On the Fourth of July the commemorative oration was delivered by the Senator, who proved himself to be more than senator by his deep, honest feeling and good taste.  The “spread eagle” element was conspicuously absent in his solemn, dignified, yet hopeful words.  He gave to each their meed of praise.  He grew eloquent over the enlisted men who had so bravely done their duty without the incentive of ambition.  When he spoke of the honor reflected on the village by the heroism of Captain Nichol, the hearts of the people glowed with gratitude and pride; but thoughts of pity came to all as they remembered the girl, robed in black, who sat with bowed head among them.

“I can best bring my words to a close,” said the Senator, “by reading part of a letter written by one of your townsmen, a private in the ranks, yet expressive of feelings inseparable from our common human nature: 

“Dear father—­You know I ain’t much given to fine feelings or fine words.  Poor Sam beat me all holler in such things; but I want you and all the folks in Alton to know that you’ve got a regular soldier at home.  Of course we were all glad to see Bart Martine; and we expected to have a good-natured laugh at his expense when the shells began to fly.  Soldiers laugh, as they eat, every chance they get, ’cause they remember it may be the last one.  Well, we knew Bart didn’t know any more about war than a chicken, and we expected to see him get very nervous and limp off to the rear on the double quick.  He didn’t scare worth a cent.  When a shell screeched over our heads, he just waited till the dinged noise was out of our ears and then went on with his questions about poor Cap and Sam and the others from our town.  We were supporting a battery, and most of us lying down.  He sat there with us a good hour, telling about the folks at home, and how you were all following us with your thoughts and prayers, and how you all mourned with those who lost friends, and were looking after the children of the killed and wounded.  Fact is, before we knew it we were all on our feet cheering for Alton and the folks at home and the little lame man, who was just as good a soldier as any of us.  I tell you he heartened up the boys, what’s left of us.  I’m sorry to hear he’s so sick.  If he should die, bury him with a soldier’s honors.  James Wetherby.”

“These plain, simple, unadorned words,” concluded the Senator, “need no comment.  Their force and significance cannot be enhanced by anything I can say.  I do not know that I could listen quietly to shrieking and exploding shells while I spoke words of courage and good cheer; but I do know that I wish to be among the foremost to honor your modest, unassuming townsman, who could do all this and more.”

Martine was visibly distressed by this unexpected feature in the oration and the plaudits which followed.  He was too sad, too weak in body and mind, and too fresh from the ghastly battlefield, not to shrink in sensitive pain from personal and public commendation.  He evaded his neighbors as far as possible and limped hastily away.