The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-10-21
OUR DOB'S REPLY AT KNOXVILLE.
Beautiful Sentiment Clothed in
Well Rounded Periods,
And Expressed In the Governors Owon Mel
llauOus Language.

"Mr President, Ladies and Gentle
men:-I have gladly broken away from
the capital of the state to join in Knox
villes jubilee. I have deserted the fes-
tivities of the centennial to mingle for
a day with thepeople | love better than
all other people, and to participate with
them in their carnival of peace:
"I have watched with increasing
pride and pleasure the wonderful evil
dences of our country's growth and de-
velopment, blossoming within the white
walls of our great exposition at Nash
vile, But the flowers and fruits of
thought and labor which delight me
most, are blossoming and ripening here
today, within the granite walls Of my
native mountains. They delight me
most because they bloom and ripen at
the door of home. To every man who
has heart, home is the dearest, sweet
est spot on earth. Home is our shelter
from the storms of life. It's voices are
the echoes of love; its smiles are the
shadows of Heaven. The touch of low
ing lips; the tender twining of arms
about our necks, the mirth and music
of home are all that is left to us OF
the paradise that vanished like a shat
tered dream from mortal eyes and NOR
tai hearts long ago. l do not know why
it is, but the mountaineer loves his
home, be it ever so humble, with a
stronger devotion than any other type
Of the human race. Though he may
roam mid pleasures and palaces the
images Of his native rocks and rills and
friendships and loves and of his rifle and
the liberty of the forest, which glad
dened his youth, will haunt his dreams
by night, and linger in his thoughts by
day.
"For twenty years have wandered
out into the wide, wide world. I have
witnessed triumphs Of modern civiliza-
ton which almost blinded me; I have
viewed the mighty cities of this cont
nent, ablaze with light and teeming
with anxious millions in search of hap
piness; | have sat in banquet halls un'
Ter the glow of glittering chandeliers
where music flowed and wine sparkled,
and laughter melted into maudlin song
l have seen pomp and pride and haugh,
ty wealth and jeweled beauty parade
in splendor before their worshipers. ]
have sat in the national councils and
heard the voice of eloquence rise and
fall like the tempest-tossed waves ot
the sea. I have three times worn the
highest honor in the gift of the people
of my native state, but there is only one
tetreat where | have ever found res
from the dattery of hollow hearts; res
from the ingratitude of politics; res
from the thorns of ambition; rest from
the struggles of life; rest from the al
Iurements of earthly glory. That re
treat is my humble home, nesting fol
up among the shadows of the noun
tains, where the bees gather hone,
from the poppies and the poplar bios
1oms, where the voices OF happines
echo in the sweet solitudes, and wher'
brawling brooks, leaping from loft.
heights, break into pearls and silver,
'oam and ripple on to the rivers in eter
nal melody.
81 have seen states broader in terri
tory and with larger piles Of wealth
but none that can boast of braver men
or fairer women than ours. hav
seen greater cities, but none more hos
pitable than ours. Taken altogether
{ do not think there is state unde
he American sky that can compar
with ours.
Tennessee is the sixteenth daughte
If Columbia. And when she was Dor
new star arose and blazed so bright
IN the American flag that the otht
stars turned pale in the presence of he
beauty, and the skies REDEEMED wit
i deeper crimson, and foated the glO
air with Joy. She has grown up to |
the loveliest Princess of the South. ST
pillows her head on her own shade
mountains; the stars pin back the blr
curtains of the sky above her, and Il
angels peep through and smile at b
delight, as she tucks her snowy draper
20 her knees and dabbles her dimpl'
eet in the bright waters of the Missi
sippi. No wonder all the outside wor
has fallen in love with Tennessee, I
he is the sweetest little darling in t
amily. All the old baldheaded stat
in the union have made love to her II