The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1919-06-24

union In Dawson of the Confederate
veterans of Georgia.:
Dear Confederate Veterans and
Friends: What joy is ours to clasp
your hands in friendly greeting, and
tell you of the love and loyalty of
ten thousand Georgia Daughters of
the Confederacy. You recall the old
story of the lover who sang to his
sweetheart, "I'll give to you paper
of pins, if that's the way that love
begins" but she frowned on him.
Then he said: "I'll give to you a
dress of red, bound all round with
golden thread" but not even the in
ducement of a new dress was suffi-
cient. Then he said: 'I'll give to
you the key of my heart, that you
and I may never part" but this was
not the right key, so he finally said:
"I'll give to you the key of my chest,
that you may have gold at your re-
quest;" then she accepted with alac-
rity!
I bring you today two offerings,
the key to our hearts and the key
to the chest of golden thoughts and
golden deeds of every true Daugh-
ter of the Confederacy. Let us link
them upon the chain of keys so gen
erously presented by the splendid
city of Dawson, the front door key,
the parlor key, even to the pantry
key.
We realize what an honor is ours
to be Daughters of the Confederacy,
wives and relatives of the splendid
men who wore the gray. We realize
the great distinction expressed in our
name, Omitted Daughters of the Con-
federacy," and we would not ex-
change it for any other name on
earth!
Last year when the whole world
doomed with the thunder of war did
we forget our veterans? Did we sit
around our fresides with hands busy
with deeds of love for the absent sol
der boy, while away off in cold cor
ner, shivering and neglected, sat the
aged grandfather? No, the true
Daughter of the Confederacy loses
no opportunity to minister to the
comfort and happiness of the veter-
ans, and so boxes of dainties were
sent to the inmates of the Soldiers
Home in addition to work for Confed'
crate men and women outside the
home.
This year our special work has
been to raise funds in order to give
every veteran in the home $1.00 per
month pocket money. While the
state furnishes food and clothing
most of them are absolutely pennl-
less, and how they do appreciate that
little one dollar bill! Even that small
amount brings some degree of indie
pendence.
Now we are making strong efforts
to get the legislature to pass bill Civ
ing these veterans in the home their
pensions, or at least a part of their
pensions.
We realize that we are more deep
ly indebted to the men and women
| of the Confederacy than to any 9TH
er people on earth for the present
prosperity of the South, and conse-
ouently of the nation. A veteran in
describing a battle said: "Look at the
odds, ten to onew "And were you
one of the ten?" inquired his listen
err. "No," proudly exclaimed the ve~>
eran; 81 was one of the onew So it
has always been when there is a
question of right and principle, no
matter what the odds against him, the
! Confederate soldier is always one of
! the one!
! The noble band of brothers, still true
to home and right,
AS when you in your coats of gray
marched bravely to the fight,
You then were young and valiant,
your step was light and free,
Hurrah for our soldier boys, who
bravely followed Lee!
And when the war was over you la
bored as of yore,
And still fight on with might and
main our country to restore.
With courage never failing, and
hearts so brave and strong
You raise on high the battle cry and
fight against all wrong!
In the COS you fought for what
you knew was right, and your tight
ing spirit still lives. If you could
have gone every one of you would
have shouldered your musket and
marched away to fight in the world
war under the red, white and blue.
Your spirit shone on the battle
fields of France There were used
the tactics of Lee and Jackson. Look !!
Through the gloom and darkness of
the Argonne forest glows vivid in
tense light! It is the light of courage
which beams from the faces of those
southern boys who made world rec
ord for their valor. Listen! wild,
weird cry rings through the forest led
by young Captain Clark Howell, the
grandson of a Confederate soldier.
It is the old rebel yell which strikes
terror to the Germans and is potent
r L