The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-10-31
The Confederate Reunion
Through Northern Eyes.
Seen Roll of Honor for Sixth Grade, Gen.
trail Graded School.
Norfolk Nirginian-Pilot.

Norfolk Virgnian-PiIot.
The World of Today, a Chicago
magazine of merit and large circu-
lation, gave to it's readers in a recent
number a verbal and pictorial &C.
count of the Confederate Reunion
which we would love to reprint in
full, so finely appreciative is it OF
the spirit which marks the partici-
pants in such occasions and SO thor
ougnly recognizant OF the sentiment
OF Southern communities towards
their old soldiers.
The author presents his descrip-
ton ''as seen through the eyes of
Yankee artist and describes himself
as an average Northerner bred to
the views prevailing in that section;
but when he found himself in Rich
| mond among the thousands who
| had come from far and near to do
| honor to the memory of the Confed-
eracy's only President he found pref
udice and pre-conception to be in
sufficient guards againt understand
ing and sympathizing with the pro-
found emotion which swayed the
multitude. His first experience was
at the memorial service held in the
First Baptist Church the Sunday
night before the unwilling of the
| Davis monument.
| 81 do not know" he says, eff it is
the usual habit OF the Confederate
veterans, but they were all at church
that day. At the First Baptist
Church every available seat had it's
veteran. And this church was a very
appropriate place for a memorial ser
vice. In,the darks day it's pew cushions
had been taken to make beds for the
| Confederate sick, in it's Sunday school
| room the mothers and grandma others
of the present generation had worked
day after day making clothing for
the men in the field; and in it's audi
forum tae Sunday of the evacuation
the people assembled weeping over
the all OF their city. My people and
all my interests had been at the
North, but l became conscious sud
denly that [ was very proud to be
| one of a nation that included SO he
roic and devoted a people as these
Southern veterans and their wives
and their daughters. It was hard
for me at times to see the speaker
for the mist that would gather in my
Yankee eyes. Not a word did l hear
of sectional bitterness, not word
against any man; but the whole at
mosphere was as deeply charged
| with feeling of sort that was conta-
gious. | have attended similar gath
erings at the North but this was a
| revelation to ne"
The next day came the parade and
dedication ceremonies; and we must
spare space for some additional OBJ
! servations of this keen-eyed but i'm
questionable author
1picked a good place near Mon
| roe Park from which to take my pic
lures. The crowds on the sidewalk
became a jam. Then there were
sounds of cheering and then, after
the usual squads of horsemen and
platoons OF policemen-the real
thing; not the holiday soldiers, the
| regulars OF MALTA, but the veterans
themselves in costumes, some OF
which has been preserved religiously
since the day at AppOmattOx. Old
battlefags, dull in color and full of
holes, futtered between the brighter
banners of the various camps. And
how they were cheered. And each OF
the famous corps as they marched
by received al ovation. | stood on
Broadway in New York, last fall and
saw several remnants of 6. A. r.
posts march up the street amid
almost perfect silence, and was
ashamed of my country. How diff
ferent here, Everybody cheered and
| was as crazy as the rest of them
The temptation is great to give
further extracts, but the above is
fair sample OF the kindly touch that
guided Mr.. Whidney's pencil in por
traying Confederate reunion.