The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-17


 veterans was to be found loyal citizens from that State. How the pafmettos waved!. Every pretty girl wore plume of 1t in her hat, and as she passed those loyal South rCaroiinians cheered her to the echo! Many rougish belle from Georgia had strung her necklace of "gooLers." with these about her neck and long | specimens hanging iron her ears, she 1 presented herself for criticism Ut tiic hands of veterans. Your mighty like | yaur ma. honey, but you'd never be so | sweet as them Georgy girls of '61! They assured her with lifted caps and admiring eyes. The laughing beauty ape preciated the subtle compliment to the heroic woman of the Confederacy. | went away with tears in her own bright eyes. '. a- s How fragrant the North .CaroIina pine was How typical of healthy en- dnrance of iifes storms were both wearer and worn! E l--s ssr A group of enthusiastic Alabama wo-
 men were dressed In grey with the iii- evitable "yellowhammer" feather. How | eagerly sthhe Alabama r. soldiers rallied and with what pride they surveyed each other! Here was "Alabarna"! On. on, in ceaseless flow that tide Of humanity moved. until just around a corner stood | Sergeant Wood, of Cumberland. Q veteran of Pickett's Division, dressed in his very same old uniform. with musket, canteen. pistol and haver- sack! To a group of U. D. C.'s he said. ..Yes, ladies, these the very c1oes, md these the very contraptions had when was wounded at Gaines Mills. Jest look ahere, see this ragged place in my coat? We'll, that bullet took a plug CT my coat nd jest druv 1t right into
 my iegi See here? Right heres the placer
 Evidently the old soldier had re- lated 1t so to many and pressed that particular spot in the worn old gar ment until It could stand the strain no longer--a zigzag rent appeared to the great distress of the owner of the his- toric garments!
 Were you In Pickett's Charge" was asked the old man: 'No.r said he very cfleerfu1ly, not tone of regret could be discovered: II was at home on fur tough, I'd hurt my foot pretty bad and it wouldn't heal so got sick leave, ! sure was glad afterwards wasn't up there in Pepnsylvania, l sure wouldn't abeen here today teilin you all about Gaines Mills We'll they brought lot of us over here to the Richmond hos pftals, and ef. soldiers ever were taken care of, them Richmond women did 1t. God bless 'em. and all theirs and all their friendsi" "Ameny' sounded from u had drawn near. They began to ask questions and Sergeant Woods to reply. ii deyeioped that they had all at some time been nursed by those good
 Richmond women. As the U. D. C's went down the street those old men were calling blessings down upon the Richmond women!
 Franklin toward Monument Avenue The bands heading each division were so spaced that the war-like music of one did not interfere with the piaintive southern love song Of another, so the continuous stream Of concert told the story of the South's struggle, ID sons. Many groups of veterans gathered on the sidewalks to chat with old friends until their, own conmands came by; thIts were overheard many spicy bits Of ttaIK. One veteran who now makes ms home in Texas was overheard explain- ing how he and John Haralson of Selma Ala made gunpowder dnring the war times Another had assisted in raising the Merrimac; still aonther had had a narrow escape from being d victim of the little submarine that had carried its crew to an awful deatn f.. Charleston harbor.. As the giant line swung past those veterans promptly fell into position in their respective commands, and so on and on until the
 monument was reached. The magnitude of the procession can be realized by the atatement that 1t took between three and. three and -one-half hours Tor IL to pass given point.
 ii must have been an inspiration to those war-worn warriors to gaze upon that multitude of spectators anu realize that it was composed of fellow country men who had come from all parts of the linton to meet and greet them, what cheers and exchange Of badinage as flew from sidewalk to street and back again!
 "Sh' -sh'- sh! General lee is coming! Here comes the boys in gray" Ran the mummur through the crowds, and everybody stood on tiptoe to see.
 Here they come, Alma. here are the Rehels iul the very uniforms they wore when they fought our men" exclaimed the unmistakable tones of Northern woman. She stood in crowd ot Southerners on the steps or sreat public building. After she had made several, remark to her daughter con cerning the veterans. using the term "rebel" several times, 1t proved too much for the self-control Of an enthu- siasttc U. D. c. who could not help hearing what was said. The Southern woman turned with a smile and bow to the Northern stranger and said, "ex- cuse me- Madame. no. not rebel" you use the term unadvisedly! To rebel nresupposes a condition of superiority on the part of one of the parties in- volyed. I am afraid you are not a stu dent of our constitutional history. or you would know that the little North ern colonies would not consent to any form of written agreement that would bind them, until every point of per feet equality between the colonies was provided for according to their wishe es. How, then, could the Southern States "rebel"? Oh, yes, know the old cut and dried argument rebel against con- stituted authority; but who "constitu- ted the authority? Was maker or the instrument the superior? I am perfect iv willing to grant that Secession was not wIse-because it deprived the seced- ing States of their just dignity of po- sition in the w-baking badly of the Union where the ,d1fficulties confront Inr the nation should be settled" "Oh, I did not mean to be offensive. in using inc expression 'rebef", said the North ern woman, "We always use the term" "Yes" was the animated reply. That Is mat what we do. not like! For those things are written down In the histo- ries that your daughter and all the other Northern children are being taught. We are perfectly willing to stand the Truth. but misstatementS mnst now stop--for we mothers of the south have determined 1t. Then with laugh, your book concerns want to sell to us. and we will not permit our child ren to read the books that call their sorefathers rebels when 1t Is not truer' said the Northern woman. You cannot
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