Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-02-22

children's wives, and the children's bus-
bands, and the children's children, and
the children's cousins 1--WE like to have
them included) around the old table, in
one of those kindly reunions which come
only once year, and yet last one long
lifetime.
The oil nest has perhaps been we'll nigh
forsaken for many month, or many a
year. The vine, the sweet brier, and the
rose, have long since clambered up over
windows where little heads used to pop out
and giggle at the blast The shrub which
little hands planted and watered, and which
little hearts wished was "a great tree, high
as the house," has outstripped that little
wisher's aspirations, and now interloeks its
broad arms with other branches protecting
ly high over the place where they were
born. The old walls and the old buildings
are all as they were then, only like their
tenants older and grayer grown. The old
we'll sweep swings and squeaks; the old
gate rattles and slams the old dog and
cat bark and parr no longer, but their
successors do; the fire blazcs up cheerfully
in the same old corner; the parlor walls
are just as homelike and cozy, and just as
"mum" as when the girls did their "spar-
kim" the kitchen and pantry are just as
savory of good things as then; the {" old
arm chair" is more rickety. but invites you
just as Hospitality to rock your cares away;
the old clock has perhaps ticked OUT"
and younger, more ambitious one rattles
ahead with faster click in its place but
the old hearts at home, thank God, still
beat on with that same, steady, parental
old throb of half a century or more!
But the winter is long and passes heav-
lily. The old folks want to see the child
rem again, at home. And so the dinner at
the old homestead is prepared. The chill
dren, and cousins, and friends come in
load after load, bundled in big coats and
shawls and cloaks and tippets and hoods
with many a giggle and red nose, till the
old homestead is almost full-it never is
quite full. The warm greeting, the merry
laugh, the lively jest and kindly smile,
pass round and round, till heavy eyes spar
kle, and sober lips laugh in gladness. But
the dinner is ready. "Come, children,
right along, sit down there, and there, and
there" till the table is full-how joyous
If without vacant seat. And such live
ly time is there and such dinner The
turkey and the chickens and the pork and
the beef; the potatoes, the onions, the
beets, the turnips, and a garden full of
other vegetables /; the good, new, cherry
red "rye and ingen" bread, and wheat
bread and biscuits and cake of all kinds,
white and delicious as that at the weddings;
the butter and cheese "as Is butter and
cheese" the smoking coffee and tea and
clear cold water from that "moss covered
bucket that hangs in the we'll )" the pre-
serves, the sauce, the tarts, the jell, the
cream, the pickles, the apples, the peaches
and the Lord only knows what else, which
crowd one to qualification and forgetful-
ness-how deliciously tempting they pile
up-and how they pile down. Surely the
cooks did Justice to that dinner and the
eaters ditto. Surely, big full hearts give
it, and big, empty stomachs receive it
OF all dinners, give US dinner at the
Old Farm Homestead. Of all unions, give
US reunion under that old moss grown
roof and around that old time. .honored,
hospitable board The old lady watches
your every movement and want as kindly
and as lovingly as when your hands were
helpless as infancy. She is pleased when
you are pleased, and sorrowful when you
are sad now as then. She welcomes you
as kindly, sympathizes in your SORROWS as
truly, and drops as bitter tears for those
who are sick or dead, as when she first
sang your lullaby or taught your infant
lips to pray. The old gentleman watches
your coming with kindling eye; he
knows what is best for you and provides
it, as of old /; he listens to your manhood's
story and compares it and you with what
you were when such and such a thing was
done on the farm he gives you the same
stout Patriarchal spirit as when he sent
you forth to do and dare in life's broad
battle.
Forget not the Old Folks, at the Old
Farm Homestead, in your eager chase af.
ter pleasure, gold and fame. Love them
truly, treat them kindly, visit them often,
and take the children, for you can do it
only few years longer. Let old age and
youth-the Past and the Future-mingle
together very often, for it stirs up all the
good there is in US and makes the heart
better. Those gray hairs are way marks
to the down hill of life whittier we all are
tending. What we do for them, We do
for ourselves in advance. Have a kindly
care. then. for those who sheltered YOU in