Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-07-26
New Series No. 502.-Volume LXIII.-No. STA.

| do not see what you want when you
get In, ask for 1t, and we will do our
! utmost to serve you.
, Mr.. McGill told me OF the welcome
Bob Taylor gave to the home-comers
during homecoming week in Tenes-
see some time ago, in which he said,
Welcome back home! Catch hold
OF the string and lift up the latch,
and kiss every God-blessed gal you
can CATCH"
I give that same greeting slightly
modified
Welcome to our homes; Just lift up
the latch;
You may kiss any of the girls you
are able to catch
If they will let you.
At the close of Mr.. Hughs's ad-
dress Maryland, My Maryland"
was rendered by the choir, led by
Mrs. Cora nigon.
Responses were made by Mrs. Han
nah Hemphill Coleman, of Abbeville,
and Mrs. S. Bleckley, of Anderson.
These addresses were masterpieces
! and made profound IMPRESSION
Mrs. Coleman's Address.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: Several weeks ago, when I
was notified that l had been select
ed to respond to the address of well
come to the survivors of Orr's Regi-
ment at their annual reunion in
Walhalla, July 21st, | was filled with
varied and conflicting emotions. l
knew the honor conferred uDcn me
was testimonial of affection and
homage to my father from the
friends and comrades whose love
and respect he valued more than
anything on earth, and / knew that
these soldiers, in desire to keen
his memory green among us, and to
preserve the ties that bound them
so closely together, were willing to
overlook my inexperience and in
efficiency to give me this place of
honor. So, in coming before you
this morning, 1t is not only to thank
the people Of Walhalla for their cor
dial welcome and generous hospital
ity, but to tell the men of Orr's Rifles
how much | appreciate the distinc-
ton Of being their spokesman on
this occasion
This is not the first time the sur
vivors Of Orr's Rifles have met in
your charming little city, and 80
pleasant are the accounts OF your
previous hospitality that this meet
Ing has been looked forward to with
great anticipation. In 1876 your
city entertained the largest attend
ance this association has ever had.
Two hundred and fifty members
were present, great barbecue was
given, and speeches were made by
Capt. John B. Moore, Capt James
Cothran, Gen. Samuel MCGOWAN,
Capt. w. c. Keith and Col. G. McDuf-
tie Miller.
In 1904 you entertained the regi-
{fr 1ct
reviewing the memoirs of my fa-
ther find this was again a Joyous
occasion, your entertainment being
most elaborate. Addresses were
made by Col. Jas. l.. Orr and Hon.
r. T. Jaynes, Miss Irene Strother re-
cited with the Boys of the Sixties"
and the three lovely daughters of ].
j. Vissage sang "The Girl in the
Homespun Dress" The Hon. M. T..
Ansei delivered that famous Grafton
on Reunion" which so moved the
audience that not dry eye could be
found in all that great crowd. Sew
enty-siX survivors were present this
time, and again you witnessed the
Impressive sight of the forming OF
the regiment by the same Robert
Hemphill, who was sergeant major
at the surrender at Appomattox.
Vii potH vi lHcSS OCCdSlOnS IL Is
recorded that the people Of Walhalla
were superb in their style Of enter
tainment, and with these memories
we are more than glad to be here
to-day, and when we look upon your
splendid prosperity, your intellectu-
ality, and the evidences of your abil-
| ity, we know the '"~"Hv of that in
Vlnc1bll1ty OF charc.Ier ":;32 for
this generation by the answering
fortitude Of the men of that glorious
past, is working in your midst like
leaven.
have been taught, from my ear
| liest recollection Of the valor of this
| regiment, and I consider one of my
most priceless treasures the knowl-
| edge Of the many deeds Of heroism
OF the men who sit before me, as
| told by one who regarded the ex-
pcrlences OF that time as almost sa-
cred, and worthy Of inspiration for
al time. That that tongue lies
silent with it's work unfinished, and
the ear still waits for what it did not
tell Is to me grief inconsolable.
And nov, because this anniversary
Is gradually taking on the peculiar
ana tender sentiment Of a memorial,
where we mingle gratitude to the
living with reverence to the dead,
we must not neglect to gather up
these flaming lights of experiences
that we may not be denied our place
in the spreading pattern" of ma
tional history: and If no writer be
born to record these matters, let us
like the poets Of old, immortalize
our heroes by word OF mouth, and
sing down the ages to come Of the
sacrifices, the courage, the GOODNESS
In face OF danger, Of the will and
hdeiity OF our soldier boys Of the
SixtioS-ond NAV We payar cooeo -