Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-03-03
John Temple Graves Tribute TO chas. 8
ArkaII.

John Temple Graves Tributs to chas. s
ArKaII.
The following beautiful nd eloqut nj
tribute to Capt. Arnall is from the pei
OF his friend John Temple Graves, the
| distinguished Atlanta orator, and an
peared In bis paper. the Atlanta News
the day after his tragic death. Th.
writer covers we'll the character of thu
Augusta veteran except that he makes
no mention of bis earnest Christian
character, which was marked and ex
emplary. Tue violent ending OF bis
life by his own hand could no: have
happened except in brief period OF
mental alteration when he knew no,
what he did.
! 1t 10 no common sorrow which stIrs
tho heart of Atlanta today. 1t is with
an uaspsaka BILE bitterness of grief that
countless devoted friends have learned
the tragic fac of Captain Charles 5.
Arnall.
"Eyen now it is impossl BILE to realize
that the genial friend, the brave sol.
der, the courtly gentleman, has sud
denly passed into the shadows, thus
bequeathing to those who loved him
the only pang be ever gave.
I'VE hear much of the Southern
gentleman in these material days. 1t
has become formula Of eulogy which
by its very frequency attests how su-
premely dear is the designation. 1t
has been much abused term.
but Charles 8. Arnall was a gen.
tleman, il one ever came into the
world, and. If 1t be higher praise. let US
say with equal truth, he was man.
The proudest, purest blood of the Old
Dominion flowed in his veins. He was
the very flower OF Virginia chivalry,
and illustrated with engaging charm
every attribute the name implies.
He was thoroughly imbued with the
spirit of the old South. He loved her
history and traditions, her manners
and her customs. He loved the fine
strain of the cavalier which maintain
ed its purity In the south while the
hordes of Europe corrupted the an
cestral fountain of less happy sections.
He loved the theory Of government fe r
which the south took up arms, and
when the first war note sounded be was
among the first to reach the field.
Youth though he was-for he was still
In his teens-hs threw himself into the
conflict with veterans logged per-
sistence, heightened by young blood's
fiery zeal.
10 the very point of hardihood he
was brave. Wherever the quick and
the dead were in red burial bIent-
wherever the thunder of the guns rolled
in deepest diapason-there was young
Arnall, flushed with the ardor of battle.
splendid in his unwavering courage,
an inspiration to all who beheld him
in the very maelstrOm of death.
''He was we'll preserved for a man
Of his years, 30 until the very last he
the soldierly bearing which
attracted attention everywhere. He
was essentially a soldier, and be look
ed the part.
with the advent of peace, he &C.
cepted the issue patiently and philo- |
He set himself to build up |
Lis own and the fallen fortunes of the
south. He was citizen of whom any
might well be proud.
His most distinguishing character
lstio was the sunny radiance of his
smile. 1t seems the very sarcasm of
tate that there should be any seated
sorrow 10 his heart so bitter as to over
bear the primitive love of life. 1t
teens contradiction which the pene.
tratiou of his closest friends are I'M
able yet to grasp.
But the merciless and abiding truth
IS, he is dead. He goes to his grave
by multitude of friends as |
devoted and sincere as ever gathered |
1T the bier of soldier. patriot and |
friend. He leaves us the happy mem.
Dry of a thousand charms and virtues,
The remembrance of bis hearty grasp
Of the merry sparkle of his speaking
ayes.
''All this-and then he leaves us a
heritage of gloom that his sun has gone
Town while it is yet day.
ACROSS the silence we greet his Chi
valric soul"