Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/131

 Fairfax Monument. 131

e flowers less abundant until he reached the cold, rocky, snow- clad Alps themselves. So will the South find the sources of her new life in the fearful storms through which her heroic sons and daughters have passed. And of these fair daughters has history yet to pen its just tribute. To them 1 bow, for my tongue is insufficient to the task. The women of the South were the genius that inspired her sons to valor. These noble Spartan women sent their boys forth with true lessons learned at the knee sent them forth with bread in their knapsacks and mother's Bible to keep them true.

'Twas the mothers of this fair Southland it was her sisters and wives and other dear ones whose loving faces kept bright the honor and deeds of her men.

God bless you women of Virginia and of the South ! The memory of thy brave boys who have passed on have just tribute in such keeping as yours."

General Eppa Hunton being loudly called for, then addressed the assembly in eulogy of the Fairfax troops that were his comrades in arms during the war.

General M. D. Corse, Colonel Arthur Herbert, Colonel Berkeley, and other distinguished Confederate officers, were present, as were also a large number of visitors from Loudoun and Alexandria. The crowd in attendance was estimated at two thousand.

BANQUETED.

After the ceremonies the veterans were banqueted in sumptuous style in the Odd-Fellows' lodge rooms, and at sunset the visitors began their return home.

The occasion was in every sense felicitous. The weather was delightful, and nothing occurred to mar the pleasure of the observ- ances. The following is a fitting conclusion to this account:

"A CARD."

" The Central Committee Memorial Association desire to return thanks to the many whose generous and kindly hearts and ready hands lent such substantial aid, and more than supplemented their efforts to make the occasion of the dedication of the monument to the Confederate dead at Fairfax Courthouse one long to be remem- bered for its well-rounded success in every particular. An enthusias- tic multitude moved as though one heart-beat quickened the impulse