The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-24
CLARK HOWELLS ADDRESS BEFORE
INDEPENDENT CLUB OF BUFFALO
Brilliant Georgia Editor the Guest of
Honor at Monthly Dinner---HiS
Remarks Well Received.

characteristic of the mountain Businesses
from which they came. There were boys
from the wire grass-plain, unassumng and
unaffected, their eyes lighted with the fire
of determination and their hearts beating
In unison with the loyalty of their pur-
pose. The men moved like machines. the
regiment of raw recruits had become in a
few months a command of trained and disci-
plined soldiers The very air was traught
with the impressive significance OF the
scene, which had its counterpart in many
of the states where patriots enlisted faster
than the muster roll was called. thought
of the homes these soldier boys were leav-
ing, the loved ones left to nurse their anx-
ious fears, the aged mothers last caress,
the fathers sad farewell. And L thought
of the lot these patriot lads had chosen,
the tired marches beneath the bllstering
sum- the restless nights in rain-soaked tents
that kept out naught but sleep, the ann
pushed shots of savages and the bite of the
pagan's lead / saw hearts then strong
with the pulse of youth, stilled by the ar
rows sting; eyes then bright with the light
of life stare up from the sodden fields.
Leaning against a tree close behind me
was a white-haired mountaineer who looked
with intent eyes and with an expression
of the keenest sympathy upon the move
nents of the men in uniform. His gaze
was riveted on the regiment, and the fire.
quent applause of the multitude fell ap-
ment had finished its evolutions the COM
missioned officers had lined themselves to
make their regulation march to the front
for report and dismissal. The bugler had
sounded the signal; the artillery had
belched its adieu as the King of Day with
drew beyond the hills; the halyard had
been grasped and the flag slowly fell,
saluting the retiring sun. AS the flag
started its descent the scene was eharac-
terized by solemnity which seemed sacred
in its intensity. From the regimental band
there fioated upon the stiffness of the au-
tumn evening the strains of The Star
Spangled Banner Instinctively and ap-
parently unconsciously my tall neighbor by
the tree, removed his hat from his head
and held 1t in his hand in reverential rec
ognition until the flag had been furled and
the last strain of the national anthem had
been lost In the resonant tramp of the
troops as they left the field.
What picture that was-the man with
his hat in his hand, as he stood uncovered
during that impressive ceremony! l moved
involuntarily toward him, and impressed
with his reverential attitude, l asked him
where he was from. 81 isl said he, from
Pickens county," and in casual conversa-
ton it developed that this raw mountain
eer had come to Atlanta to say farewell to
an only son who stood in line before him,
and upon whom his tear-bedimmed eyes
might then be resting for the last time The
silent exhibition of patriotism and loyalty
/ had just witnessed had been prompted by
a soul as rugged but as placid as the great
blue mountains which gave it birth, and
by an inspiration kindled from the very
bosom of nature itself
"There was the connecting link between
the hearthstone and the capitol! There was
the citizen who, representing the only real
substantial element of the nations reserve
strength-'the citizen standing in the door,
way of his home, contented on his TIRES
hold'-had answered his countrys call-the
man of whom Henry Grady so eloquently
said: He shall save the republic when the
drum tap is futile and the barracks are ex-
hausted In him was duty typifed, and in
him slumbered the germ of sacrifice There
was that in the spontaneous action of the
man that spoke of hardshipS to be endured
and dangers to be dared for country's sake;
there was that in the reverential attitude
that said, even through the 1ibation of his
hearts blood should be required in far-off
lands, his life would be laid down as lightly
as his hat was lifted to his countrys call.
Denied by age the privilege of sharing the
hardships andsthe dangers of the comrades
of his boy. no rule could regulate his pat
riotic arder, no limitation could restrain
the instinct of his homage.
"As comprehend the scene thought of
a great picture familiar to all of you-'The
Angelus.' You can catch the strains of the
village bell as 1t rings across the harvest
fields, singing tribute to the Divine Power
whose image is reflected in the grandeur
of the autumn sunset. A peasant weary
from his hard days toll, simple atom in
the mass of humanity, a frugal. quiet work.
err whose world Is measured by the furrow
he daily turns, but q king in the richness of
his faith-this child of God stands with
bowed head uncovered in the presence of
his Maker, as the echoes of the music from
the sanctuary fade away beyond the distant
hills oh, the significance of that inspiring
scene! You have seen the rushing torrent
OF Niagara plunge over the yawning abyss;
you have seen the storm-swept ocean break
in maddened fury against the shore; you
have seen lightning lash the earth and the
thunders roll defiance until the very heav-
ems seemed to reign in pandemonfum-and
you thought these things sublime. But
there, standing uncovered in his fallow
field, with hat in hand, is a silent, solemn
figure grander than all of them. 1t Is the
living tribute of a Christian faith to the
great Power which controls the tempest
regulates the heavens and sets the~universe
Accusing to the music of the spheres. 1t
Is that reverence and faith which, exem-
plified in all the creeds, have wrought re-
ligdon out of paganfsm and civilization out
of chaos; which have fired the hearts of the
martyrs and steeled the arms OF the crusad-
ers which have consecrated mankind to
the great purpose OF creation.
"And So my fellow countrymen, while
THE Angelus' speaks these things TO us,
the patriot, hat in hand. speaks from the
same inspiration a faith that stayed the
souls Of the Pilgrim fathers when they set
foot on Plymouth Rock; an abiding faith
that filled the hearts of the continental SOL
diers who carved independence QUIT OF
hondage; a Faith that failed not when
the frebrand of civil war blazed herceiy
for four years and then went OUT tri-
umpGlant faith that guided our ships to
Santiago and Manila bay and sustained our
eoldiery when they wrested the grasp of
Spanish tyranny from the Pearl of the
Antilles; an everlasting faith that will burn
In the breasts of our statesmen and our
soldiers until no hostile hand is raised to
menace our flag as Yong as 1t floats In the
Philippines!
Permit me, Mr. Chairman, just here to
express my recognition OF the fact that an
occasion like this is neither the time nor
the place for a discussion which would be
even cons,iuctively political In its trend
As your guest would not do violence to
the amenities OF the occasion, for am too
fully sensible Of the honor You have done
.