Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-07-10
IL j. i ess Il IL !. !. j. i. j,
MACON ACQUITTED j
HERSELF u
WITH HONOR. q
BY j. Russell Wright.
+ j. j. j. j. i. j. !. i. ]. J.

gia. and in the magnificent way in
which took care of the recent Con-
federate reunion. I have attended
many reunion and recall none
where every detail was so perfectl,
carried out for the entertaining and
caring for the thousands Of vete-
rams and visitors. At least 5000 old
veterans were bountifully cared for
nlght and day, and l have heard
scores of veterans pay the same spon-
taneous tribute to the alert city Of
Macon. The city had miles and
miles OF the streets beautifully deco
rated with flags and bunting.
The reunion Of 1912 was a great
success. Not drunken man was
seen on the streets; the Governor
had the hatch-ways OF barrooms
closed. Our Governor would not
suffer that to be done in Columbia:
hence the disgrace.
The address of Governor Joseph
Brown, though brief, was to the
point and altogether impressive. 1t
showed that his heart was loyal to
the constitution and laws of his
State, and that his blessings in all
their fullness rested upon the Con-
federate soldier. About $4,000
people witnessed the parade, and in
this vast crowd there was no drunk
enness. 1t takes the right kind of
men In office to bring such results.
Pardons do not float around in
Georgia to incite men to lawless acts.
An Interesting Relic.
The flag Of the 26th Alabama Reg
iment has an interesting history. 1t
Is rent and torn by shot and shell of
seventeen of the bitterest and most
stubbornly contested battles Of the
war. 1t fiuttered over the rostrum
of Camp Gordon. This was the bat
tle-fiag of the 26th Alabama, and,
passing through the battles of Seven
Pines, Cold Harbor, Manassas,
Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettys-
burg, Williamsport, Charlottesville
and others, was surrendered at APP
pomattoX. After the surrender DR..
John Hays asked the commanding
officer to give him the battle-hag.
I'VE can't do it," was the reply. ut
would get you into trouble"
Let me have it in my hands once
more" said Sergeant Hays. "I want
to tell the old flag I've fought under
| goodbye"
1t was turned over to him for the
moment, whereupon he declined to
give 1t up again. He reached up and
tore the flag from Its staff, folded it
| up, placed it around his negro boys
body like a belt, next to the skin,
and he brought it safely to Alabama
1t was the regircntal flag Of Cover
nor ONeal and has been in his pos
session many years. 1t is guarded
| with loving care, and no one but
Private Meadows Is allowed to take
| 1t out of Governor O'Neal's home.
| Shot and shell and the decay Of time
have made but tattered remnant
| Of it, but no possession Of the O'Neal
| family is more precious.
an imposing Spectacle
was the crowning Of Miss Scandrett,
| radiant in her beauty, riding on a
white float drawn by team Of
prancing white steeds. Up Cole
mans Hill in the golden food Of
| perfect summer afternoon rode Mary
Scandrett, vision Of perfect woman
hood, in her float Of white, drawn by
| snowy and capering horses, and was
there crowned queen Of the reunion.
On the swelling heights countless
thousands gathered to sec this fair,
| gracious maid. dimpling and laugh
ing in the JOY OF life, formally
| crowned. A day shot with sunshine
had filed the air with soft benefi-
| cence, and the sun had slipped be-
yond the western hills before the ra-
diant queen came to stand under the
arched canopy Of pale blue above.
Nesting below in the valley Macon
lay serene and fair and sparkling
a scnticnt. vital thing, fair enough
| to be the home Of this fair maid
crowned as her queen.
A tide OF people rolled up Cole
mans Hill, and high above the
crowd a moving-pcture man worked
with zeal to imprson the picture for
all the world to see later in picture
shows, from one end OF the land to
the other. This was vast throng
indeed. In any direction one looked
sea of faces lifted in The dying
sunlight towards the raised platform