The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-05-14
MEMORIAL EXERCISES.
The Day FittingIy Observed in Hen
derson-A Splendid Address by
Tasker Polk, Esq.-"Crosssso of Hon.
or" Bestowed Upon Veterans
Daughters of the Confederacy Do
Ts,em selves Proud.

or" Bestowed Upon Veterans
Daughters of the confederacy Do
Themselves Proud.
Confederate Memorial Day was fitting
" observed in Henderson Monday. The
exercises were held in Cooper Opera
House. Manager Aronson rendering its
use free Of charge for that purpose.
There was a good attendance and the
exercises throughout were of an interest
ing and edfying character.
The exercises were begun by singing
.:Carolina' and Rev. J. ID. Bundy offered
a fervent and feeling prayer. Mrs. }. ).
Burwell sang My Old Kentucky Home"
and Capt. ". b. Shaw introduced the
orator Of the occasion, Taser Polk, Esq,
OF WarrentOn. In being announced Capt.
Shaw was presented as himself a veteran,
one of the brayest Of the brave, who,
while vet a youth, responded to his
cOuntry's call, and who had through
out the trying times i'm mediately FOL
lowing the days of 81 and '65 and
in the civic walks of life since no less
than in time Of war been eveistrue to
himself and to his country. His in
PRODUCTION of the gifted young man
" Hp W as " 'Olio" Hiffi " - WI
timed and set the pace for the really
admirable and eloquent Grafton TO
which the audience was to listen.
Mr.. Polk was greeted with demon
STATIONS of admiration and hppre-
citation when he rose and walled to
the foot Of the stage. His address
was pitched upon high key 1t
was eloquent in expression, beau;i-
f,,l II In 4 n
Full Of the spirit Of patriotism: it
was yet devoid of any fcsling Of bit
terness. He paid 4 high tribute to
the valor and herois. Of the Confed-
crate soldier and declared that in the
annals Of warfare the world had
never seen his superior if indeed his
equal Drawing Il sad but ruthful
picture of conditions in t. G South
land at the close of the war, he de
sas.atiUn and ruin VIII ch the Con-
fede ate soldier found upon return
ing home after AppOmattOX Whr'h
all save honor seemed To he lost, ne
told Of how this same tonirtier@ tie
soldier, unused to labor as he was.
went to work with IL brave heart
and courageous spirit, to rebuild the
waste places and retrieve his lost
fortunes. Ard how with faith i'll God
and hope for the future he had laid
the foundation for the wonderful de
velupmrnt and prosperity which we
now enjoy. 1t WAS Il splendid trib-
ute which the gifted speaker paid to
the lUnfeders tie soldier both ii ti:n''
Of wsr and time Of peace.
Mr.. Polk SIP Ike without manu-
script. His address vas out of the
beaten path usually followed by
spea kers on such occasions its ter
est and value being heightened by
the uniGreness ana originality IF it.
The GULn LEAF desired to pull fish
the speech in full and we requested
tie manuscript for that purp'se
Air. Folk informed us that he had
not written il Out merely Grnut'i',c
his thou. hts under vaIi ius hen dir Is
but if we thought it worthy of pub
lea lie would undert axe 10 WI! te
it out for us when he returned hO::le
A letter received since then states
that when he attempted to do this
frn'n Ills notes the result was so un-
Sati-fi tory that he abandoned it.
! his we regret and we know that in
this regret our readers viii share
In concluding his letter Mr.. ;'olk
rays
had gathered Together q nuui-
her OF statistics with which | cX-
pectcd to illustrate how fearful were
the odds against which our soldiers
were cOntending, but when | saw
that my audience was composed
chiefly of ladies, who as Il rule care
SO little for figures. ard Old veterans
who knew the odds better than
could toll them. and boys and girls
to whom statist tics would have been
very tirssone, / decided MT to use
then, This made the address good
d. al shorter and, on that account
riea.antcr. perhaps
At the conclusion of Mr.. Folks adlres:
Capt. ". Il. Shaw delivered short memorial
on Col ". II. Cheek, First North Carolina
Cavalry. to whose gallantry and military
genius he paid merited tribute. The occasion
Of this was Il life size oil portrait to be hung
| in the State library in Raleigh. This pictur,
representing the dead soldier in his uniform
OF gray as he appeared during the war, was
painted by Miss Sue Hall, of Oxford 1t rest
ed on an easel at the front of the stage anC
was much admired by all who saw it.
The next thing on the program was the be
slowing OF Crosses of Honor on such vet
Grams as had complied with the rules ant
regulations governing the same. Those whs
| received the Crosses We're: j. Daniel Ayscue
\. H. Breedlove. Benjamin Isaac Breedlove
r. A. Bullock, w. l.. Burroughs, Charles J
Burroughs, A. $. Burnett, William Henry
Burwell, Robert W. Burton. Samuel j Cur
rim, James W. Duke, J. NJ. Ellington, join
Falkner John A. Harris. r. B. Henderson
George J. Hendrick r. w J ones, w H Hart
Alex Lufsey, J ohm H. Morgan, B. &. Norwood
". l.. Paschall, +. L. Powell, n II. Stain
hack, A. o. Woodef John D. Woodlief, "
7. Wier, J. B. Wrenn.
These decorations We're pinned on the vet
| Grams by n committee of ladies representing
Vance County Chapter, United Daugh ters o
the Confederacy, headed by Mrs. c. NJ. Cooper
president Many OF the old soldiers expressed
Il desire that the GOLD LEAF should thank
the ladies for the interest shown in their be
half and for the pleasure given them on this
occasion.
The Daughters OF the Confedcracy ant
Henry l.. Wyatt Camp, Confederate Veterans
under whose auspices the exercises were held
have cause for cOngratulatiOn upon the sue
cess of their efforts. 1t was an occasion full
remembered by those present.
I oi1or E-1,, k:l{rnH