The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-25

Pine Crest Villa, Maitland, Fla, Dec
24.-Writing of my birthday Dec. TO-
William Riley Boyd some two years
my senior. says: Permit a word of
congratulation upon having come to
three score and more years, as it is a
long road but there is much ahead
which may prove helpful to yourself
and others who read your printed let
tiers. My advent was Aug. Is, $780,
yet 1 feel no older than l did when
sleeping under a blanket on the frozen
ground at Nashville Tenn, in the
campaign of 1864. My theory is that
there is too much thought given to our
ailments and too little effort made to
preserve perfect health. / have neither
ache nor pain, and hope long to avoid
both" Happy indeed, is the veteran Of
the Civil War who "slept under a
blanket on the frozen ground" and
yet can write in this style. May he
live long and prosper. !" The press
telegram that William H. Davenport
actor, dead at Missoula. Mont, was a
years. promoted from the ranks for
gallantry in Seventh Cavalry battles
with Indians is evidently an error,
as / have never known of more than
one William Davenport in the regular
army, and he died years ago. .
l am not seeking to "break into" the
Fire drill discussion in Savannah,
but in order to fortify my previous
statements as to its compulsory use
in orphan asylums, factories and
schools, / would call special attention
to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum fire in
New York city last week. The chill
dren, from little tots to half grown
boys and girls, were aroused from sleep
by the Fire drill" signal. got up,
dressed and marched out safely under
this well regulated and applied sys-
TEN.
Since the days Of my dear old Irish
gentleman friend, Judge John Erskine,
of the United States courts in Georgia,
the judges have been soldiers, and all
heroes i'm their way. Judge Henry
Kent McCay (of the NORTH was
hrigadier general of Georgia State
Troops in the Confederate service in
that state; Judge William T. Newman
of Tennessee. the present Judge, was
a gallant captain in the G. S. A., and
lost an arm in the service; Judge Will
liam b. Woods OF Ohio, brother of Gen.
AHdSs II. WOOCS, WIS q DilkduftF gem
eral in the Union army; Judge Don A.
Pardee of Ohio resigned from the
United States Naval Academy (from
Dewey's class) in September 1854, and
became a midshipman in the navy,
from which he resigned in 1857, went
into the Union army in 1851 as major
of the Forty-second Ohio Regiment
and came out in 1864 a brevet brigadier
general; Judge Emory Speer OF Geor-
gia was a boy hero in the Confederate
army and won high commentator for
his gallantry. / think that Judge
Brawley Of the United States court
at Charleston. S. c., is a one-armed
Confederate hero, like Judge Newman
of Atlanta, Ga Judge Thomas G.
Jones Of the United States court at
Montgomery, was a gallant Confeder-
ate on Gen. John b. Gordon's staff.
We were universally sorry here
in his home state where ev-
erybody loves and esteems him,
when Capt. w. y. Denham
was transferred to Savannah;
and now we are all sorrier because Of
his transfer to Wilmington, as II is
not a case where distance lends en-
chantment to the view" The nearer
you get 10 Capt Denham the better
you like him and the more you es-
TEEN him. ] don't think / ever knew
n man in any position who was more
justly beloved and respected by his
associates and subordinates. In the
famous little comedy of BOX and
Cox" we have MRS. Mouser. always
the lady" and IN Capt. Denham we
have a man who Is always the gen
tleman." The Morning News pays
him a deserved tribute, but erra as 20
his graduation and immediate en-
trance upon railway service In 1870.
He graduated m the class OF 1859 Mt
the famous Virginia Military Instl-
tute, being a classm0te Of the late
Col. clifford W. Anderson Of Savan-
nah, and Gen. G. J. Anderson OF
Richmond, Va. He was a cadet u
more than ordinary ability and was
hOnored with nu appointment AZ 1s-
slatanf professor Of the institute.
capt. l)fnhnm II not an aggressive
man. nof n brilliant one. bat better
shan az this. b. b. a safe and reliable
man iu any position ~ emergency.
and never loses the confidence and re-
rpefl ~ hla supffiora ~ biz nubofdi-
Mates.
TIA Yonfhr Comrsrlon n pnator