Source - State - December 17, 1900
Thomas Elmore Lacey - The Talented Arkansan to be
Here Next Friday Night
Thomas Elmore Lacey , of Paragould , Ark. the poet -
humorist and dramatic orator , who is said to be a second edition of
James Whitcomb Riley , the city editor of the Paragould Daily
Soliphone , is booked for one of his readings here on Friday evening
. The entire proceeds are to be devoted to the fund of the Sons of
Veterans for the memorial to the women of the Confederacy. Mr. Lacey
was elected poet of the Tri-State Press association (Missouri ,
Arkansas and Texas ) at the joint convention two years ago. Many of
his poems have attracted widespread attention . Below is one of
them.
When Hampton Kissed Her
(Miss Kate Lilley Blue , a young South Carolina
friend of the writer T. Elmore Lacey , of the Paragould , Ark.
Soliphone , while attending an ex-Confederate reunion in Charleston
as sponsor was introduced to Gen. Wade Hampton , the " grand old man
" of the Carolinas . Upon learning that she was the daughter of his
old friend , Col. Blue , imprinted a patriotic kiss upon her cheek
and the Vets cheered )
Fellers, thar's no use talkin - the fight jest
got 'em wild !
Thar was the grizzled sage o'war and the dead
ol' kurnels child
A - standin ' by as sweet an pure as the
saintly stars an bars
At tossel her roguish chestnut curls 'ith their
flutterin feels o' skyars
An when he kissed the sponsor - gal the
mulitude , they - well
They faily shuk the skies 'ith cheers the gran
' ol' rebel-yell
Ye see ol' Wade an Kunnel Blue had both fit
side by side
Stickin like faithful young Confeds then , when
the kunnel died
The war - scarred veteran had cried over his
comrade dead
So , the memory of the holy cause an the
righteous blood they shed
An the kunnels little gal he kissed an smoothed
her baby hair
Jest got the heros soul a fire an he up an
kissed her there
Gosh but the sight "us glorious" Ye could hear
the clankin blades
Cuttin their way to kingdon come ith the sained
Lee's brigades
An over the powders soothin smell and the
cannon's belch an roar
We seen the glimmer o' victory in plain o'
Shannadore
An a solemn hushy sort o' charm all over the
picture fell
When Hampton kissed the sponsor gal an we give
the
" Rebel Yell " !!!
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