New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-04
THE LOYAL SOUTH.
THINGS AT WHICH AN ENGLISHMAN
MARvELLED.
INCIDENTS OF THE LATE CONFEDERATE VET
ERANs' REUNION AT ATLANrA-rHE
PArHos OF THE OCCASION
SLAVE AND MASTER.


PArHos OF THE OCCASION
SLAVE AND MASTER.
Atlanta Ga Aug 1 tSpecaD.-"You American
people-you are the queerest lot Gods green
earh!" and the Englshman called attention to
little being enacted in the street Just be-
meath the window. the other day
An old Confederate veteran. In the and
weather beaten gray uniform. carrying his tattered
red nag with its cross OF stars and inscription 42d
Georgia Regiment" had stopped to exchange
word OF greeting with dapper young United
States Regular in a spick- nd-span blue uniform
and perky cap The two shook hands cordially
Tho old veteran pulled off his gray SLOUGH hat and
pointed out to the young soldier how the Yankee
bullets most turned It into a sitter" The young
fellow in blue shoudered the old nag. saying 1t
was TOO heavy a toy for a chap of your age to be
APPLYING with hot day" pinned a little star
spanged banner on the front Of the gray uniform
and the two went of rejoicing to drink together
over the late unpeasantness.
The Englishman had come up to Atlanta from
Florida to see the Confederate reunion. This Eng
llshman was under the impression that when the
rebel nag was unfurled In these times OF war and
the old fellows stepped out In their gray uniforms
Yankee Doodle would make no end OF an UNI
common row.; that there would be arrests for trea-
son. and the very mischief to pay generally. An
Englishman was never more badly fooled by MS
ina gination The vets arrived from all parts OF
this Sunny South-ten thousand OF them. They
brought all their sisters and their cousins and their
aunts with them. The town was draped from end to
end with red white and blue bunting. Rebel flags
and the Stars and Stripes were floating out ami
cably together: brass bands were laundering out
Dixie" The Star Spangled Banner and "A Hot
Time in the Old Town." and tho Rebel yel-it
could not have been lustier In the early sixties
raised in cheers from the veteran camp for
Dewey IIobson and Schey. And Yankee Doodle?
Why. Yankee Doodle was as pleased as possible to
tho ''old hearties' enjoying themselves and II
his quarters hadn't been little ovcrcrowded with
recruits and Spanish prisoners and the sick and
wounded fellows brought up from Santiago ne
would have got UP some sort OF party for them
himself out at Mcpherson Barracks.
A FASHIONABLE CELEBRATION.
The reunion passed with brilliancy. according TO
the local newspaper stories Tho Atlanta Chapter
Of the Daughters Of the Confederacy converted the
Womans Club rooms into sort OF public reception
hall. The fashionable women served tea and sand
wlches punch and ices to hordes Of vsitors-ex-
generals colonies and captains and their
womenkind. Peachtree-st- gay with decora-
lions from the Capital City Club to the Exposition
grounds and there descended upon this gay and
festive little city crowd OF pretty girls-hfteen
hundred strong. sponsors and their maids OF honor
to the different Confederate camps-all In diapha-
nous white gowns. tucked and befred and lace
trimmed-girs with huge tapping hats and be-
witching parasols and bright happy. laughing
with the red ribbon OF the Confederacy floating yet
bravely from their shoulders. they carried all be-
foro them. Even the grave young officers on Gen.
eral Graham's stan and the post surgeons out at
the fort allowed their minds TO wander from the
serious business OF to follow in the wake OF
these smiling and conqusring little rebels.
PATRIOTIC LITTLE REBEL
There was Miss Dorothy. In white duck dress
and crimson SASH with old gray felt crushed
down 10 her cur.s che waved the flag Of tho lost
cause frantcally and such high, OF love and
loyalty as shone out from her clear brown eyes!
The Englishmsn objected to the enthusiasm OF
Dorothy That girl" no said. is lighting yet
Why. she's moro a citizen OF these United states
| than am
The Englishman simply didn't know what he was
| talking about. He could not begin to. understand
the largene's OF tho patriotic heart ~ little Dor
uSsIanS OF n.hby, mao Tie w Win
was Dorothy who called out to us iroId Ihs street
was about TO take Santiago! 1t is Dorothy who
| comes to us with tears IN her eyes and begs tor
lows at IN McPSerson Hospital they have on the
sam" clothes they were wounded In month ago,
she says And II IN she who goes out armed with
a penci and scratch pad. and writes stacks Of
letters for these same fellows 10 distant wives and
Who ~heedIes the money from US 10 pay FOR The
called IN a gang Of poor bedrasgied crippled; dirty
forlorn old veterans and served them with lemon,
and aqe WAS Of %6y
lace. cd the cotlon given In honor OF tho visiting
our friend the Engishman came UP here for the
purpose o: hearing the dialect IN i,s purity" and
,beT nst e ond show their true feelings Of
| revenge and hatred and dsloyalty. What he found
Gay. Of psnsre g o OF old
were spoiled and whose hearts we're broken some
as thought Of the cause? The poorest and most
fororn and most ignorant OF the old crippled fel-
IN ha an IN g -
grounds and ate in the huge mess hall provided by
the m o G9mm har s sad IT,, glorious
,hins for the country sir that tho Yankees beatr'
Thcy sn9y - hs %ns Ta ns m
worn od uniforms. with their blankets and KNAPP.
tears to The eyes OF the new generation but
! tho veterans themselves this memorial was a Joy
| uuspeakahlc The lost cause has ceased TO be a
| grief and become but memory and to many OF
these broken-down old men dragging ont mon ,S
! one bright spo. the one good thing OF each year.
THE STORY OF PLEDGER.
! There is a story OF how Piedger came to tbs
reunion and this is one Of many that our friend
! the Englshmap found uncommonly interesting.
In the first place tho Pledgers were quality
folks fore De that Is. they were well TO do
owned plantations and negroes, and had good
/ time generally But the fortunes OF war were
the pessrs well as dDsn G Sssr S the the
lowest depths OF want and misery. Well; thirty
odd n long %s 0a "a%
y loader OF his people in Georgia one Of the boy
saves OF the Pledger plantation-Wtlliam Pledger.
lie Ike many other negroes, kept his master
name after reconstruction times and now. at the
reunion it occurred to this negro politician who
. whatever may be his fault and. according to the
newsnapers he has his share-s at least faithful
and good hearted that the old master might
ike 70 come up 10 the froc Old master is. indeed
xcrv old now-very old and very feeble and very
poor-but the former slave felt that he was SUI
+ noualiiy" and II would never have done for quail.
/ ~ 10 he housed and fed and generally provided
for by the charitable fund raised f9r thst purpose o;
: The negro SO he sent old master railroad ticke!
and paid his hotel bills during his visit. ana gave
the old man gorgeous time
Now this and many other stories that tho re,
union has brought to light. and the fact that a.!
H. aidtirne negroes former slaves, took part N
The procession OF Friday. July o. and enjoyed II IN
49, ~ iha rain heatlng down on their grlzzleQ