The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-02

Is a mistake to assume that the muse
Of song is reserved for the ninah1e-volced.
for those whose ears are quick TO catch
3 rhythm. often, Indeed, may It be found
that the nrmble-vo.ced. like the niinble-
minded are comparatively shallow. that
pretty voices, like doll faces, are but
masks for med!ocrity
Singers were not hired for President
McKinley's funeral, but we all sang; sang
Nearer. My God. to Thee" sang Lead,
l,lndly Light" as those hymns were new
or sung before. Then with bowed heads;
the whole country stood uncovered and
Silent while that coffin was lowered TO
its resting place. And men for five whole
minutes forgot to haggle and barter and
rush their lives away In self-seeklns.
In those brief moments Of silence thou
sands Of us lived for the first time IN
years, wondering, perhaps, II the other
life were really worth while.
About six years ago. the beEinn ils OF
Nay, 1898. II my memory serves. reach
ed New York to find many Of lts el.i-
7ens in a state OF widest excitement.
7'here In City Hall Park In front Of the
| newspaper bulletins was crowd OF thou-
| sands OF men and boys celebrating Dew
nys victory at Manila, screaming
srntchcs OF patriotic songs at tho TOP
| Of their voices and shouting to each
| other. words OF triumph, the burden OF,
which was, We've smashed and sunk
them all; they the Spaniards) never hit
10 once
MY mind went back In imagination to
j. scene in 1868, to another celebration
| described to mo by my friend. Dr. GeoI Sc
4. Root. ',The news of tho victory all
unexpected, came to me at my home
| SAID DR.. Root, "and az I hurried 90 wn-
4 town to our store the very stage wheels
| tlngled In my ears tho words and music
| or a new song. My pen could not write
1 them fast enough. Meanwhile Jules and
frank Lombard ran IN, and, While yet
the ink was wet, sang 1t over Win me.
1 Then we hurried to the courthouse, Whera
4 already were assembled our felloW-c.tl-
zens. Tshnll never forget ne con.ln =. y,
4 "how that song leaped like a flame from
4 throat TO throat all over that assem-
/ klage; the feryor of their voices and tho
/ sincerity of their utteranc; nor how big,
/ strong men fell on each other q necKa
4 and cried like children. No words OF
/ physical triumph No thought OF the
4 number Of Confederates fallen, or red
| erals saved; only the Union! Ihahk Hod
4 for the Union"
i II the order OF these events were re-.
,erscd some future historian no doubt
Il VI
1898, as against Manila In 1868. as an II
lustratIou of our national advance IN CIV
1 ilizatio,,, Taking them. however, ~ their
4 hight order 1t might be Interesting y
4 some student In the chemistry lol psy-
! chology had gathered and Analysed liie
i lund vibrations of these far apart pnt-
1 tia celebrations to determine tho deseA-
eraoy If any, that that thlrty-fve years
az American history had wrought upon
\ our American national life. conclusions o.,
j however, arc not always conclusive. ! nc
historians record and equally the cnem'
lists analysis would lnislead. because
based on false assumptions the assunp-
ton that these victories were equally I'M
portant, whereas they are not, for Whlle
(, Manila stands for American pro"ess,
Gettysburg Will always stand tof ouf
i very existence as. a nation.
y we may do we'll however, 70 pause
now and again, az we did on the day OF
McKinleys funeral, and consider inc
drift of our life as nation, and ,wlla'
Il may mean ii we continue It, Tho ten
Gency seems Manila ward, the exaltatiol
4 Of national proWess rather than the truei
md larger life. we ought to thank GOO
Y that deep In the national life Is tho spirll
which responded at that funeral, lil
that 1t has always been there, Hu.
4 VIC must not rely solely on the death ahe
funeral Of q President to swinS opei