The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26
Montgomery Children in Organization. POUNDED BY A
 SOLDIER OF S0UTh Membership is Limited to Twenty six toys and Girls. win Take Leading Part in the Cele- brafion of Anniversary of the
 Birthday of Admiral
 semmes.

Voluntarily obscure. but happy among themselves, there exists Tn Montgomery a coterte of children band ed together under the naene of The Yaller Hammers"
 1t would be an insult to the intelli- gence of Southern people to explain the
 origin of the name, for che legend is as old as the vanishing line of gray. tnas all Alabama soldiers in the civil war
 were called the "Yalier Hammers. Not yellow, but "yaller." As they we're colloQuially dubbed during the times oi civil strife, so are the little children of this club called
 Alabama is the principal habitat of the bird called the yellow hammer anu this fact is responsible for the soldiefs nick name. After the formal dubblng of some facetious soldier of anothei Southern State, the "Yaller Hammers Invariably were greeted with the cry of their feathered uamesakes when they passed in parade.
 The waller Hammers" of Montgom- cry the younger genel ation, were or ganized by Morgan $. Gilmer, of this city, himself an old Confederate SOL dier Grandchildren of the originai waller hammers compose this cluo, and their principles are embodied in a constitution. The idea was unique. anu they unanimously chose MT. Gi4mer as first President of the club, with in cumbency for life.
 During the reunion of Confederate veterans at Memphis last June, the Children of the Confederacy of Mem phis decorated float for the "Yaller Hammers" to represent birds nest. and in this float sat twenty-six little waller hammers." The order of march had been published and this float. nor any float, was not given a place in the line. But General J. H. Mcdowell chief marshal of the parade. made an exception and allowed the wagonette filled with little Alat anna girls and boys to follow immediately behind the sponsors carriage of che Alabama di- vision.
 MT. GlImer. on his return to Mont gomery, wrote a letter of appreciation to General McDoweli. in which he said:
 You will never know the pleasure you gave to me and my little Yaller Hammers at the Mem phis reunion. but I do wish as well as tan to express to you our appreciation of the Kindness in allowing us to participate in this pa- rade of the old Vets. am sure 1t is an epoch in the lives of these little ones that will never be effaced and one that in future years they will look back on as one of their hallowed days, Through me the children offer to you the wide-open door to all of their nests and join with me In their daily prayer Guide thou your feet in holy ways. Shine on you in your darkest days, Uphold you till your life Is past, Then bring you safe to Heaven at lastP
 During their stay in Memphis. Mir. Gilmer and the little ''yaller hammers were entertained with all the hospital Ity that characterized the old guard of Southern aristocracy. Two daughters of the Confectionery who lead in this were voted honorary mem bers. They are Mrs. W. A. Gayle and Miss Mary Perkins. General George P. Harrison, of Opelika. Is the only oth- sr honorary member of the club.
 Mr. Gilmer. in a pamphlet prepared for private distribution, tells of 'The Borning of the Taller Hammer Idea" It follows:
 'There has been nothing in city life that has more impressed me than the to let go the grip on the traditions, sentiment and customs Of long ago. I realize the necessity Of any people looping off the things that are not worth while. but when It comes ta letting slip the things that 'exalteth a nation,' then I am sure there should be some endeavor to get back into the olden paths.
 "My life of three-score years and two has taught me that all reforms. to he permanent, must be stamped into the hearts and minds of the children: so. benefting from this lesson, l looked about me for a nucleus, and what bet fer selection could make than to take my seed-corn from that stock of men whose glory and honor were their wo- men and their children? And when that crux period came Into the lives of themselves and their country they found that this glory and honor was a hundred-fold.
 Fifty years ago the men Of this Southland looked upon woman as the highest ideal of a pure and holy life, and saw to it that her name and fame were kept inviolate, and we ind men and women meeting in the common arena of life, vielng only as to who can wiring most of the gold out of this mad money wrangle-'
 with this new creed of commercial Ism coming to the front we find that the old time honor and deference to women and that beautiful courtesy or the women and children is fast becom- ing a thing of the past.
 "So, from the loins of these men of fifty years since, l have selected my little bunch Of "yaller hammers" tiny models fresh from the hands of the Great Master Builder of the universe, ideals that our Lord Himself hath de- clared to be types of the Kingdom of Heaven
 And 1t shall be my purpose and my aim to teach these little ones those things that made the men and women of the old South the wonder and admiA