The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-01-05
MORE OF BOB TAYLoR'S ELOQUENCE.

Of Nashville to Capt. Washburn May
nard, commander of the gunboat Nash
vile, which fred the first shot in the
late American Spanish war, and Lieut..
Richmond Pearson .Hobson, the hero
of the Merrimac, at Nashville, on last
Friday, was attended by six thousand
school children Of the city, in whose
name handsome sword was presented
to Captain Maynard by Lieut., Hobson.
Gov. Taylor, on behalf of the children
extended the city's honored guests, the
following address of welcome:
GOVERNOR TAYLoR's ADDRESS.
Your Maiesties, my Little Kings and
Queens l stand in your royal pres
ence to-day with uncovered head to
present to you two of your renowned
subjects who have come hither to pay
homeage to your majesties.
address you as kings and queens
because you are monarch of our homes
and rulers Of our hearts. You are the
autocrats of the breakfast table and the
dinner table and the supper table, and
you are the terror Of your grown-up sis
ters and their sweethearts. You. are
Czars and Czarinas of the hearthstone,
and all the old daddies and mammals
are your willing slaves. But your yoke
is easy, for it is the twining of tender
arms. Your burden is light, for it is
the burden of love-
Two heroes come to you fresh from
seas of glory to receive the laurel
wreath of your blessings and benedic-
tions. One of them unbottled the first
bombshell of the war with Spain from
the frowning deck of the gunboat
Nashville. The other bottled up the
enemy with the Merrimac in Santiago
bay. -
They are both corkers and uncorkers.
They are the corkscrews of Uncle Sam
-9nd that's what's the matter with
ISpain.
Tennessee and Alabama are proud
of their noble sons and every patriotic
bosom heaves a welcome to them. Eve
Try little heart that beats in this dim
pied sea of mirth and beauty throbs a
welcome to our heroes; every sunny
curl and raven lock waves a greeting;
every bright eye beams with love and
gratitude.
No sweeter tribute was ever paid to
men than that which comes sparkling
and bubbling from the innocent soul of
childhood.
No wonder the Savior said, "Suffer
little children to come unto me and for
bid them not, for of such is the king
dom Of heaven.
Tennessee gives her first welcome to
her distinguished guests through the
lips of her little children, because it is
the purest and the best. She welcomes
them with love laughter and song.
When I was bare-footed boy l used
to study the pictures of battles and
listen to the stories Of heroic deeds un-
til my cheeks burned with excitement
and my heart went Aippity-fop. Iwould
have given all my treasures Of marbles
It and toys and everything else down to
J the patches on my breeches and the rag
h on my sore toe to be hero. And sure
It enough my opportunity come. When
: the civil war burst upon our country,
was 10-year old lad and had never
v heard aharsher sound than q hen cackle
t or the hoot of an owl. But at the
age of 10 / became a hero and lost my
hair in the battle OF Taylor's Ford, on
It the bank of the beautiful Watauga riv-
/ er. When I discovered the enemy ap-
/ preaching pulled of my little wool
v hat and ''hit the dim and shadowy dis.
IS tance like Nancy Hanks" and there
was weeping and gnashipg of teeth.
Who knows but that if Capt. May
: nard and Lieut.. Hohson at that age and
n under those circumstances had met the
foe, they would have broke my record
as running hero. =.
4 But the fears of childhood vanished
E from the heart of the man, and Will,
the valor Of my manhood was born tc
blush unseen and waste its sweetness
+ in the desert air, the courage of these
two young men has been witnessed ant
applauded by the whole world.
Y The struggle with Spain was shor
and decisive. Our splendid navy
manned by them and their gallant com
rades, hovered like storm cloud OIL
the horizon and burst upon the foe
Aud there was nothing left but tn
burning wrecks of Spain's battle-ship
and her army rolling back in disma.
aud deafeat.
Capt, Maynard and Lieut.. Hobson,
present you bouquet of rose-buds-
the children of Tennessee.
iii At the conclusion of Governor Tay
lOr's address, which was applauded an
cheered to the echo, the childred san
"The Red. White. and Blue."