The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1906-01-25
A LEE CELEBRATION"


nesaw Chapter Z. D. G. in MARI
eta. In no instance has this
pleasant duty been omitted by
this Chapter, but this year the
occasion seemed even more full of
enthusiasm, if possible, than ever
before. A Lee Reception" was
held at the beautiful home of Mrs
Campbell Wallace. on Kennesaw
avenue, and a charming program
was arranged ny Misses Mary
Reynolds and Kate Lovejoy. The
parlors were tastefully decorated
with Confederate flags and GEN
eral Lees likenesses were conspic-
uous everywhere. A little Incl
dent may serve to show how in
stinctively Southern woman
pays honor to the old chIeftain.
AS Miss Dykers struck the first
chords of Dixie on the piano a
framed portrait of General Lee
fell forward on her head, but in
stead of allowing it to continue it's
fall to the floor, she involuntari-
ly clasped it with one arm, holding
the cord with the other hand.
Thus exemplifying how close iii
our memories and next to our
hearts he is always held whatever
we may be doing. Vocal selec-
tions Of wartime songs were
charmingly rendered by Mesdames
Patton, Grist and Wyatt. Read
ings were given by several mem
bers of the Chapter. Especially
interesting were the remarks of
the President, Mrs. R. 7. Nesbitt,
as she came forward to deliver the
crosses of honor. She spoke as
follows:
Many years ago, I stood before
a company of Confederate sol
diers to deliver, not a cross, the
emblem of suffering, but a lovely
silken flag, the emblem of our
hopes, our patriotism, our prayers.
1t was in the spring of 1861, and
/ had been selected to deliver the
first flag to the first company that
left our town. l was but young
girl then. but across the vista Of
forty odd years the scene rises be-
fore me as wildly as if 1t were but
yesterday, I stood on the court
house steps and the company was
formed just in front. Even nov
| can see those earnest faces,
beaming with hope and pride and
high resolve, and spread out in
the background the large con-
course of relatives and friends
assembled to bid them "God
speed" and to say goodbye, "
for the train was waiting to take
them to Virginia. The sweet
spring sunlight shone over all,
cleaning in the folds of the silken
banner, glistening in the tears of
mothers, daughters and wives,
and glancing from the points of
glittering bavonets to the grey
uniforms below. How my heart
swelled with love and patriotism
and hope as l gazed into the faces
of those friends of my childhood
and youth, many of whom, alas!
l never saw again. Since that
bright spring day, forty years
have rolled around-years which
have transformed those buOyant
young soldiers, if still living, into
gray-haired veterans, and | come
to-day, not in the beaming morn
ing of youth, but in the chastened
evening of age, to present these
crosses. 1t is true they are al
emblem of suffering, but, also,
they are a badge of honcr-"the
Southern Cross of Honor" the
gift Of Southern women to the
men who wore the grey, and who
fought for the cause which "rose
without, and fell without Gis-
honor" All honor to these men
who belonged to the noblest army
that ever wentworth in defense of
home and loved ones, and who, in
defeat, were as truly heroic as in
the hour of victory. In 1865 when
they came back foot-sore and
weary, to desolated fields and
ruined homes they did not yield
to needless despair, but set them
selves to rebuild THEN fortunes
and to give their help in establish
ing the South where she is to-day,
the peer Of any nation on the
globe. We have suffered, but
there is no crown without the
cross. When these men have
honorably won this cross, and the
time comes for them to lay it
down, let us hope that they may
have the crown immortal, and
having that, the struggles of all
these long years will be forgotten.
The +o,,ob;pu avprausiCp of