The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-06-19
INNOCENCE AND PEACE.
a Touching Incident of the Ex.
erciSes at Chicl<amaupa

The lollo~iOg description of Il touch.
ing incident at The Chickamauva un.
yelling was written by Col. Jas. ID.
Blandlng Of Sumter, to one of his
granddal ghtcrs, who kindly allowed il
to be published:
One OF the most appropriate and
pathetic incidents at Chickamau"a
happen d at the beginning of the ccrc-
money Of unvcillng the monument. 1t
was truly typical of the two leading
thoughts of the OccasiUn--war, peace.
General Capcrs, il noble specimen ol
the South Carolina soldier of lSG3.
stltl iuIl OF the fire Of patriotism, had
reached the last clause of his address
up to tins moment he was the repre-
sentative Of war and carnage, OF
''man's inhumanity Il mn.n Blu,
one thing more was to he said or done.
He called for the four little glrls who
were to unvcii ;hc monument. The
second brought forward was little
Ethel, granddaughter of General
| Walker in command of the South Car.
ollna L. &. Veterans, who had been
in battles from Gettysburg to Calves.
ton She was as bright as one of the
gay tlowc,s which bcdeckcd the battle.
lieid. Her childish timidity made he,
| shrink back till she was hidden by two
| Of her cOmpccrs; and rs she could moi
! be seen, Colonel Holmes A. A. G.,
| pulled a char TO stand her on il, when
bishop Capcrs, prompted by his biz
but tender heart, picked her up in his
stalwart arms and held her alol, In,
perfect type ol peace and purity: and
he himself, now converted from ih,
stern warrior to the man of God. PRO
claimed by actions stronger than
words, X" Peace On earth good Will TO
ward men," "Of such is the KINGDOM
of heaven"
The contrast was so impressive tbo
tears flowed freely down the bronze,
checks of many old veterans. Woul,
that some poet had been present lt
pen companion picture 10 that, il
" The Peri at tbc,Gatcs 4f Paradise. >
Of the rough warrior, PROSTATE ptui
tent, and the PERI dying to tn,
Heavens Chanccry with the mullcrc,
prayer and demanding admittan.e n
bearing the gift most acceptable to th
God of mercy, Those of us who hov
followed wars, now that the fires q
youth have burnt out, do most hat
bloodshod and love the peaceful fire
side.
Standing, as we were, under th
shadow of a magnificent monument I
SO many Of the Cor fcdcratc dead G
South Carolina and in view of urandc
monuments 10 many more of The oa
liant dead OF our former Federal rcn.
with the Stars and Bars and lLo Sta,
and Stripes floating above our Leads
Gen. Capcrs representative of III
one and Gen. Boynton of the o,hc
grasping hands, with the little oir
me dove OF peace, uncOnsciOuslv chan
: ing the reclaim in words inaudibl
, but louder than could fall from h,
. cherub lips, 81 come, | come! Ii
Angel of Peace to cement Ills bond
brothcrly love between former foes
May the incident be truly typical
& the future of this great republic.
y sincerely hope that Col. Hcndcrst
+ may prove as true rs prophet as he
C great orator, when in Gaping Il
e climax of soul-stirring thoughts, viii
(. crowded each other 80 closely throu,
Is his address, he declared. this miph
D. reunited people can never again
~ divided into hostile ranks -,hc or,
y republic OF States shall never again
ly separated one from the othcr-ncv
III more; neVermorel j. ID. Ii.
ar Chattanooga, Mayer, 1901.