Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-12-06
WREATHs FOR THE DEAD.


thinking to-day of those among m,
friends who have fallen in the ratl
of the Reaper during my absences
from home, and ask for space to pay
brief tribute - their memories.
1t was here in this city of vapor,
and vice that news reached me OF
the sudden demise of Alexander
Kelly. who was my friend and fol-
whom had great admiration. When
| heard that he hnd gone l remembe,
having said in my heart, "Goodnigh,
gentle prince" An Apollo of manly
beauty, intellectul, cultured, clean of
speech. pure in heart. he seemed to
ne reincarnation of some such
character ns Keats, too fine and
delicate of soul for the rough buffet
ings of the world, One evening last
summer | stood at his tomb, and my
thoughts were very tender as recall
ed the finely poised and modelled head
aud the soft sweetly. modulated voice.
He was gifted man who failed to
fulfill his appointed destiny Where
fore, who can tell?
And it was here that heard of the
painless passing of viii Henry
Anderson, the magnetic and loveable
boy whom remember first as little
bit of fellow standing In the chancel
of one of the churches at Tazewell
with violin under his chin. violin
almost rs big as himself, drawing
sweet strains from the enchanted
strings. The soul of music was glowing
in his fine young eyes and hs small
body was tense with the ecstasy
of melody. He was idolizcd by his
family and relatives and loved by the
whole community. In that far country
where the aoul and source of music"
was first made known he Ia helping
to swell and sweeten the volume of
eternal harmony.
1t was while | was here on another
visit TINT my old friend and neighbor
Col. Joseph Harrison, surrendered to
the last enemy. Ii is from the view
point of boyhood that think of him.
for 1t as boy ut the old home in the
country that l knew him hest. And is
IL not true that Loy's 6 intuitive divna-
tion of character is more trustworthy
than mans mature judgment? And
as boy. youth and man, liked him.
Little things didn' [ bother the Colonel.
He was both practical and impractical,
and | might add prodigal. With u
hundred acre farm he would have
locked the front gate and surren dred
the keys to the sheriff; but with
thousand acres he would have pros
pcred; he would have employed as
many laborers on the one ns on the
other He had both foresight and
nerve aud IL is n wonder he did not
die millionaire. His daughter, the
late Mrs. II. G. Mccall, would
laughlngly call him "Col. Carter Of
Cartersville. He loved books, and
his taste led him to select only the
best. He was an astute student of
politics and his opinion as to the
result of elections was nearly always
justified. He was hospitable, optimis-
tic, tender. remember I was the
first to tell him of the death of be-
loved grhndchild, which occurred in
his absence. His eyes overfowed and
his voice dropped low with emotion.
He sleeps by the side of as noble
woman as ever visited the sick or fed
the hungry.
Governor Smtyhe's beautiful and
comprehensive tribute leaves nothing
to be said of Col. Anderson save by
way of endorsement.
And now come to speak of one
about whose life the tendrils of nv
affections had 30 entwined themselves
that can scarcely think of his de
parture without the staining of heart
strings and rain of tears. Kindred
blood Is a tie within iself, but
stronger, far stronger. those that
grow out of many years of close
relationship, that year by year in
tensify and grow dearer through
mutual sympathy and comradeship.
/ did not love Captain Fudge because
he was my uncle, but because as
boy and man by some sweet power he
drew and held my heart in the en-
brace of his own until he became
almost necessary part of my life.
Perhaps should not go far wrong
were l to particularize that power as
magnetism THAT indefinable some
thing), love and manhood. Always,
In his presence was conscious of
the hypnotizing influence of his per-
sonalty. knew that he loved me and
/ admired his manhood. He was a
man, every inch of him. Speaking of
his characteristics, LOYALTY to his