The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-07


Johnny. like US. is an old man.
HIS scholarship was as heroic as was
that OF our Fellows. That is not own
ing-up that mis- cause was as good rs
ours. He looks back to thos. brave
old days--days when Yank and Johnny
ware making world history, very much
as the boys In blue do, with the eN-
ception that at the end of the four
years of hard campaigning, nany bat
ties, great SACRIFICES, including hunger
from lack of rations. which often hap
p3ned. and cold from lack OF clothing
and blankets. they had TO go home un-
der the cloud of defeat. and many OF
them TO homes OF abjcc, want. We
missed these; VIC came home as VIC
tors. In the main. to homes of plenty,
with the doors OF opportunity swung
wide open to US. They. in the main,
had to mako opportunity under great
difficulty. Ala OF these years the most
OF thom have had a constant light on
hand TO k3ep the wolf from the door,
and II has been an honest, manly, brave
fight. They havn't had the help OF such
pensions as our boys have had: their
states have given them, or some OF
them small pension, in case of loss
Of limb or health. Old Chum, those
Old boys In gray have made heroic
fight ever since 1865"
But. Tom what made you. shed
those tcars?"
Keep still, you stone image. DID
you ever have something & Il into your
throat when you heard the school chill
drcn sing the Star Spangled BInner''
or America" and saw Old Glory wav-
Ing from the flag pole. and suddenly
thought what the flag meant, and that
Ia al - LII.
what 1t does? I've cried like a child
more than once at such a demonstra-
ton Just before Memorial Day-and so
have you. l have the same checking
sensation nearly every time band or
an orchestra plays Johnny's favorites
Why? Because l feel That know how
well Jshnny and his comrades enjoy
them, dnd also for the further reason
that Johnny and his comrades arc as
good Americans as we have--:is loyal
to the United states as any citizens
Il have taken good deal OF time
to tell you that I have a whole lot OF
sympathy for the old Confedorates;
that admire them for their soldier
ship. Tor their courageous battles ever
since the war; that want them to have
all Of the comfort. pleasure and happi-
ness possible during their remaining
years: that 1 am touched TO the heart
whenever l think Of their life struE-
giles. their days OF want their bod
citizenship. their worth as mon. These
are some OF thu things that came to
mind. heart and eyes after we had re-
called our experiences and humncd the
familiar and patriotic airs. like The
South and her people, and l am proud
of and In love with those bravo old
American soldi srs-,Iohnny and his
comrades IN gray. And am not bit
ashamed of the apparent weakness you
noticed. II was not the result OF a
drying up brain, but heart that goes
out TO and feels for others"
One, and maybe 1t Is the chiaf object
In quoting TOMS talk. Is to say that
l believe he has spoken about the vet
Grams of the Southern army very much
as most of the survivors of the North
ern army feel. Next year, for four
days. on the Gettysburg field. thou
sands OF men of both old armies will
meet in the most memorable soldier re-
union ever held in this or any other
country. You will not watch IN vain
therc for an abundant show OF the
kindly feeling Comradc Tom gave en-
preston to. II will be meeting Of
brothers tried as by fire. american
soldiers, than whom there are mona
better. citizens OF the United States
whose loyalty to It is surpassed by no
other class, North or South, East or
West