spirit that pcrVadeS at these
cnnfsdcrate reunions gives the lie 10 these
misehicvous writers, and II the people could
all see it as it is there would be mighty
little Inflammation caused 10y them, ana
the gold man and the SILVER man Woua 70
along with their honest differences OF oplh-
ion without allowing such venom mo-
mcnts attention.
Eut have no idea of drifting into
politics. I much rather talk of the grand
old soldiers and of the good time they had
] never tired looking upon lhtm- some OF
them are badly crippled. ali Of them are
old. but set OF more enc iLgi l"1t5
mover watched. Nearly all had mem'rs
of their families alonG-soInc h;'u even
creat-grandchidlrcn there ana lHt.e rs
tened TO the rebel yelP' and received II " IN
an enthusiasm which made the OLD men
step proud ana feel young again. Southern
never give these old contederates the
hoqors they deserve, ard so d IS WIN a
double feeling OF pride tnat ,ney Wen Ine
young in their demonstrations OF enthu-
SiasH On such occasions Inc utte LOT
the reunions of these soldiers was hAed
years ago as the 2lst of July-the annlFer-
earv of the FIRST battle of Manassas Many
of them can show the scars received upon
tbat hottlefeld ana all Of them can toll
attends the sons and daughters, the wives
and mothers, the brothers and fathers OF
some membe-s of those CO n nands, VINO
have died since and can never answer the
rou-caU again. Win these there IS always
somewhat of sadness mixed along with
the Joys. but ali in all. nothing can he
happier than such meetings AS was held
at Decatur on this 21st. and may they have
many more of just such is our prayer and !
the wish of every one. The occasion was
closed 10y the singing of God BE with You
Till We Meet Again" and then there was
a general stir among the great throng OF |
people.
We watched the crowd as it was getting |
ready TO leave. The young people were |
there in wagons. in Bicycles ana on horse
back The roads We're filled with vehicles |
of people returning TO their homes. II |
put us to thinking of these homes and Of /
how blessed old Georgia is i'm her rural /
population. Everywhere that these people /
scatter there Will be a settled repose IN I
their domestic scenes. None Of them are /
rich. but none of them are moor. for /
wherever such happyfaCes may dwell there /
Is always a cheer that keeps out the sting i
of poverty. with willing hands ana their /
heart I'm the right place the lowlest cabin /
in Georgia ahCurds in that which man the /
most needs upon this earth when such /
people are there. God bless old Georgia. /
God bless the old confederatosi God bless /
the young people who give such promise of |