Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-04-06
Tribute to Former Alexandrian.

Dallas, Texas, March 27.
To the Editor Of the Alexandra Gazette.
Dear Sir-Here On visit TO my
niece | was shown in the Arkansas
Gazette of February l6 tribute to our
Aunt Kate Hooper and feel that must
tell the people of the South that it was
no trouble for that dear woman to be
courageous. She inherited it from her
mother. 1 need not give any account
of her ancestors, as your fellow towns
men aud her old schoOlmale, Samuel +.
Cation, gave that two years ago, so | will
say they belonged to the pioneers OF
Fairfax county. Her mother was reared
in affiuence, but after twelve years Of
married life was left widow with five
little orphans. Homes were offered for
every one Of her children by her friends,
but she give up her children? Never
but ai.h perfect faith 10 God she took
up her burden. The only way in those
dsvs was the needle, and Centrevile
was small place The baby,
Thomas Benton, could not walk and
did not for four ye' Rs. Kate, the
next to him, WAS pat in his cradle
to rock him day after day, while
the mother served. She had no chi d.
hood no tine TO play. he, the babg, was
sick, cross and fretiul Kate soon look
ed after him as her charge, never mur-
mered. and when he could walk she took
him wherever she vent. Her mother
said she moulded bis character. At lS
she married, went to Alexandria to live,
took her mother and her brother TO her
home, and a home in reality, Obe other
children were then grown. Whatever
position in life this brother may have
filled | know be would say he owed it
all to her, for we never knew him to tell
a lie. Could he cloihe her in purple
and fine linen, be could never pay the
debt of such u0selfsh love. So you see
the child developed into the woman. I.
A. Mclean conld confer no higher honor
on Senator Tillman than TO espOuse the
OF this woman. Men of today,
Imagine if you car after long months OF
marching and after hard fought battle,
weary. fOotsore, tired, and hungry, With
out one cent, carried far from home to
prison, and be told by fellow prisoner
to look on the wall. 1t did not need a
Daniel to interpret Aunt Kate Hooper
lis Cameron street, Alexandria, Va,
we're the words filling home for such wo-
man. Alexandria whose streets had been
walked by Washington and Lee. Sacred
memories cluster around that city. Then
beg a stamp from another prisoner, write
and wait for her answer Can you
imagine the feeling? | ask. Then comes
the answer, asking our needs with the
assurance they will be supplied land
they were also asking our home ad-
dress, so she could relieve the anxiety of
our mother Why mer if she had never
done anything for us, what did it mean
to the prisoner TO let his anxious mother
know be was living. Why is it the South
has not honored this woman long ago?
Is it TO follow the tradition of the Bible
40 years, and then raise up Moses.
You people have heard Ben Tillman de-
fend woman, Mrs. Morris, but there
was irdignaiion in his tones. Wait till
you hear him on this subject and in
Numbering tones such as be can COM
mand. He will tell the entire South it
is not in their power to give her but
double debt. Why these letters are
as much history of the South as any battle
ever fought, and it will not be 80 days
after he tells it before she will be well
provided for in her old days, and not
have her living to make. May ask
Senator Bailey, of Texas, to be The Aaron
to follow Moses, as there are more
Texas names on her list than any other
State, and her father and Oldest
brother's given name was Bailey. |
met a man from Batesville a few years
ago in Florida, named Hale. He
captured our crowd by saying be never
boasted OF but two things. One was he
was a Confederate soldier, the other, he
was born in Arkansas. To Miss Padgeti,
say if her visit to the Old Soldiers
Home, in Little Rick, is the cause Of
Aunt Kae being honored she de-
serves a medal. Possibly her father will
give her his letter from Gen. Lee, IS we
people consider scratch Of a pen from
Gen. Lee sacred saw man pay
fifteen dollars for bis signature, aud
her fathers was not bought. Aunt
Kate used to say if her courage failed
her she would 90 to her front door and
look at the church where Washington
and Lee wo. SHIPPED, then 90 on TO the
depot 10 meet the prisoners. Let me
quote the last lines OF the old Mis-
sissippi Veteran:
May the gates Of heaven be opened wide
And every soldier be inside
When that great day shall come.
Maybe as one unbrOken band
Around the throne Cf God to stand
And take Aunt Kate Hooper by the hand.
Don't tie a cough or a cold up in your sys-
TEN by taking remedy that binds the bowels.
Take Kennedys Laxative Honey and Tar;