Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1901-06-05
ARP AND VETERANS
Reunion at Memphis Was a Great
Gathering of Brave Men.
THE OLD SOLDIERS WERE HAPPY,
ihey Met and Talked About the Dovs
Oh Forty Years Ago, and Wept and
Laughed.

/
| Laughed.
forty years have passed since these
soldier boys first shouldered arms and
hurried to the front. No such array ~
| patriots were ever seen, for there w,s
not tory among them nor n foroirn
! hlrellhS. and even the northern born
cltlzens OF the south volunteered with
| one accord and cast their lives and
| property in the common peril of their
| adopted state. To that class we owe ali
the more honor for ii was great heart
| struggle TO sever the bonds that b1und
'hVih 10 their kindred and the place of
tHSIr oirth. Forty years have not eff
| IdCeu nor dlmmed the memory of
ChoSe Iour long years from the minds
| Oh the veterans who gathered at the
| memphis reunion AS time rolls ON
they seem the more eager TO congregate
ana commune together: and happilv
| 'h"fe are none now to molest or make
| them afraid
Happily the soldiers OF the blue and
the gray are becoming every wear the
more considerate OF the feeling and
| principles of each other. The soldiers
| say-those who fought against us
lor the bravest are the tenderest II is
the politicians who saw the battle
| from afar. who still refuse to give lis
back our ilass and are still worrying
over the rebel brigadiers whom we
sent to congress. But time is a good
doctor ana SOFT words take away
| wrath.
Ihat was grand convOcation that
paraded the streets of Memphis.
N
moist with tears
While memory fingered DER the sad
OF joys that faded like the morning
dew"
TAat w&s beautiful prayer sent up
! to heaven by our beloved grand chap
! pain. Rev. J. William Jones. the
faithful hHlwark 90 confederate L.sto-
| ly. know that the blue and the gray
/ c!asped hands and hearts rs he invok-
! cd blessing uuCn NJ. ana Mrs. Nc
! kin!ey and asked for her restoration TO
\ health. tell YOU my brethren there is
nothing small or selfish or mean in the
hearts O! our great leaders. In war and
/ III peace they have been and are gen
| tl"men. There was not Negro or n
/ duke Of AlVa among them nor a heart
| less destroyer of the innocent nor a
violator OF the laws of kindness TO
women and children. Our soldiers
Fought a good fight. on patriotic prla-
! c!ples. ana ii rejoiceS us that they have
! sept the faith and are as true now to
the nation as they were then to the
principles for which they fought.
Those principles are not dead; and we
believe that if this republican govern
ment is preserved from the domina-
ton of Imperialism. with which il is
threatened. 1t will be the conservative
spirit of the south that will do il. The
spirit o. constitutional liberty is vet
alive with us and will be transmitted
70 our children. 1t is high time that the
northern preachers and teachers and
editors were learning salutary les
son from these annual reunions or the
old confcderates. If had been fed
oral soldier and lived up there. il seems
10 ne that | would say. MY brethren.
those rebels must have been trcucn-
dously in earnest. There is no let up or
abatement III their faith. Fowy years
has not hunmb!ci them C.c io.a. We
| mad better make friends with such a
people and divide hoaoTs and pensions.
too TEey have carried an &Wtul loal
!c: all these years. They have to pay
= COOL Fart Ca the pensions TO our sol
C.e.a and all Of the pensions to their
own ana biz tx 10 odicltc their ne
S.ocs. az! a. Cy had 10 endure the
royacCs ana s;ealages OF The carpet
i1~Syle TO. yea 9. hut thoy never com
lain. They isht back and defend Their
honor, nut. like the sD.5 Of hinDmok.
they never complain. Surely they are a
great people. They suffer. ana ar
s,rOng. and Whcn soldiers were wanted
iO- Cuba and the Philippines they came
AZ the first call. Brethren. let's stop all
this anti-sOu;hcrn sentiment and make |
oar preachers and editors sop it,
Tnere is no good in rubbing an old
sore. We don knew what may happen.
and we may need those boys to save
the country. Thc Old veterans are dy-
ing out. bat their sons are the same |
old stock. The south is fist coming to |
the front. and is destined to be Il great |
power IN the land and If we keep en-
arSTayat!ng them with abuse. it is |
possible 'hoy may get fighting mad !
s':.c - thes" days ana got u2 another !
c.v.l war aui ana and aad whip !
us again. or come pretty near il.
! isats what would say If wasent "A |
sool
These arc alarming times. Wars.
fires. hoc Is. AwfGl cqlamitios On lanl |
and on The sea. explosions in mines |
". KS o. railroads. murders. suicides
roo5crios, ab.Gct.ons of children. ana
worse than ell there seems to be no
stop to these horrible outrnges of bru-
tai negroes. Taen there is the insub-
nf eel in, ..It