The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-05-02

way OF financial aid that mas been
lavished upon us by our good peo-
pie who have contributed to the
promotion and success of this
noble and helpful work.
We love to cherish memories of
the deeds of valor of the Southern
soldiers, and we hold that we can
do nothing nobler than to con-
tribute to the amelioration of the
condition of the heroic, battle
SCARED sons of the South-the
illustrious martyrs whose "deeds
were not born to die" We hold
and teach that to relieve disabled
and distressed Confederate vete-
rams is particularly incumbent on
the Daughters of the South
"Relief should be the central
tenent of every Daughters pro-
fession-to give freely aid and
comfort to the deserving veterans
of our land who SO nobly dis
charged their patriotic duty in the
"days that tried mems souls. -
And in this thought we have a
practical exposition of that grand
truth sit is more blessed to give
than receive "Love is the full
filling of the law" Every act of
| kindness shown, every good deed
done, springs from this indwelling
principle. This is the source, the
foundation head, whence flows all
the streams which give life and
joy to the needy and deserving
ones of our land.
Thus we have sought to make
our Chapter more than an associa-
ton to meet, receive new members
and indulge in pleasant converse
ton. But with a truer and nobler
conception of our duty, we have
earnestly and zealously sought to
perpetuate principles, brighten
lives, strengthen the weak and
particularly to add to the comfort
and happiness of the manned and
superanuated veterans of our
State. With US this has been a
labor of love, and we fully realize
that if in this world there ever
comes to the human heart a fore
taste of the joys and the rewards
of the Great Hereafter it comes
through thoughts of generous
deeds and acts of kindness and
helpfulness to our unfortunate,
but ever-deserving fellow beings.
During the past year one MEM
Der of our Chapter has been "call-
ed quietly, called tenderly," from
the rolls of the living. Miss
MATTE STEELE ONEAL, our Cor
responding Secretary, died Sept.
5, 1900. Nearly every member of
the Chapter, and a very large
number of the people of this town
and parish assembled the next day
at her childhood's home in Belle
vue, to perform the last duties
which we can acknowledge or full
fill to the noble dead-to present
to departed excellence an oblation
of gratitude and respect and con-
secrate it's example by the tears
and sympathy of an affectionate
friendship.
We mourn the death of a woman
of remarkable force and Christian
virtues. Prominently will hel
name ever be mingled in the lumi-
; nous trace this Chapter-hel
Chapter-will leave across the
future. Fascinated by the pure
!. and lofty character of our deceas-
ed friend we are 10th to break the
mirror of admiration into the
fragments of analysis. But 10
as we attempt it every fragment
becomes a miniature of such
beauty and solemnity that the
destructive hand can only multi
ply the forms of Immortality.
- We look with amazement upor
the stupendous work she accom-.
plished and instinctively exclaim
Here was a woman that all coulc
trust and reverence, and one
whose example the Chapter, thu
Church and society might emu
late.
A wise man once said "My &C
tons make my life" Facts ane
things, rather than words ant
signs, were the warp and wool o
her existence. Her life wa
. short-being in her twenty -fourtl
n year-more filled with deeds thar
Q days. Her character warrant
Q the apprehension that, 'Take he
Q for all in all, we ne'er shall lool
q upon her like again." Simple
natural and unaffected, her lif
o lies before us, a fair and we'll
Q written epistle. The counties
3 streams of influence she set il
o motion are imperishable monu
= mentS to her worth. which vii