Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-05-12
Wednesday, May IL, 1897.

sled hands on his brave boys head and
a patriarch's blessing upon
him. Another figure greets the soldier
boys eye-his darling sister-the only
of his boyhood, his counsellor
i'm petty love affairs, his guardian angel
at all times. Twas she who buckled his
sword around him and bade him never
slfeathe it through cowardice. His last
loving look fingers long on the wrinkled,
but still lovely face Of his mother. He
remembered how at her knee he first
learned to lisp the name OF Jesus. He
remembered how, when scorched with
the fires of terrible fever, she had
called him soft and tender names, and
the soothing caress of her gentle hand
had stilled the demon of disease. 1t was
this mother who in parting had thrown
her arms around his neck and prayed
that God might bless and save her boy.
It was this mother who had slipped
well-marked Testament into his pocket
and begged him even in the charge or
battle not to forget Him who rides invis-
ible DER the field Of strife in chariot
whose wheels are of eternal fire. NJ
But now he was leaving home. he
falters-but for a moment Then ne
presses OH to fight more fiercely ON the
field of fame on account Of his self f-sacri-
flee, Before he returns the old home
stead may be in in ashes; the picaninnies
with whom he played may be in an un-
friendly country father may be sleeping
under the roses; (; sister and mother may
be living in the churchyard, their hearts
broken, the feeble light of their lives
blown out by wars wild wintry winds.
Why, may ask, is this gathering here
on this beautiful balmy evening in May,Y
r al,l., L
one here some loved one whose grave Will
be covered with flowers? Yes, gently lay
the floral covering on his lovely bed, and
drop a silent tear on the sod meath which
he pillows his head. But there should be
other reasons for our assembling other
than those of sentiment and love for our
own dead. We should be impelled ny
the motive of love for the south, love for
those principles, which engraven on our
hearts with hand Of living fire, should
endure forever. Let no lonely bed be for
gotten, for the humblest soldier boy was
as great hero as the immortal Lee, the
intrepid Jackson, the fierce Forest, the
heroic Albert Sidney Johnston and the
gallant and chivalrous Hampton. They
made sacrifices. So did the humblest
private in ranks. Their memories are
kept ever fresh so should be the deeds OF
the gallant boys in gray and the ever
living principles for which they died.
1t is the custom on this day-the day on
which the spirit Of Stonewall Jackson
"crossed over the river and rested under
the shade Of the trees"-it is the custom
on this day to meet and strew the graves
of Confederate soldiers with flowers. But
what of the soldiers wife and the soldiers
mother? Are they thus remembered
No, to our shame be it said. They, too,
were veterans not of fields Of fire and
steel and lead, but veterans of the battles
of starvation and Of broken hearts.
Think of those noble women refusing 10
eat provision obtained beyond Dlxles
line. Think of those women, whose gem
tie forms graced the finest silks, being
compelled to wear homespun and gar
ments made of bedquilts. Men OF the
south, tits women who decorates the
soldiers grave; then why should not the
soldier and the soldiers sons decorate the
graves of the matrons of the Confedera-
cy? 'Tis not tribute, tits but duty.
Young men of the south it is your duty
to perpetuate this day. History tells US
little of the valorous deeds Of the Con-
federate soldier; but let these graves,
whose dust hides the gaping wounds OF
the gallant soldiers, ever be an open book
telling of the noble heritage they have
left us.
Let not these ceremonies be merely for
NAL. With each flower let fall tear or
sigh for those who, gathered around the
great Captain of hosts, now witness our
testimonials of love for tGem and their
cause. These wreaths shall faae, but not
so the laurel which bedecks their brows.
And as their glory never fadeth, but grows
brighter as sectional differences become
less distinct, so should our efforts to honor
them increase with each succeeding year.
[Applause.]
Major James F. Hart took occasion to
make few remarks in which he paid
pretty tribute to the faithful ladies who
had organized themselves into an associa-
ton for the purpose Of keeping alive the
memory of the Confederate soldier. AL
though our people are poor, he said. and
cannot raise expensive monuments of
bronze and marble, such things as these
to the Confederate soldier are of little
moment compared with the assurance
that his memory will thus ever he kept
alive in the hearts of the generations of
those he tried so earnestly to serve.
In behalf of the Ladies' Memorial as
sociation, President Lowry expressed
pleasure at the large number Of ladies and
gentlemen who had seen fit to take part
in the exercises. He called attention,
however, to the fact, that although the
memorial association had been in exist
ence only year, its membership now
numbered only fourteen. This was not
as it should be. While the other ladies,
on all occasions as on that, gave the asso-
citation their most hearty assistance. he
hoped that they would at once enrol their
names as members. He then proceeded
to call the roll of the Confederate dead
buried in the Yorkville cemeteries. This
roll has already been published.
After the reading Of the roll, the choir
sang "Cover Them Over With Beautiful
Flowers" whereupon the assemblage re-
paired to the cemetery, where the grave
of each deceased Confederate had been
marked with little flag bearing his
name. During the next half hour, the
choir continued the rendition of appro-
pirate selections, the grave Of every SOL
dier received it's tribute, and so once
more the Ladies' Memorial association
and the people of Yorkville generally,
have honored themselves by so BETTING
ly honoring such noble dead.
LOCAL LACONICS.
Not Forgotten Yet.
Sheriff Logan is still receiving an oc-