The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-08-22
ONE OF OUR HEROES.
BY MAGDALENE LANDS.

Henderson Graded School May 10. 19o1.)
North Carolina has ever stood first
in war and first in peace. She has
always nobly given her best in the
cause of her country. BY some
strange fatality the sons of this State
seem to be called first when such an
offering is to be made.
The first blood shed in the war of
the Revolution was that of North
Carolinian, and also in that bloody
conflict, the Civil War, North Caro-
lima contributed the first victim in
the person of Henry Wyatt. who fell
at the battle of Bethel on the soil OF
Virginia.
And perhaps it was that North Car
DINA through her heroic efforts to
avert the Civil War and save the
Union, won for her the post Of honor
when the time came for the first vic
tim to be offered upon the altar OF
the united nation in it's first war
against a foreign foe. In proud,
yet stricken spirit, we can feel that
when the brave and pure young life
of Worth Bagley went out on the tide
of Cardenas. we yielded up one OF
race of heroic men worthy Of the sac
rifice. If the deeds of valor of dead
and gone generation appeal to US,
how much more are we thrilled by
the daring and courage OF men OF our
own day, with whom we are in touch,
either by word, thought or kindred
ties; and foremost among them is our
own brave young Ensign. '.He ven
tured love and life and youth. for the
| prize of death in battle"
Worth Bagley's ancestors gave
abundant evidence of their patriotism
in peace and in war. He was the son
| of Major William II. Bagley, Of Per-
quimans county. Worth Bagley, as
| a child, possessed a gentleness and
courtesy that was the delight Of his
parents and instructors. There was
in him the rare blending of the sim
| plicitv and directness Of his Quaker
ancestry and bon hommie and genial
ity that is the characterize OF South
ern civilization. While almost wholly
free from school boy fighting, he
stood up for his rights against all
corners, having the creed, "You must
stand up for your rights and let no
body run over you" That was his
spirit-to encroach on the rights of
no one, and permit no encroachment
upon his rights.
| The great affection of his fathers
death, which came to him at the early
age of twelve, and the sense of his re-
sponsibility as the eldest son gave
him the fortitude of a man. He was
stay from that hour until the fatal
day at Cardenas.
Though fond of all manly sports,
| he was constant reader from early
boyhood, and read with intense inter
est those histories that gave the most
graphic pictures of war and revolu-
ton. He knew how every great
decisive battle of the world had been
fought and won, and when quite
young his knowledge of the ships of
the navy and his intense interest in
the lives of the great naval command
ers was marked. AS he grew older
his ambition to 90 into the navy fired
him, and when fifteen years old he
stood the best competitive examina-
tion out of number of applicants,
and won the appointment at Annapo-
lis. He finished successfully, and on
July 1st, 1897, was promoted tc
Ensign. Upon application be was as
signed to the North Atlantic Squadron
for cruise of two years. His devo.
ton to his home people impelled him
to ask this appointment SO that he
might be near them. On the occasion
of his last visit to Raleigh he said, 81
have always been happy here. 1t is
the sweetest place in the world tc
me-" He was passionately fond OF
music, had a fine voice and sang in
the Naval Academy choir at An
napolis.
| Always fond of sports requiring
physical strength and daring, the
young cadet soon became leader in
athletics at the Academy. But foot.
ball was his athletic passion, and he
became an authority on how TO play
the game.