Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1905-01-26

wal anu Will 0NOE pay W HIS
memory the tribute of their highest
honor and hold his name in tender
est love-and to them he will be for
ever the Peerless Lee.
At the conclusion of Col. Robin
sons address, an incident not on the
set programme occurred: Mr.. Lee
introduced Col. A. G. Davis, who
appeared bearing beautiful stand
of growing white hyaclnths in full
and fragrant bluom, and, placing
them before Col. Robinson, spoke as
follows:
Ladies and gentlemen: I hope
that am not given to making apoIi-
gies, but l feel that on this occasion,
after this beautiful address that you
have Just heard, aud the eloquent
introduction, and the gracious words
that came to us from the man of
God, in this presence, I feel my ina
ility to do justice TO this occasion,
as I only received my orders about
three minutes agofrom the members
of Thomas Ruffin Chapter Daugh-
| ters of the Confederacy. But / am
reminded of play that is now on
the boards in New York, which per-
haps some of those present have
| seen, or at least read the book, t'Mrs.
Wigs of the Cabbage Pat(h." AS
| the old lady comes out on the stage
the other good old sister asks Mrs.
| Wiggs ho-V she is getting along, she
| replied, "Well, sister, just do the
best / can, where the good Lord has
put me at.' So I feel my friends
| that while do not do the best can
like this good old woman did in
everything, yet always do the best
I can whenever it comes to me to
speak a word ill behalf of the brave
Confederate soldiers and fair women
of our Southland. And so, my friend,
Col. Robinson, in the name Of the
Daughters of Thomas Rufin Chap
ter of the Daughters of the Con-
federacy-Thomas Ruffin-there is
his picture, boys, right there on the
wall, Thomas Rufin-hOW his name
thrills us as we think of this great
man, who some forty years ago re-
signed his seat in Congress and
marched away at the head of that
lnvlncible cavalry, the like of which
.1rss never been seen from Napoleon
to this day. Butyou set me talking.
/ just arose, my friends, to present
these beautiful flowers, but when [
get to talking on this subject, how
my heart wells up with emotion and
in gratitude for the heroic men of
the South; for the lovely and heroic
women of our fair irSouthland; and my
very soul goes up in gratitude for
that gift of God, that noble son of
Virginia, Robert E. Lee.
In the name of the Daughters of
the Confederacy come to present to
| you these beautiful flowers. Flow
ers; oh how think that you men, in
the days gone by, when you followed
the Immortal Lee, after battles had
been won, as you sat there begrimed
with the smoke of battle, how your
thoughts went back to that little
home-that little cottage in the vii
lage, or that home by the mountain
side and you thought of the loved
ones there, and you thought of the
flowers that bloomed along the walk
in your yard, and how you pictured
to yourselves the days when you
would return to wife and children
and see those flowers blooming again.
How YOU thought of those roses that
climbed around your own doorpost,
!. for at no place in all the world are
the roses so sweet and the flowers as
beautiful as tf:ose growing around
your own home.
So | come, Colonel Robinson, in
the name of our fair women, tC
present to you these flowers, and ]
want to say that all of us appreciate
the work that you have done for oul
city. The word has gone out that
owe have got the best town in the
Staten and, that HWe go forward .
and I take this occasion, my friend
knowing you as l have from boy
hood. to say that, in every hour
your face has ever been towards the
rising sun; you have ever been ready
willing and glad to make any sacri
fee fer your friends and our people
and our good women, the Daughter
of the Confederacy, taking the name
of the immortal Rufftn as the Clarion
note of their organization, presen
YOU these beautiful flowers, that
hope you will accept. know yo'
will accept gladly; and as the year
;, come and go, may you reach owe
: and beyond the three score years am
= ten allotted to man, and in the quie
= eveaing of your life, I know tha
YOU will recall as one Of the bright
est spots in your memory that even
= ing in Goldsboro, in Odd Fellow
) Hall. at the meeting of Tholns
Ruffin Chapter of the Daughters
= the Confederacy, when our goo
. women, setting their mark of al
: proval upon you, presented thes
: beautiful, these spotless, these fras
. rant flowers flowers fresh from tt