The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1906-07-21
HOMAGE TO "DlXlE".
An Extract From Honorable Charles
ScOtt's Decoration Day Address,
Oxford.

of the civilized world and the memory
of southern valor and southern chivalry
is venerated and esteemed.
1t was my own good fortune to see
this fact strikingly exemplified during
the past season. One night in the early
part of last October l was seated with
my wife and daughter in the rotunda OF
the Grand Hotel at Paris, one of the
stateliest and handsomest hotels in all
the world. It was brilliantly illumi-
mated, of course, with electricity; but
something like l, 900 incandescent lights
were, on ordinary occasions, always
held in reserve. This rotunda, with ad-
joining cafe and dining hall, constitutes
one immense room with seating ca
pacity, | imagine, for 1900 people.
Every available space was occupied.
The scene was most brilliant and strik-
ing one. The fragrance of rare flowers,
mingled with delicate Partisan per-
fume: the handsome toilettes; the
costly and sparkling gems, worn by ra-
diant lustre of their starlike eyes; the
commanding presence of brave men SOL
diers, diplomats and civilians from all
parts of the world; the soft tones of the
inspiring music, and the gorgeous col
ors in the background combined to
instinctively recall the historic ball at
Brussels on the eve of the battle be-
tween Wellington and Napoleon, when
Byron tells us:
There was a sound of revelry by night,
All Belgium's capital had gathered then,
Her beauty and her chivalry. and bright
The lamp shone DER fair women and brave men;
thousand hearts beat happily, and when
Music arose with its yoluptuous swell
Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as marriage bell.
Entranced with the beautiful and in
spring scene, we enjoyed the full, sweet
tones of the inspiring music, as the
splendid band rendered many artistic
and popular airs. These included a
number of national anthems. Among
them those of Germany, Great Britain
and the United States. And rang out
the "Marsellaise", the national hymn,
and the crowd enjoyed all, but gave not
audible or visible signs of approval.
Finally, my fellow citizens, the quick,
glad tones of "Dixie'' filled the air.
Instantly every reserve light was flashed
on, and as the Joyous exhilerating strains
grew louder and louder, filling the vast
hall and reaching from the lofty dome,
there was spontaneous applause, deaf
eniug and prolonged. Before realizing
it, found myself on my feet, with tears
in my eyes, scarcely able to restrain my
emotions; and if you, my fellow Mis-
sisslppians, had been there, we would
have startled the astonished ear Of
Paris for once, at least, with that wild,
exhilerating cry known to all men as
the "Rebel Yell'.
This ovation to "DiXie" was not an
accident. The air was rendered once
again during our stay at the Grand
Hotel. Again the reserve lights flashed
on in its honor, and the applause fol-
lowed, a distinction not accorded an
other national anthem among them all.
Why, you ask, is F'Dixie" so honored
in the far-off land of the French lilies
No one could tell me; but the cause is
not far to seek. 1t is the involuntary
homage paid by the civilized world,
now that they are better understood, to
the memory of the old South, once ra-
diant with all the glory that was
Greece's and the grandeur that was
Rome's. Her record, my countrymen,
merits these unusual honors, and is one
in which we may well take pride. The
ability of her military leaders, the cour-
age of her soldiers and the devotion OF
her women, have long ago attracted the
attention and challenged the admiration
of all mankind.