This article was among the papers of Fannie Moran. James Moran III, was the "Gallant Son of Tennessee" who gave the speech prior to the concert given by Miss Effie CHISUM and Fannie. He covers everything and everyone from the Alamo, Davy CROCKETT, Sam HOUSTON and James K. POLK. I'm sure all of you Texans out there feel indebted to us Tennesseans since we "furnished most of the blood and iron that carved that splendid empire from the wilderness" known as Texas. But, let's be fair. James H. MORAN III was a lawyer and it's a lawyers job to put together a bunch of fancy words. He certainly did that. So much so that it pretty much overshadows Miss CHISUM and Miss MORAN. However, at the end he did seem to remember those two "true representatives of that noblest womanhood that ever trod the earth."
The Weekly News -
Paris, Texas June 15 1900
BEAUTIFUL WORDS
Were Those Spoken by a Gallant Son of Tennessee.
The following are the remarks of a brilliant young lawyer of DRESDEN, Tennessee, in introducing Miss Effie CHISUM, of PARIS, upon the occasion of a recital given there by herself and Miss MORAN, whom she is visiting:
Ladies and gentlemen:
Tennessee loves Texas. Next to the smiling valleys, the sun-tipped hills, and the great green mountains of our own native state, perhaps the dearest land on earth to the hearts of all Tennesseeans (sic) are the blossoming plains that spread beneath the blended blue sunny skies of happy, hearty, wholesom Teexas (sic).
We love to boast that we furnished most of the blood and iron that carved that splendid empire from the wilderness; we love to tell that Tennessee blood was shed in her behalf, that Tennessee gave her sons to be broken on the wheel of war in order that the flag of Texas might float free in the Heavens; love to tell how that empire was cemented with the blood of our sons and the tears of our daughters.
We of this section are especially wont to tell how Davy CROCKETT, a pioneer of our county, went from the halls of the national congress where he represented our district, out into the wilderness and poured out his rich life blood at the ALAMO in behalf of Texas Freedom and Texas glory. We are proud to boast of how Sam Houston, who had resigned the governorship of Tennessee, crossed into the wilds and led the magnificent fight that gave to Texas a station among the nations of the earth and gave to the flag of the single star an immutable glory and immortal place in history. And then we love to tell how that distinguished Tennesseean (sic) became the first president of that new republic, how he founded and grounded its liberties, how he dominated its institutions and how he brought it as an offering to the United States--how he gave to this nation a broad empire; and how under the influence of the election of James K. POLK, another distinguished Tennesseean (Sic), as president of the United States, the offering was accepted and that splendid star was placed in its proper position amid the galaxy of bright stars that beamed and twinkled and gleamed in the ensign of the republic, how that people became our people, and our flag became their blood, and our spirit became their spirit.
And then we love to tell how hosts of Tennesseeans (sic) crossed the rolling river that sings its way to the shimmering sunlit summer sea and reclaimed the wild and conquered the wilderness, making it blossom as the rose, how they cultivated the loamy land and made the white cotton flourish on the plains and the green corn to tremble in the valleys, how they founded splendid cities and builded beautiful temples, and erected magnificent institutions of learning to shed their light upon civilization and illumine the pathway of the race. And greater than all, how they founded and builded happy homes around which cluster the roses of purity and love, where culture and refinement thrive and bravery and beauty are bred.
And on account of our love for Texas and our chivalric regard for its sweet, noble womanhood, we are delighted to welcome among us tonight a charming daughter of that fair, dear land, whose mind reflects the culture of noble institutions of learning and the refinement of exalted society, whose eyes reflect the blue of her native Heavans (sics) and whose cheeks reflect the beauty and bloom of her own sweet prairie blossoms.
If Texas owes Tennessee aught for services rendered in establishing her eternal glory, then our little city as an integral part of Tennessee is justly due a portion of that obligation, and tonight this fair daughter will pay at least the interest upon that indebtedness. Doubtless when she shall have finished we will all feel that the balance should be struck and the ledger closed, for she will have paid the debt, principal, interest and cost.
But I for one am opposed to closing the account. I favor keeping it open that she may come again and again and make payments, and if she refuses to do so, then I favor sending some one to the state of Texas to sue.
Let her be "sued" under Texas statutes, for there we may collect 12 percent interest whereas, here the law will allow but 6 per cent. Surely she would not plead the "Statute of Limitation" in a matter of this kind.
Side by side with her I have the pleasure to present also a fair daughter of our own dear Tennessee--one whom we all know and appreciate for her rare beauty, for her accomplishments and talents, for her nobility of character and for her splendid virtues.
I might present one as the Rose of Texas, the other as the Violet of Tennessee, or one as the Blossom of the Prairie, the other as the Lily of the Valley, but this dignifies the flowers too much. I prefer to present them as what they really are--true representatives of that noblest womanhood that ever trod the earth with dainty foot--sweet southern womanhood that hath exalted us and made us great and placed us in the vanguard of the world's development and progress. The sweet southern woman who sits upon a pedestal of honor erected out of a nation's love and around whom clusters chivalric knighthood and the tender touch of her white hands, the tender prayer of her pure soul, the tender influence of her sweet love, makes that knighthood worthy to wear the whitest rose.
I present these young ladies with pleasure, and I say unto you that if Eve were half so fair and half so gracious as either of these, the I fancy Adam sighed but little, though in gaining her he lost the Paradise of Eden.
Ladies and gentlemen, Miss CHISUM, of Texas; Miss MORAN, of Tennessee.
This wonderful little booklet in the shape of a bouquet of lilies belonged to Fannie Moran. Published in 1890 by L. Prang & Co., Boston, Massachusetts, it was illustrated by Ornithologist and musician F. Schuyler Mathews. Mathews (1854-1938) later wrote the first field guide to bird songs in 1904, Fieldbook of Wild Birds and Their Music. Prior to recorded music song bird melodies were handwritten and transcribed. Mathews continued writing and published many more books about birds and nature.
