The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-12-11
6fanopapas.

| r.....f ...f ~ y = y = 80. faErF
READER, is your grandfather livineg
You say he is, but very old and in.
firm Well, then, love and cherish
him throw all the light you can over
his path to the grave.
Though the hand of Time has bow.
ed his form, and left the dark impress
of its shadows on his manly brow
changing, too, the vigor of his once en-
ergetic mind-still, let memory bear
| you back to your childhood, when
your trottling little form was first led
out on the green grass before the door,
by grandpapa for, if your father was
young, and you chanced to be the first
born, he would have made very
awkard nurse then, what did he know
about amusing child ?--running after
butterflies = tossing the ball = flying
the kite Only imagine your young
tather trying to give you a ride on his
shoulder2 Why, the first thing yoY
did, of course, was to weave your lit
tie fingers through the beautiful hair,
crushing the wayy curls, over which
an hour of his time had been wasted
that morning; and then what shout
you gave, when your mischievous ewes
rested on the snow white dickey. that
had been rendered as stiff as paste
board, by the skilltul hands of the
laundress! Down goes little son off
the shoulder III less time than it took
to place him there. "Nurse, do come
here and take the child ?" exclaims
papa, in not very pleasant tone while
he tries i'll vain to adjust the wrinkled
collar. Do you think grandpaps
would have put you down for disar-'
ranging his toilette? No, indeed he
would lave laughed, and called you
his little rogue; he had seen too much
baby-tun to let such trife disturb
him.
Yes, young reader, be kind to dear
old grandpapa; never let him ask q
second time for his cane, hat and Slip
pers be ever ready to wait upon him
at table, and sec that he is first serv.
ed let every Difference be paid him
by the servants, no matter how child
, ish his demands may be. And wien
the shadows Of old age have dimmed
his sight and he can no longer read
his Bible, select such chapters as YOU
think he will like, and spend part of
each day i'll reading to him. And at
last, when the mission has gone forth
from above-when the messenger has
arrived to bear him from you, soother
him in the frying hour-wipe the.
death-drops as they gather on his brow
speak softly to him, or sing some
sweet plaintive air by the side of the
bed--music, in the dying room, is like
pouring balm on the weary soul: it
opens the gates of hea, en- for the spir.
it to enter. Thus You cheer his last
moments, and, though the lamp of life
be but fast fiickering in the socket
though his voice be hushed forever,
and the light of his eye darkened, he
may still be sensible to all your kind
ness-still feel the pressure of your
soft, warm hand, even though his be
chilled with the coldEess of the grave,
never felt the power of fathers
love my mother, when the rich bloom
of youth first crmsoned her cheek, bes-
towed her hand to one advanced in
years. He proved kind husband
and father, but ere could test his
love he died so my grandfather is the
one with whom my sweetest memories
of home are associated. 1t was he
who watched over my peaceful child,
hood--who first taught me to lisp.
Now lay me down to sIeep.D
simple though the words be, time could
never erase them from my heart. eve.
ry chord of which thrills now. when
ever | hear them responded by the in
nocent lips of my own little ones, while
| they kneel before me. It's a prayer
that reaches the hearts of all, for in it's
simplicity is centered more depth of
faith than the out-pourings from the
: lips of the eloquent can ever con-.
mand; and ] seldom hear it uttered
without going backto the little room,
! where l frs: knelt'to breathe it BY che
side of my dear old rra1n6lfattcr :