The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-06-02

the people were tense with expcta-
ton and the air electric with prophecy
of war, yet among the hundreds OF
happy students who gathered at morn
ing chapel there was little sign OF
the great tragedy at hand. Down the
peaceful streets OF Auburn and
thousand other villages, companies Of
holiday soldiers were passing In gilt
tering uniforms to the music or hfe
and drum. and on every train the lead
erh of the young Confederaey were
hurrying to the newly erected capital
at Montgomtry.
"on a bright April day, 1851, the roar
of cannon shook the college building
as signal that the bombardment OF
Fort Sumter had begun. War was
upon us, and the trumpet began calling
from the streets for our student SOL
diers. For time the chapel bell con-
tinued to ring, and class rooms to
open for students who fingered In hope
that the war would soon close; but by
and by came an afternoon when the
last roll was called and college days
to most OF us had forever ended. There
were tender parttngs and long good
byes, so long to many that not yet
has word of home greeting come. 1t
seemed a great thing to be soldier
in those brave days, when the girls
decked the parting ones In flowers, and
sang to them THE Girl Left Behind
Me-" Bonnie Blue Flag" and Dixie"
The scarlet and gold and gray, the
flashing sword and FURNISHED musket,
the bright flowers and gay song marked
the beginning of the death struggle
OF the South. Soon the song deepened
into the hush before great battle, or
rose into the cry of the stricken heart
over the long lists OF the. wounded and
dead. War grew grim and fierce and
relentless The peaceful town became
a shifting, drilling camp and college
and campus a great hospital.
ION another day in 1855. as boy
in Mahone's division. / looked my last
into the face of my great commander,
as seated on Old Traveller he bade us
gooy-bye, saying: Never mind. you
have done your best. Go home and be
brave and true citizens For few
hard years of poverty we tried to open
again the college doors and relight its
torch of learning, but not until the
State laid its kindly hand upon 1t and
transferred to its roll of honor the
student boys of the old college who
had worn the gray. was the present
stronger. though not nobler, educa-
tional era begun.
And now. after many years. by grace
and in behalf of its Alumni Associa-
ton. 1 present to this later institution.
In care of its trustees, faculty and body
of students. the memorial tablet which
has been unveiled before you in re-
of those students who wore
the gray and fought in the ranks of
the Confederacy. over their lowly
graves that lie scattered on many bat
tlefelds and in many peaceful ceme-
bak al al
pathetic epitaph that one may read
upon a Confederate monument in these
simple words:
ITO the memory OF those who, in
giving UP their love Of learning and
their ambition for lives of honor and
gave more than life itself;
who glorifed q fallen cause by the
simple manhood of their lives, the pa
tient endurance of suffering. and the
heroispl of death; and who In the dark
hours of Imprisonment. the hopeless
ness of the hospital, in the sharp
agony of the field, found support and
in the belief that at home
they would not be forgotten.
President Thach responded. on be-
half of the college, accepting the gift,
and urging emulation of the young men
who were thus heroes.
1t was a patriotic occasion. in all,
and what with the strains of Dixie"
and the cheering and the enthusiasm
the Auburn heroes of the war were
rendered a stirring ovation.
The expense of the tablet Is betrayed
by the Alumni Society by popular sub
scription.
Conner Excited over Deacit.
One address of last night has awak-
ened much interest. 1t was that of
toast, "A Block of Alabama Marble"
In his speech. Governor Conner ad-