The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-14
ARE BACK IN
 OLD KENTUCK First Day of Home
 Coming Week. RAIN FELL THROUGH DAY Henry Watterson Warmly Vel comed Returning Sons.
  Notable Occasion in Armory Where Ex- ercises Took Place-speeches Were Delivered by Governors Fran-
 els and Beckham.

 outdoor features of the Home Coming Week. 1t was unable to affect the fer vor of the greeting extended by Ken lucky to her long absent sons and daughters. and the exercises of wei come today which were conducted In the armory on Walnut street. were car- ried through in a manner both bril- liant ard gratifying.
 Despite the fact that the rain fell heavily just prior to the hour at which the days program was to commence, the hall was nearly full when Chair called the gathering to order; fully 10000 people being present. The vis- itors could not but be charmed by the warmth of the welcome that was ex- tended them. Mayor Earth greeted them on behalf of the people of Louis vile and Governor Beckham expressed in an eloquent manner the pleasure felt by the people of the State at large in having them back once more,
 The address of Henry Watterson, was, however, the formal note of well come, and 1t struck responsive chord. No audience could ask for more graceful welcome. no speaker could desire warmer appreciation than was rendered by the listeners to MT. Watterson. Both Governor Beck ham and ex-Governor David R. Fran els of Missouri made brief addresses, and both were received in manner that could leave nothing to be wished by them.
 During the afternoon the great fio- ral parade was to have been held, and although the rain of the morning was no loger falling, 1t had degenerated into a cold drizzle. and it was decided to postpone the parade until some time later in the week when 1t will not in terfere with the other art features or the program.
 Memory of Foster.
 Tomorrow will be given over to the memory of the man who. although not a native Kentuekian, has perhaps by his gift of song done as much to make who ever lived within it's borders, stephen c. Foster, the author of My Old Kentucky Home" The model of the statue which is later to stand in the Capitol now being erected at Frankfort. will be unveiled and the songs of the composer will be sung by chorus of 1000 school children.
 Fortunately the greater part or the exercises were scheduled to be held inside the armory on Walnut Street, and nothing could interfere with them.
 The formal opening exercises In the armory were set at Il o'clock but 1t wRas the intention that march of the visitors should precede their commence ment, but because of the rain this was abap doned, and the people iocked to the armory in street cars, carriages and be- meath dripping umbrellas. Long gtbefo-e the hour at which the exercises of welcoming Day were to commence the great armory was filled complete ly and when A. Y. Ford, the chair man of the Reception Committee, mounted the rostrum to call the meet ing u order 1t was some time before he could. with vigorous use of his gavel. call the meeting to order. so bus fly engaged were thousands of people in the hall in renewing old friendships ard acquaintances. Mir. Ford intro duced Rev. T. M. Hawes of Louisville, who delivered the invocation, and then in a short speech brought forward Mayor Paul c. Earth of the city of Louisville, who welcomed the visitors in behalf of the city.
 Mr Ford then introduced Governor J. c. w. Beckham who performed a similar office ir behalf of the State of entucky. and at the conclusion of his address assumed the gavel as the pre- siding o:icer of tho reunion.
 Address of Mir. Watterson.
 Governor Beckham introduced Henry Watterson, who delivered the formal address of welcome, which was as fol- lows:
 Once a Kentuckian, always a Ken tuckian. From the cradle to the grave. the arms of the mother Hand, stretched forth in mother-love--the bosom of the mother-land, immortal as the ages, yet mortal in maternal affection, warmed by the rich, red blood of Virginia- the voice of the mother-land, reaching the farthest corners of the earth In tones of heavenly music--summon tho errant to the roof-tree's shade and bid the wanderer home. What wanderer was yet eyer loath to come7 Whether or down amid the shadows of the val ley of death and despair, the true Kentuckian. seeing the shining eyes, and hearing the mother call, sends back the answering refrain
 'where'er I roam. whatever realms My heart. untraveied. fondly turns to
 thee"
 Behold. in this great, exultant multi
 Kentuckyi old Kentucky! The very name has had charm. has wrought a spell. has made music, all its own; has woven on It's sylvan loom a glory quite apart from the glory of Virginia. Tennessee, Kentucky's sister, It has bloomed in all hearts where manhood and womanhood hold the right of way. The drama of the ages told in pulse D6hlS, A'N' fiction vainly 'emulates and history may not oerleap. Not as the Greek. Seeking Promethean fire and oracles of Deiphas. nor as the Roman filled with the joy of living and the lust of conquest; not as the Viking. suringing to the call of wind and water nor as the Latin. dazzled by the glitter of gold. mad with the thirst of glory neither as the Briton and the Teuton. eager for mastership on land and sea, the Kentuckian, whom we. in filia' homage. salute progenitor. He was as none of these Biz fin bone and strong In voice-the full grown man prefeured by the. psalmist-never the ocean mirrored his faneies nor snow clad peaks that reached the skies Tn spired; but the mystery of strange lands, the savagerT, of nature and the songs of the greenwood tree.
 led him on was love of liberty, the beacon of his. dreams. the light of the fireside He cut asclearing in the wildwood and called it Home. He read not Romance, he made it, nor Poetry. he lived 1t. his the Forest Epic, the Hind of the Canebrake, the Odyssey or the frontier, the nneenssious prose. Y H.. fA