The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-03

- Home.
 & Clothed the Executive commit = N tee, composed of J. M. Falkner, w. % q D. westcott and c. L. Ruth. with = . plenary powers in making the inn =
 provements. - <A Ordered provisions made for fifty =
 inmates at once. . Provided for a matron and phy- = . scian and left their selection to <1 . the Executive Committee. = ~ Required a bond of 5000 from the = . commandant for the performance of . < his duty. = ~ Made a minute inspection of the . buildings and grounds, expressing = l astonishment that so much had = > been accomplished. = logs. The names of the heroes who are to be commemorated on the logs have not yet been put upon them, but Captain Falkner is even now emking arrangement for the manufacture and placing of these name plates, arrangements. which were delayed by his late serious illness. A wide verandah completely encircles this building. The yerandah Is sup ported by picturesque pillars of native stone picked up from neighboring hills and broken into shape as needed. Two large crimneys of native stone sweep from the ground to a point high above the roof.
 This building, with its four broad flights of stone steps, it's immens stone mantels and hearth is rustic, picturesque and at- tractlve.
 The second story is thrown, into one large auditorium, called The Bob Fay Tor Auditorium" in honor of the famous TennesSeean.
 You know explained Captain Falk- ner as the crowd gazed about the splen- did proportions of the auditorium. i've are indebted to Bob Taylor for much of the money that went into this building. l wrote him two years ago that if he would lecture for the benefit of the Soldiers Home, 1 would make the occasion an event in his life. It was a long time be- fore We could secure d date from him. He finally gave us a Saturday night in the summer time, June 30. As soon as learped that he would lecture, 1 called for 100sof the prettiest and sweetest girls of Montgomery to sell tickets to the lee ture, promising them an outing trip under proper chaperonage. We'll I got them. The girls dld thelr part nobly.'
 That night. he continued, as we walked on the platform when the crowd had about halt gathered, Bob Taylor
 
 $70O or $500 out of this
 Seven hundred dollars 1 replied, the mischief; We nave already got over 5000 in bank And, do you know, before all the returns had come in. we got over $4,000 as the proceeds from that lec- ture?'
 Home Worth $25,0o0
 The members of the Board of Control, walking slowly out of the main building, gradually realized the magnificent results that Captain Falkner had accomplished. It had been estimated that the property at the Home represented a valuation of S2500O. The cautious and careful business men were willing to give their word for 1t that the estimate was conservative.
 This was the magnificent monument that had been created in the woodland wilderness out of nothing. It was hs though a magician had waved his wand and a splended city had sprung into be- ing.
 It was reared by a dreamer, an enthu- siast a practical business man and one who had dropped the plumb line deep into the hearts of his fellow men. Only dreamer could have ridden along the lonely ridge of Chilton County. and ill fancy reared the community whose pan oramic beauty might never assume defi- nite shape. Only a dreamer whose heart was full with love of his fellows could have stood two years ago and fed his imagination upon the picture of a splen- did community filled with happy heroes of the Confederacy who knew helpless ness and want but who were to know assurance and contentment.
 Great Task Completed.
 But one who was only a dreamer could never carry this vision to a reality. He hax Anf nd he lao executive ability. A zeaious spirit of en- thusiasm, which would balk at no tenn porary disappointment, must be a part of his character. He must have knowl- edge of the well springs of emotion nf his fellow men. He must have gauged their patriotism and their love of the men who had risked their lives for the State He must, too, be practical and versed in business affairs. He must have executive ability of rare order. The man who lacked any of these qual- ities would have failed. The skeleton of fear would have walked at his side. He would have, in his moments of depres- SIC n. been stabbed with the keenness of fear. The thought would have come to him not once, but often, that his efforts were fruitess, that his work was fail ine that which he had builded would crumble to pieces.
 But Captain Fdlkner lacked none of | tlese qualities. No skeleton of fear walked with him. He had no time to tn nk of disappointments. He went for ward strong, buoyant and confident. He never doubted the future. The couple- tor of this building. that building. the erection of them, the assumption of the whole hy the State. What were they? Mere incidents in the great work. He trhaps felt no elation as he stood with | the Board of Control and knew that l the future of the Home wash secure. It ] was gratifying, but he had foreseen it. He looked into the future and counted over the gifts that it promised and he | was satisfied
 Visit to the Home. The entire membership of the Board of Control, with the exception of w. D. | Westcott. who is in New York, and Sam ue. Blackwell who was forced to return t. his home in Decatur made the trip l yesterday to Mountain Creek. The off | cla' members of tho party were J. M. | F'alkner C L. Ruth. A. (. Danner, Dr. J. C Kendrick Judge 5. Fraser, Ma io- W A Handley. A. Y. Glover. L. B. Stone and W. C. Ward The party was accompanied by Mrs. Falkner and her tw, sons, Jeff and Robert and news paper man. TGey were joined at Noun tain Creek by Mrs, Cameron, the mother | O. Mrs. Falkner. and her sister.