The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-10-03

he painting chase. He can watch from
afar the struggle Of men on the fever
Ish course, and thank God that in his
home still dwell innocence, purity and
truth. He looks upon his broad acres
and sees the burdening crops Of wheat
and corn and cotton, and renders
homage to Him who has caused the
seed to grow and brought the rain and
sunshine that abundance might come
from the willing earth,
"Walled in by the eternal mountains
in the east, the domain of Tennessee
runs due west to the great river which
divides the continent, on whose tawny
waves the adventurous craft of the
Spaniard tossed near four centuries
ago in the vain and fevered quest for
gold. Within these limits the grand
drama of an imperial state has gone on
in never-ending interest and glory.
"The romance of Tennessee stirs,the
imagination and fires the soul. It is
full Of moving incident and daring
venture.
'Her pioneer sons who built the
first rude cabins in the shadow Of the
mountains by the clear streams which
laved their granite feet, drove the wild
beast from his lair and the painted saw
age from the deep woods and the Turk
ing place of death. They hewed the
logs for the schoolhouse and the church
and organized the first government in
the Commonwealth OF Franklin.
"By the rude hearthstone close to
nature in the silence of the forest,
truth, self-denial and courage were
taught, the virtues a race will go on
achieving as long as they live, and per-
ish when these are dead. From the
brain and blood of strong and heroic
men came Tennessee and Tennesseans.
Who is there 80 poor in love and bereft
OF sentiment who cannot find in this
lineage the incentive to duty? What
man is there who lives who does not
feel the richer and the stronger that be
sprang from the loins of the Tennessee
pioneerP Where is he whose pulse
will not stir to quicker beat, whose
heart will not glow with fuller pride,
whose mind will not illumine and rise
above the sordid things of life as ht
reads the story of primitive life and
struggle?
eff he has the soul of an artist hi
can see in the frowning mountains ant
rolling clouds of Tennessee, her greer
hills and clear waters, with the COLDER
sun sinking in the west like benedic
ton on it all, and feel the uplifting o
God as it moves upon the scene.
If poet, he can find materials TO
all verse, and in the sunlight and shad
ows Of the past, in gentle peace ant
fearful storm, sing all the notes OF tn
human soul and sound the string
which tell of Joy and sorrow, of Low
and life, of war and death.
! THE GLORIOUS PAST.
with her one hundred and clever
years of statehood, Tennessee glorie
in her past, is strong in her presen
and has Astounding faith in the future
From the day her star appeared t
shine forever in the field of blue, al
the way until this hour, when thou
sands of her sons have come in answe
: to her call, the story of the state whic
: reaches from mountain to river ha
been writ in letters of living light
SIN the eventful and fruitful year
which have taken fight to the shadow
where other years have gone be
fore, Tennessee has been conspicuou
wherever men were needed or deed
: were to be performed.
g "She has welcomed thirty siste
q states into the Union, each with th
b attributes of sovereignty; she has see
b these thirty with her own Common
n wealth, and those of Vermont and Ker
lucky, join with the thirteen orig
n nal, until now forty.six sovereign an
II united states, in concord and purpose
1t are contributing to the grand unfold
10 ing Of divine plan, the miracle worl
ing Of liberty under law.
l. "Under the administration Of Poll
l. the war with Mexico came TO success
rs full issue and a mighty domain WI
B. added to the Union.
''She furnished Johnson to teaC
J. American youth the possibilities of IL
l. lowly born under the American fla
She gave Houston to Texas and lii
ne erty. She gave Jackson to his coul
j, try, that this Union might be, pr
r served, and to teach unwilling stat
n that notification meant destruction.
= JACKSON'S IMMORTALITY.
"She then gave 100, 900 volunteers
= her protest against coercion. Upliftt
= by the name and fame OF Jackso
- glorifed by the immortality which
:. his, jealous Of his mortal dust whi'
commingles with her soil, she yet low
: the 100000 who tonight for Tennessee
a and forever green will she keep the
- memory.
"Tennesseans were in the glades
: Florida, at New Orleans, at the Alan
:, - at Chapultepec, and wherever the fl,
: foated, on land or on sea, they ha
: followed it to victory.
- Tennessee has suffered, too, Il
~ouaoau 0f orual NOR and amid ~