The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-05-14

- S'~' - Nv NtIiluISI nc S1i4 I
to arrive Just before twelve
o'clock, marching in to the
strains OF Clayton's Grand
March, played by Miss Polly
Crowder, music teacher at the
graded school, and their order
ly marching in and seating was
a goodly sight. The veterans
occupied a reserved block f
seats on the right, and blocks
of seats in the middle and on
the left had been reserved for
the children and their teach
ers. These seats were quickly
Tiled, a mber of people who
had occupied the reserved seats
being compelled to repair to
the gallery, and it was also
necessary to seat many of the
children of the upper grades,
who were the last to enter, the
order Of marching being from
the first grade up, in the gal
Iery. When the children were
seated the opera house was fill
ed, and many stood throughout
the entire exercises.
First on the programme was
a song, Tramp, Tramp, The
Boys Are Marching, which
was excellently rendered by
the children. Rev. A. f. Ba-
ker, pastor Of the Presbyterian
church, then led in prayer, after
which the address of welcome
was delivered by Mr.. Jas. D.
Proctor. Mr.. Proctor was alto
gether happy in his brief re-
marks. He assured the veter-
ans that they were welcome here
as everyw here, where glorious
deeds are honored, and he re-
ferred in fitting terms of praise
to the Daughters of the Con
tederaCy, to whose devotion
the celebration of the day was
due. He paid tribute to the
bravery and sacrifices of the
soldiers who came home to
desolation and ruin left by the
war with thesame spirit'that has
made this Republic what it is.
He told the veterans that they
were peculiarly fortunate in
that they had been allowed the
privilege of living ia three great
eras-they enjoyed the happy
days before the war, they were
suddenly shunted into that
awful conflict of four years
and came through the dark
days of reconstruction; and
now they see the dawn of a
brighter and a more prosper
Gus day; and they are fortu-
nate, too, in that they leave tc
their children the great herit.
age of noble deeds performed
by them. On the last 10th Of
May they gathered here to wit.
ness the unwilling of a monu-
ment to the heroic dead; on thi.
day they gathered to honor
Vic liFIIi HEROES.
MIR. NJ. G. Mckenzie, veter
, an, eX-edltor, treasurer of the
county, and dear old soul tina
he Is, rose to the height of his
SIX feet and replied to the ad
; dress OF welcome. He thanked
his young friend fer his kline
words of welcome and sale
that he was sure if the same
) occasion arose the young mel
, OF today would do the sam,
: that he and his comrades die
: forty years and more ago. H
declared that the war wou1t
: not have lasted two years with
I out the devotion and sacrifice
4 OF the women. He looked bac'
, over the years and picture,
r the women of the South a
r theybade their boys goodbye
: as they waited through the av
e full years Of suspense, as the
t welcomed their boys back. HON,
6 to homes desolated; and the
v he spokeofhew theyhave taugh
l. the children of the cause c
n the Confederacy, of how the
V keep memory green in exerci
r es Of Memorial Days, which ha
IS their gene sis in the boom
y cannon and rattle of musketr,
O and he honed Tho ob;1J