Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-05-01


Of patriotic hymns, which in the ex.
preston Of the words Is the embodi-
ment Of their brave deeds; let poets
be especially inspired and In the
adaptation of lyrical expressions and
the s~p0ntaniety of words, impart to
us the extent Of their heroism, and
let us for centuries revere the day
which Is set aside to wreathe their
graves in flowers and continually by
this act, accord them honor, still It
would not suffice.
Emerson says, "Heroism feels and
never reasons, and, therefore, is al
ways right; the thing that the hero
does is the highest deed" Bearing
on this fact, the scenes Of the Civil
war, enacted as they were, can NEAR
primarily and ultimately to us moth.
ing more than that thousands of lives
were possessed with this individual
heroism. Can you picture a hero?
One in whom there is embodied the
essense OF those attributes which In
their %profundity can not be fully por-
trayed, inasmuch as full perception
Is denied because OF the s%acredness
of 1t all. These men were heroes,
every one a hero, and 1t inst a ques-
ton of what was their regiment, what
part they played In the P~eninsular
campaign, what battles they saw, but
1t is the marvellous revelation OF the
fact that they were men, fighting for
what they believed was right, a thing
wherein a man Is most %ennobled.
They counted not the sacrifices, even
though they we're too manifold for ut
terance; they counted not the cost,
even though the CORY fiend of battle
revealed and delighted In a ~bloodshed
horrible Of mention; nay, even was
there any consequence considered,
they we're indeed heroes, e~mboldened
with the fire Of a noble devotion to a
great cause, and inspired by an un-
daunted courage and resolute forti-
tude which calls forth an u%nconfined
tribute of gratitude and commenda-
ton.
The deeds OF these heroes have
been ~eulogized by the poets. In num-
beers of verses we find our sentiments
voiced, and we are indeed proud OF
the fact that through all the ages
there will be heralded these impartial
tributes to their heroism.
ION Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread.
And Glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac OF the dead"
And yet we say "'tis not enough"
Even though fame, with all OF her
embassies OF renown and glory, re
~splendent In the realm OF heraldic
pomp. should convey to them the
manifestation OF their praise for every
deed, still the honor and the reverence
which Is enshrined In our hearts
would not so outweigh this manifesto
ton that II would appear as only the
semblance Of a much deserved
tribute.
How wonderfully Impressed would
we be II we could hear each hero tel
his own story. Not that II was
hardship. not that II was a struggle
ensuing for seemingly endless days
and ~sleepless nights which made him
finally yield to the call. not, my
friends. that regret In its apparitional
form haunted the labyrinths Of his
being: but on the other hand the
sweet story which can only be told In
a soldiers way, OF how every hard
ship wal made a triumph. 81 how
willingness 10 serve became a sacred
attribute OF his character. and OF
what great JOY II was to have a per-
feet realization OF the fact that
"The valiant never taste OF death
but once. ever though towards die
many times before their deaths"
However, no matter what special
reverence we nay our W heroic lead
OF the Southland. We are possessed
with a patriotism. imbued with too
much loyalty and too strong In our
utter belief In Liberty. Union. Now
and Forever" to permit ourselves to
forget the fact that there we're heroes
on both sides. That the heart OF the
mother OF the son who wore the blue
beat Just as fervently for him as did
the heart OF the one who saw q gray
' clad youth march away, perhaps
lnever TO return. The details OF the
memorable scenes enacted during the
I Civil war are familiar to us all. From
the time when the, first shot In
treason crashed against the walls OF
Fort Sumpter until the day on which
/. Grant met Lee In that historic farm
house at Appamattox and received
the surrender OF the Confederate
army. our country was deluged In
, blood. and principles swayed In the
balance. Thousands OF Unions and
Freedoms noble sons sacrificed their
lives In these causes. Slavery. the
terrible stain that married the beauty
OF our banner and the integrity oil
the Union. was wiped out OF our lane.
On Decoration Day the graves OF
the heroic dead are wreathed In flow
ers. An eminent author says, Every
soldiers grave becomes an altar
and Il seems that since u heroes
fell there are fresh reasons why the
month OF May should cover all the
land with flowers, We bring rose
mary for remembrance OF their gal'
liant deeds, pansics for proud thoughts
OF their devotion. roses that remind
us OF their hearts blood 80 freely
shed, and lilies as graceful and fair
rs their young lives, offered on the
affairs Of Union and Freedom.
Tho bitterness OF that sad time we