The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-07-12


announce the reelection of Mr.. CleVe-
land but we Democrats were defeated.
When the news came in Grady wrote
on a sheet of paper the words, a
Charge to Keep l Have" TaiS paper
he pasted over the touch-ho!d q that
little loaded cannon, put it away and
stated that the gun was not a%2ln to
BE- fred until another Democratic
pl siGent was elected.
But when Cleveland was again
elected Grady had passed away. but
he .ei1 IN his name to Georgia cne Of
its lroudest heritages. was At that
tine ed ting the Columbia 6. Co.
Daily Register, but Went to I@'rgia
to vote. For some time the result
was in doubt, but it was understood
that if the Democrats did win the first
news should be proclaimed to the state
bv the little cannon that Grady load
ed. | went from Athens to Atlanta
to hear earliest returns and as the
reports fuctuated from party to par
ty public feeling was intense and eV-
erv ear attuned to hear the voice OF
that little gun.
It was then the new was flashed
over the wires, on the wings OF cleo
tricity, that the Republicans conceded
ClevelanGs election and his paFty's
defeat. In an instant the sheet OF
paper that Henry w. Grady himself
had pasted over the touchhole OF that
little cannon was torn away, match
applied and the charge of gunpowder
that Grady himself had rammed home
befched forth the great tidlngs. 1t was
almost like the voice of Henry W.
Grady himself procIaim.ng the news.
The cheers that responded to the
voice of that little gun almost seemed
to shake the eternal hills around At
lanta.
ONLY a short time before Grady's
death, on invitation of Phil Davis,
George Grogan, myself and other
friends Grady visited Elberton (where
was then living} and spent several
days with US. He delivered four
to immense audiences, one
in Elberton, one at a point IN South
Carolina where the Tugalo and Sene-
"a rivers unite to form the Savannah,
and two in Ebert county.
We arranged to take Grady on q
two days trip down the Savannah
river, using a fotilla of old-styte
ooats, propelled by negro boatmen
with poles, such as were used by
planters to carry their cotton to Au-
gusta.
Grady thoroughly enjoyed that trip
and acted like boy just dismissed
from school. As the boats pulled off
he thousands that followed Grady
% the river bank bade him farewell
With cheers and waving handker-
chiefs. But as soon as the boats
.ounled bend in the river Henry
Grady shucked his pants and was IN
he rive trying to duck darky. 1t
was hard to believe him the same eIo-
auent orator whom an hour before
.ad thrilled and delighted thousands
and had them laughing CT WIN tear
iimmed eyes as his subject was anus
ng or pathetic.
The first night our party pitched
camp at Browns ferry On the Geor-
gia side in Hart county. Soon after
we landed Grady asked me to take a
stroll with him and walking up the
road a short distance we took seat
on log.
l asked Grady what his aspirations
pointed to assuring him that he could
always command me to the utmost ex-
tent.
His reply was, Can't, there is no
position or office within the gift OF
the American people that l desire or
would accept. My mission and work IS
to bring together the North and South
and have once more a united coun-
:ry."
That night Grady collected the ne
gro boatmen around him and had
them singing their quaint melodies.
Just before l dropped off my last wax
ing remembrance was Grady sitting
on the ground with his back against
a large white oak tree and his colored
choir standing around him singing,
Jesus Locked in the Lions Jaw.
l was walked by Grady shaking me.
Can't, I never had anything to so
touch and impress me as those negroes
singing. There is peculiar wall and
n.+boe IN +bo;r voicaS thot n1tl,inr