The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-10-19

| daughters OF the COnfederacy, Veterans OF
the War between the States, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
Forty years ago lad upon the streets
OF our little town might have been wit
ness n stirring events. Day after day
the trains rolled by with new levies,
hurrying to defend our threatened
capital. Swarthy Texan Rangers pass
ed across the scene, revolver on hip
and bowie knife in belt, tall and black
beneath their broad sombrews, lean
and keen eyed. New Orleans Zouaves
came cheering through, uniformed in
red, alert and fiery, chattering in q
strange speech, ready alike for jest and
fight. Each of our Southern sisters in
deed sent the quota of her sons to enter
upon the grand conflict, passing in
swift review before that youthful and
eager gaze. And then the day came
when our own men were TO leave for
the front How the place overlooked
with youthful soldiers and aged citi-
Zens, with men aud women, blacks and
whites, girls and boys. The houses
emptied themselves, the hotel piazza
was packed, the streets were crowded.
Grief stricken mothers, with souls ift-
ed heavenv ard for divine support, en-
braced their sons aud dedicated them
with holy kisses to their country's
service. Wives resting within their
husbands arms, alternately the COM
fOrters and the comforted, strove to
mask with tremulous smiles the swim
ming eyes, the tear stained cheek, the
heaving bosom, the bursting heart
Lovers whispered oaths Of deathless
fidelity or soft avOwals of devotion
till then unspOken, and under the
tragic stress Of those flying moments
strOve to store away memories and
promises, that might sweeten the hours
Of loneliness and nerve the heart in the
day Of peril.
So the men of Prince Edward and
all the soldiery of the South marched
down into the crashing storm Of that
disastrous conflict Does history offer
us anywhere a finer spectacle OF I'M
selfish patriotism, of modest courage,
OF chivalric ardour? | think they felt,
as surely as we now see, that Virginia
had naught to gain in the struggle and
stood to lose all save honor. Her soil
was the predestinated battlefield, her
waters were to flow red with kindred
blood, her homes were to blaze and
blacken under the torch of war. The
great captain who was to head her
armies had just flung away his soldiers
ambition, dedicating his sword upon
Virglnia's altar and swearing never to
draw it again save in her defence.
Stonewall Jackson had declared that
they, who persisted in the measures
then threatened against the South"
and thus brought on war, did not
"knOw its hOrrOrs'-he had seen
enough to make him look upon it "as
the sum ofall evils" So felt alike Vir-
ginia's leaders and her people. But
events rushed headlong and she was
left only the tragic choice Of suffering
or of wrong. 1t was for her to elect
the part of accomplish or the role of
victim. Nor did she hesitate for one
hour. Never says an English his
torian, "since the Atheiians abandoned
city and country, and furnished two
thirds of the fleet which saved the
calculating and cowardly Peloponne-
slams from the same fate, has history
recorded so noble, so generous, and so
glorious a choice" To me the men
who made it seem patriots, heroes,
knights
This day we meet here to do honor to
their virtues. The mothers, the wives,
the daughters, the comrades who loved
them, summon us to assemble about
this memorial shaft. AS we gaze upon
it our eyes seem once more to see those
brave batalliOns, our ears to catch again
the old words Of command. We hear
the drum beat, the martial music, the
returning tramp of the phantom host.
That silken flag, 80 bright with colour
and bIOidery when they bore it hence,
floats out once mOre-nOw torn with
shot and black with battle smoke.
Those fresh gray jackets are torn and
dusty and bloodstained now, aud many
sleeve is empty as the veterans come
marching back. Faces then fresh and
youthful are bronzed and worn aud
Scared. Only the guns shine clear in
the sunlight and the sabres CLEAN
bright aud sharp.
Shall We not ever live thus in our
memories o, patriot sons Of Virginia?
Shall we ever forget you-your truth,