Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-06-07
to come. Let me tell you that he has


able plants, are slow to flower an6
fruit. But from the union of these
colonists, Puritans and cavaliers, from
the Strengthening Of their purposes and
the crossing of their blood, slow per-
fecting through a century, came he
who stands as the first typical Ameri-
can, the first who comprehended with
in himself all the strength and gentle
ness, all the majesty and grace Of this
republic Lincoln. He was
the sum of Puritan and cavalier, for in
tues of both and in the depths of his
great soul the faults of both were lost
He was greater than Puritan, greater
than. cavalier in that he was American
and that in his honest form were first
gathered the vast and thrilling forces
Of his ideal overnment-charging it
with such tremendous meaning and
elevating it above human suffering
that martyrdom, though UNANIMOUSLY
aimed, came as fitting crown to life
consecrated from the cradle to human
liberty. Let US, each cherishing the
traditions. and honoring his fathers,
build with reverent hands to the type
Of this simple but sublime life, in
which all types are honored and in our
common glory as Americans there will
be plenty and to spare for your fore
fathers and for mine.
That Other Army.
DR.. Talmage has drawn for you with
masters hand, the picture Of your
returning armies. He has told you
how, in the pomp and circumstance of
war, they came back to you, marching
with proud and victorious tread, read
ing their glory in a nations eyes! Will
you bear with me while I tell you of
another army that sought it's home at
the close Of the late War-an army that
marched home in defeat and not in
victory-in pathos and not: in splendor,
but in glory that equaled yours and to
hearts as loving as ever welcomed
heroes home! Let me picture to you
the footsore confederate soldier, as
buttoning up in his faded gray jacket
the parole which was to bear testi-
mony to his children Of his fidelity and
faith, he turned his face southwark
from Appomattox in April 1865. Think
OF him as ragged, half starved, heavy
hearted, enfeebled by want and
wounds having fought to exhaustion.
he surrenders his gun, wrings the
hands Of his comrades in silence and
lifting his tear-stained and pallid face
for the last time to the graves that dot
old Virginia. hills, pulls his gray cap
over his brow ahd beginssthe slow and
painful journey. What does he find
let me ask you who went to. your
homes eager to find. in the welcome
you had justly earned, full payment for
four years sacrifice-what does he
find when, having followed the battle
stained cross against overwhelming
odds, drealing death not half SO much
as surrender, he reaches the home ne
left so prosperous and"beautiful? He
finds his house in ruins, his farm de-
yastated, his Saves flee, his stock
killed, his barns empty, his trade des-
troyed, his money worthless, his social
system, feudal in its magnificence,
swept away; his people without law or
legal status; his comrades slain and
tie burdens of others heavy on his
shoulders. Crushed by defeat, his very
traditions are gone. Without money,
credit, employment, material, or train
ing: and beside all this confronted
with the gravest problem that ever
met human intelligence-the establish
ing of a status for the vast body Of his
liberated slaves.
What does he do-this hero in gray
with a heart of gold? Does he sit down
in sullenness, and despair? Not for
day Surely God, who had stripped
him Of his prosperity, inspired him IN
his adversely. His ruin was never be-
fore so overwhelming never was res
toration swifter The soldier stepped
from the trenches into the furrow;
horses that had charged federal guns
marched before the plow, and fields
that ran red with human blood in
April were green with the harvest in
June; women reared in luxury cut up
their dresses and made breeches for
their husbands and with a patience
and heroism that fit women always as
garment gave their hands to work.
There was little bitterness in all this.
Cheerfulness and frankness prevailed.
'Bill Arp struck the keynote when he
said: We'll, killed as many Of them
as they did Of me, and now I'm going
| to work" Of the soldier returning
home after defeat and roasting some
corn on the roadside, who made the
remark to his comrades: "You may
leave the south if you want to but l
am going to Sandersville, kiss my wife
and raise a crop, and if the yankees
fool with me any more, III whip 'em
again." want to say to General Sher-
man, who is considered an able man in
our parts, though some people think he
| is q kind of careless man about fire,
that frnn, thn ashes he left us in 1864