The farmer and mechanic., 1915-06-15

tne "lrSlnlanS, and it seemed as if |
mere were none answering drum ia ps
TINS DAY on the other side of the river. |
tnere were so many old followers of
Jackson, Munford, Fitz Lee and Stuart
tnat one could hardly realize that
Hity years mad flown by since these
old men had seen service on Virginia
sui 1hen came our own, the Tar
heels, Lee himself would have been
lmpotent without them. Then fol-
lowed all the others, and as l stood
there, and saw the hundreds of peo-
pie walking and riding by these form
ing columns, tossing bouquets of flow
ers to them, clapping their hands and
| IN every way showing a veneration
that was akin to love, and when the
order was finally given to Forward
March and this grey column passed
down the streets of the City Of Rich
mOnd once more with the band alter
mating between such airs as Dixie"
and Maryland. My Maryland'-then
l had left the thrill. | know now how
a soldier feels when he can throw
aside all thought of personal safety,
| and walk, If need be, into the very
! abyss Of death.
| Show Spirit of the Sixties
| AS this great phalanx of Southern
tchlValry passed down Monument
Avenue and on by the equestrian
statue of their old general, Lee,
| could see their faces change, a new
| hight come into their eyes. and once
more the spirit of the sixties had
taken possession of them.
! With the waving of a hundred flags,
and music by score Of bands, each
playing some wartime air, and here
once more in the presence it seems of
Lee himself mounted upon his faith
ful horse Traveller, who was ashame d
of the tears that came unbidden to a
thousand eyes2
1t is all past now, it is unlikely that
in the course of human events this
historic city will ever have the oppOr-
tunity of again being host to such an
| hOnOred guest. Indeed it may be well
if she never does, for she has been
upon the stage and she Will be en-
cored silently for all the years te
, | come by every old Southern hero who
, was SO fortunate as to be there. An6
there is written. indelibly in theil
, hearts, and upon their minds the
, union of the Southern Confederac.
= that will defy the hand of time, ay'
! ! eternity itself will not erase.
The afternoon of Thursday I spen
e | mingling with these old soldiers in tn
e lobby of the Murphy Hotel, askin;
. them questions, and as best l coul'
t answering those they asked me. /
| my companion happened to be from
: Florida, and on my other side ther
It should sit gentleman from Missouri
e l had hardly ceased to ask him abou
It the various crops of his State, or HOY
It his orange groves were coming on be
IS fore L had turned to the wheat grove
OF the west and was asking him Wha
was the average number of autOmO
le biles kept by the western farmer nON
O since they had sold their last year
| |
r | told that the South was turning large
iy to grain and live stock, especial
e. was this so in Georgia and TeXa!
e Seeing a little group of men engage
L in something more than an ordinar
,t conversation, l Joined them, and
N was an old soldier recounting som
e of his perilOus moments during tn
war.
1t Disposing of the Enemy.
L. lie toid now on one occasion he We
q. picking blackberries in the mountain
is of Virginia, and had srayed III
in | lthoughtedly too far from his own lin;
W and had been seen by about d ha
)? dozen Yankees Having nothing
ne the way of arms except pocket kni1
ia to defend himself with, he of eour.
10 scampered to cover as fast as his fe
eo could carry him, but too late. The
y, had him cut eff before he had goI
Sc far. He plunged into the thicke
ID place he could find. hastily drew O
er his knife, cut small white oak al
at with the raW-hide strings from n
n shoe he provised n bow and almost
n less time than it takes to tell it he
re killed the last one of his pursuel
ny And when stood there and heard hi
mp recount this deed CT strategy and val
on could not keep back the thong
on of what a pity it was that it had n
nd been the whole Of Grants legiOns tn
Die followed him, instead of just a pitif
er handful that did And then I look
at his badge. and saw that he W
from North Carolina, and my bosO
Ii swelled with pride, and I thought he
of unnecessary it was that had to ira,
re all the way to Richmond to learn
mt such deeds Of valor, when, had it n
es. been for the uncouth way that t
people of my native State order
in from her borders our erStWhl1e frjer