The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-05

ate rot Lord Macauley said: "A peo-
pie who take no pride in the achieve
ments of their ancestors will achieve
nothing for their own children to be
proud Of Some OF our most gifted men
are still toadying to please northern APP
petites. licking the hand that strikes
the blow" OF all such patriotic north
ern writer says beware of the chronic
reconciler," the man who improves every
opportunity to haul out his faded olive
branch and waive it in the eyes of the
people. When any man. North or South,
talks in mellow way of his love for his
old enemy, watch him. He is getting
ready to ask for something, Watch him.
There is something pathetic in the picture
OF the North and South clasped in each
others arms and shedding a torrent of hot
tears down each others backs, but the
aged mothers on either side have not yet
learned to love the foe with much vio-
lence. Nor does the crippled veteran love
the adversary who robbed him of his glo-
rious youth and left him a feeble ruin,
nor have the patriot soldiers on either
side deserted the cause for which they
fought
But think of Virginia-the glorious Old
Dominion-the mother of the States and
statesmen. Her domain extended from
Carolina to Canada and from the At
lantic to the Pacific oceans. Born upon
her generous bosom was Washington, JEFF
ferson, Madison, Monroe, Lighthouse
Harry, Robert e. Lee, Joe f. Johnston
and StOnewall jackson, Who would not
be proud to be a Virginian? Who can
wonder at the patriotic pride of those
two venerable sisters, Miss Judith and
Miss Anna Thomas, of southampton coun-
ty now passed their eightieth year, the
only sisters of Cen. George H. Thomas,
and who, ever since 1861, when he accept
ed office under Lincoln, have uniformly
declared that they once had a brave and
noble brother OF that name and that he
won renown in the war with Mexico when
he was major in Colonel Robert f.
Lees regiment, but that he died in 1861
ana now they have no brother. Ever
since Virginia seeded they have pathet-
icalEy declared their dear brother died in
the spring of 1861. Every Virginia officer
Of the old army, save George II. Thomas,
promptly resigned and volunteered TO de-
fend their State. These lonely old maidens
seem really to believe that their brother
did die. The county of Southampton had
presented to Major Thomas on his re-
turn from Mexico a beautiful sword and
after our civil war he wrote to his sisters
and requesed that the sword be sent to
him. They replied that they could not
part with it, for it was the only memento
of a very dear brother who died in 1861.
They still live alone and in poverty in the
same old mansion in which they were
born, but neither friend nor neighbor
ever presumes to mention General
Thomas in their presence. These venera-
bic and venerated ladies are but type of
the old Virginia aristoeracy Well may
they be proud of their state and their
ancestry. BILL ARP.
j. 81 do not know Coloney Cussous
nor the price of his little book, nor have
| any interest in advertising it, but |
do wish that every veteran and every
veterans son had it. His address is Glen
Allen, Va. and he is the publisher
suppose that 81 will buy it postpaid.
B. A.