The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-20

f4@H@@cttAE f@b& 3&-H WH0 0CAE&NN4 At tttS | Senate simply by want of time.
 | It does seem to me that as we are here revising the SonstitutiQu there Is no better time than now to make such a seal as is characteristic of our people.
 The seal which has been proposed shows the purity of our women and the heroiEm of our men, 1t shows de- votion to free government. It shows courage. It shows the deference we pay to womanhood and therefore hope this Convention will adopt the seal which has been presented.
 The seal originally proposed was that of the figure of . soldier clad in the uniform of Confederate General, mounted un horseback and fully arme1. with young woman pointing forward, and around 1t the inscription T will show yod the way."A more beautiful inscription for Alabama could not be devised and more heroic act of wo- manhood during the famous four years struggle between these republics never was performed. Therefore, 1t would well represent us.
 And pray who was this young woman? She was the daughter of a farmer in Cherokee County. It was we'll she came from that County. Che- rokee means "The sons of fire' and this young woman was c sister to the sons of fire that have stood by us through SO many years of hardship and peril in many parts of the world.
 It was in the month of May, 1863. about noon, the clang of arms and the chatter of horses feet were heard ap- preaching Gadsden. A young girl not older than a school maiden was stand ing at the door of her home as they rode up. She had just arrived from Gadsden when the Federal troops en- deavored to seize her horse. Under their officers command they desisted and they passed. on. Within a very short time afterwards came in hot pursuit Bedford Forrest, known the world over as the wizard of the sad- dle" Riding up and seeing the mother of this young woman standing in front of their modest building he asked, "Is there a ford In this neighborhood? Can any one show me how can cross the creek?" Because he beheld the smoking timbers of the bridge over Black Creek in front of him. The young woman said: T know where the ford is." But where is any man7" The mother said: My sons are in the army" and the girl said: T will show you the way" Thereupon Forrest said: T will have a horse saddled for you" and she said: "No, we have not time" ;" and she climbed on his horse and rode behind him down a little brook until they were discovered by the enemy, who fired upon them, and then she dismounted and walked before Forrest who placed her behind him and said: "I am willing to take a lady for -,,tao t,,,t not hxaaAk uvorrR 9taV by this tree" he said and went on re- connoitering the ground, and the ford and when he discovered everything that was necessary he looked around and the young woman stood at his back He said to her: Why do you do this?" And she said: T was afraid you would be shot and wished to be near you" Then they retired. He had discovered everything he desired to know. he marched his troops across the ford. pursued the enemy. brought them to bay near Turkey Town and there Colonel Strei1ht surrendered to him two regiments from Indiana, one from Ohio. one from Illinois, and 2OO renegadea fxom the mountains who had Joined the marauders and Forrest thereby saved Rome.
 If other people have cherished the heroic deeds O. men and women and other states and countries have been immortalized by the splendid achieve ments of their citizens. why should not Alabama do the same thing in regard to her own immortal daughter? re- member an instauce of patriotism, and if you win pardon me, l will relate It. There Is story of young Austrian girl who went to Switzerland for the Purpose of earning livelihood by
 
 management of cattle, and she attend ed the pasture. Being there she dis covered on one occasion that the Swiss became gloomy, that they ceased to en- gaze in their business, that the women tattled no more upon neighborhood af- fairs but gathered around the men ouietIy together. Sine discovered that there was a conspiracy to take Breg- eng her native town. Thereupon, when the people had retired she took from her employers stable splendid white animal and rode during the night to Bregenz, rode so rapidly that the Wlnd did not surpass her in ner speed. ene arrived at the banks of the Rhine; the horse paused: she dashed him; he plunged into the dark waters and swan to the opposite bank. Ascending 1t she saw the lights of her native town and rapidly rode to its gates. She gave the alarm and the soldiers came to ask the cause of the disturbance and she told them what she had discovered. The soldiers took their positions, the neopIe were aroused and when the en- enay arrived at dawn next day they found the city entirely prepared to re- ceiye the assault; and from that day for more than three hundred years as the Sentinel paces his solitary rounds on the ramparts he calls the hours of the night: "s o'clock and alps well; "tO o'clock and all's well; I'll o'clock and alps we'll" and when 12 o'clock strikes and midnight pauses in the sky he shouts the young woman's name, and the mountains echo 1t back. And on the walls of Bregenz is the faded image of horse exhausted by his flight and a young woman standing by his side. Was there ever any thing more splendid in all his tory save that instance of hero ism in Cherokee County. That young woman had all the purity of the Aus trian maiden. She had more than her heroism, she was everything that our people can desire, noble and patriotic, I might say chivalrouS.
 I remember another instance, and pardon me for telling 1t. When the people of Etruria sought to re-estab- fish the throne of Tarquin, Porsenna organized a large army and had beaten the Roman armies opposed to them until they had reached the very walls of Rome. They had captured on their way or had had sent to them as hostage, a young woman. While the army held her she made her escape and when they beheld her she was In