The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-07
LiEUTs. PUIDY AND SHAW.
Two Stars Of Blue on the Service
Flag Have Turned to Gold.

The service flag Of our High School
las within the past few days received
y new lustre The blue OF two stars
has turned to gold, symbolizing that
an earthly Immortality achieved by
duty nobly and heroically done has
been Transformed into glorious i'm
mortality beyond the stars.
There is not q heart in Sumter that
does not bleed in sympathy with those
who have been so sorely bereaved;
and yet all Sumter shares the melan-
choly pride that must be evoked by,
the thought that two splendid young
men have given their lives and their
hopes for the greatest cause that ever
Steeled the soul of man to combat and
to conquer. It was my melancholy
privilege to act as spokesman for the
community in bidding these men
goodbye. I remember saying then:
The cause is worth all that it may
cost 1t is worth the price that we
have to pay, though the price be
that Of life. Are we not too much dis
posed to estimate the value Of q lif9
by quantitative rather than by quail
tative standards? That life is long, it
matters not how short, that is spent
and at last laid down in the service
Of a great cause.
Is it not true that Lieuts. Purdy and
Shaw have been able to accomplish
greater and better things than many
of US accomplish, tho we live
far beyond the allotted three-score
years and ten? Have they not achiev-
ed an earthly immortality? Have they
not made all who are battling, or who
are willing to battle, for the life Of the
liberty of the world everlasringly their
debtors?
AS The Item so well stated on Sat
urday, when the news Of the death Of
these young men reached US everE
home in Sumter became a house Of
mourning. Everyone realized wfa;
Sumter had lost and every heart wen!
out in sympathy to those whose
Of woe
All are familiar with the brief de-
tails of Lieut.. Purdy's death Having
just recovered from the effects OF the
poison Of gas, he begged to be put
back into active service that he might
continue to fight for his country. It
was while doing his heroic duty that
he net his glorious death. Robert
Purdy was well known in Sumter and
I can add nothing to the esteem in
which he was held. I knew him well,
while he was at school and after has
return from college to take up the
practice of law. I knew, as all know,
that he was a gentleman, straight,
clean, and manly. T know also tha'
he was an advocate of constructive
righteousness, civic and personal and,
had he lived, his influence for good
would have made q pronounced I'M
preston, upon this community.
His father received q short letter
written in pencil, and evidently while
in the trenches, dated ten days before
the date of his death. This letter
was bright and cheerful, as were al
letters received from him, but with
no hint of what was ahead of him
The last letter was written on the
back Of an invitation to the High
School Commencement, stating thai
he had no ether material for writ
ing
His death should inspire those left
behind to emulate his virtues b!
leading lives of manly and construc-
tive force, revealing to all desss,e
to help his fellow-man and to feai
God and to keep his commandments.
Few young men have been privileged;
to make upon their communities {:
more wholesome impression thar
Robert Purdy made. Sumter can neve
forget him; for the promise Of a use
full life and honor Of a glorious dealt.
have made him immortal.