The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-25
OUR COMRADE IN BLUE -
A FRIEND OF THE SOUTH,


An Eloquent Address at the Con
fcaerate Reunion by GaIlan,
Federal soldier.
One OF the interesting features O,
the Charleston reunion was we'll.
timed address from Col. Henry T,
Turner, OF Chicago, on the last night
Of the assemblage OF veterans In th :
auditorium, when the closing exercises
took place. Maj. Theodore G. Barker
introduced the speaker and among
1 other things said he would present q
colder who had been always at the
front, and yet never wounded. "I
AAYept TO Introduce" he said, tour com.
10 IN oiae. A man who wss braYe
ugh and grand enough to fire
ltes over the sleeping dead Of the
,federscy, against the protest of his
33s 2ple. present as my friend, as the
snd OF the Southern people, of
81 .SAsstY and fraternity, Col. Henry M.
b, OF Chicago"
Turner came forward and was
cheered. After bowing his &C.
Qedgments, he said:
sYrlends OF the United Confederate
Sterans' Association of Charleston
the South Do you remember
fair daughter OF France, Joan Of
s. Arc, the daintiest, sweetest maiden
partyr OF all history? And do you
|'yEsmember how, with unfaltering faith,
] he communed with and drew inspira.
tfon from. the mysterious voices which
s'ame to her out OF the great unknown?
10 no maiden martyr as you see,
ND me also have come voices, i'm
tive voices, mysterious voices,
uJh t. I,
hugh obedience to their admoni.
)s that all my acquaintance and as
Na0cfation with the South has come.
Years ago, when youth was Just
sweeping into manhood, voice came
TO me out OF the everywhere, saying {:
Come, follow me-" and it led me
down into the smoke and roar OF battle,
into that hell Of civil war, IN which |
came to realize what Southern fire
and valor meant-in which l came to
know, from investigation at the muzzle
end OF your rifles, how great, how fear
less, how heroic my brothers OF the
South could be. Following that voice,
l saw for the frat time this banner OF
the Stars and Bars. Yesterday l was
impressed beyond measure at the lin
ing up OF your old battle ilags in this
magnificent Auditorium. But yester-
days effect was colorless compared
with that OF years ago, when they came
Dweeping out OF thickets, flashing over
breastwOrks, blazing over battlehelds.
10 you they were an inspiration. To
us they signaled that there was rush
Ing down to meet Us one Of the knight
liest, most gallant foes that ever trod
flaming field.
And once again there came into my
lonely lie, out Of Cupid's glittering
realm of flowers and fancy, a voice
which would not be denied, saying /:
Come, follow me."- And it led me
into that sunny land, where Southern
womanhood holds sway. And the voice
said to me-: " 1t Is not well that man
should live alone saunter thou about :;
perchance some one Of these rare crea.
then l came to know that the Southern
gentlewoman is, OF all women, woman
ly, gracious, merry hearted, pure,
serene, undaunted, glorious in her pow
or OF self-sacriilce and noble in her devo.
tion. One not too good for human
natures daily comradeship, yet deli
cate, refined and gentle, but with bit
OF devtltry to give her spice AMI bril-.
liancy, with aspirations towards the
heights Of life and yet with untitled
longings towards profanity as she sw cot
ly "darns" our. socks In different Ian
gusges helpful In times OF trouble,
cool in danger and with nerve to fol-
low where we load,
Der crested billow
Or DER tive-barred gate.
Cultured, revered, trinity almost
divine, friend, wife and mother, three
In one, perfect gentlewoman. And
thus 1t came about that following the
voice my wooing prospered. and at
length
We rode into fairyland, Paula and l,
Ny Southern:bred Paula-fair Paula
and /,
and, being wed, 1t was thus l came to
know how fascinating Southern rule
con be. And once more listened, and
out OF the misty distance came q voice,
this time In alien Language, sounding
the old-time summons, "Como, follow
me-" 1t was the voice of bleeding
Cuba--a cry for help, for rescue. And
with my great regiment marched to
the calling Of the voice, but this time,
thank God, the sons of the South,
heirs to all your fiery dash and go,
marched in cadenced stop beside us.
And so, following the voice. we found
that In the Dance Of War it is Infinite
ly pleasanter to swing the South as
partners "and 'sashay down the mid
die side by siGe," than it to have her
prancing forward all against us.
And yet again, but q fow days since,
there came to me In my homo by tho
waters OF the blue Lako Michigan
came to me out of tho spring.laden Dir
the sweetest voice of all--tho voice
OF SRlthern friendship, bearing tho
sam6 old message :" Come, follow
me-" And following It | have como
across tho blue grass meadows of Ken.
lucky, over the rhifls OF Tennessee; or
past fields whore cotton still Is king
on past scenes where the seeds o
battle have bloss6mad> into immortal
ity. l have hurried down from the
blue OF the lakes to the blue of the sea
ana Tor this one purpose only--that
new Inheritance; that | might begii
to enjoy my share, Of al the glories o
Confederate valof';; :, my share Of tn,