Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/314

 314 Southern Historical Society Papers.

And the songs, with waving wing,

Fly far, float far away ; From the age's crest, o'er the world they fling

The shade of the stainless gray.

Might, sing your triumph songs ;

Each song but sounds a shame. Go, down the world in loud voice throngs

To win from the future, Fame.

Our ballads born of tears

Will track you on your way, And win the hearts of future years

For the men who wore the gray.

Davis wore the gray ; since then

'Tis Right's and Honor's hue. He honored it, that man of men,

And wrapped it 'round the true.

Dead, but his spirit breathes;

Dead, but his heart is ours ; Dead, but his dear and sunny land wreathes

His crown with tears for flowers.

A statue for his tomb

Moulded of marble white ; For wrong a specter of Death and Doom ;

And angel of Hope for Right.

But Davis has a thousand graves

In a thousand hearts, I ween, And tear-drops fall from onr eyes in waves

That will keep his memory green.

Go, Glory, and forever guard

Our chieftain's hallowed dust, And Honor keep eternal ward,

And, Fame, be this thy trust.

Governor Lowry followed in a graceful tribute to Jefferson Davis. This tribute was grandly eloquent, perfect in diction, and went to the hearts of the old veterans.

The benediction was pronounced by Chaplain H. F. Sproles.

The unveiling, and all ceremonies incident, passed off without a single unpropitious circumstance. The crowd that attended was by