The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-01-15
GOD BLESS Y0um

what world of pathos and feeling lies in
them. How apt we are to cntch at the
ideal, while the real in life, is left to pass
ny unnotlced. Stop with me, and gaze
upon that father who has seen some manly
action in his youngest boy, which shadow
forth well spent future life, and hear the
words "God bless you my boy" fall from
the parents lips. DO they fall useless to
the ground are they forgotten ere they
have died upon the lipl Believe me, no..
They fall upon the ear of childhood, sweet
or far than the merry song of the free,
untettered bird. and with more effect; for
while the song dies with hearing, the words
are treasured in that youthful heart, and
have made their mark for good which moth
ing can efface.
See that poor, slloeless, bouseless wan.
dcrer, as she creeps for shelter from the pit
'iess storm, and shrinks against the cold
walls OF that splendid mansion. You are
half inclined to pass her by, but the good
angel at your side whispers you to stop,
and as you draw few shining pieces from
your pocket, and place them in the despised
one 5 hand, does not her "God bless you,
Sir" send the life blood dancing to your
heart, and does not sleep seem sweetcr MS
you dreamily lose your senses, with these
three words still ringing in your car" God
bless youa"
Step with me into that little cottage,
which is placed SO prettily by the side of
that merry dancing stream. Surely sorrow
could never come near so sweet spot as
that! We enter-tlle outside has sadly
belieI tho inside, for here everything is ruin,
and yet, few years ago, all was bright,
sunshine in that home. Whom have we
here a mother bending in silent sorrow
over the form of one who bears the impress
o. man, and get is so disfsured by in
temperance, you can scarce trace the Inca
ments of one formed and fashioned in the
likeness Of his Maker. We wait awhile.
and the drunkard's sleep has passed, and
he has awakened to the full realization of
his miserable and degraded condition, we
get the sorrowing wife to step aside, and we
sit and reason with this once loving and
beloved husband, until we force the tear
drop TO the eye, and bring the resolved, free,
firm and decided from his lips that lie will
drink no more, and We take his solemn
pledge to that effect.
A year has passed, and once more we
stand within the portals of that house, and
the first words that great our ear, alike from
husband and wife, are "God bless Won.
you have made US very. very happy" Is
there nothing in those words then2 Do
they not repay you thousand and thou
sand times for your kindness to that then
poor lost one?
See that fond f,ther, as he stands beside
the loved child Of his heart, and is about to
bestow her upon another, aud when the last
ceremony is performed, and the last rite
ended that makes her another's, is there not
world of love, age, and hope in that old
mans heart rs he falters forth the words.
"God bless you." Aye, that fair one, when
she has passed through the summer of life
wien the silver creeping in among her
jetty hair tells her that the winter of life is
near at hand, and long years have passed,
and TINT father has gone from oarth to
heaven, those words will still sound the
harp strings Of memory, and her fathers
"God bless you" will perchance be her last
thought as she too passes away.
Take the lover as lie is about to leave
home, perhaps for years, perchance for ever
for death is tile only thing certain in life
and does not the God bless you !" Wills
pcred by that loved one as they part 10 un-
certainty, but still in hope, form bright
star in his diadem Of thoughts! Aye! 'tis
the brightest one there, and will cling to his
heart when all else shall fail. .,.. -: -.
"God bless your These are three simple
words, and yet how they cheer the heart, sus-
tain tho sinking spirit, and build an altar Of
hope in the soul, which. else we could never
realize on earth. Perchance they are whis.
pered above, ere uttered ON earth. WHO
can tell! ,.,......
r. Tie poor mans "God bless your is ever
HEARTFELT and ever comes from heart sur.
charged with gratituds Il not with love-
They are easy words to bc uttered, but of.
tentimes haFd.sto be gained. Is there not
that in this life (which we can so live ever
TO hear, ever to merit them And is there
not sweet feeling when We do SO live;that
we can leave this world with the certainty
tha.'a after iifsis fitful fever,n after we have
passed from earth away 70 anotl,er world;
those With whom we associated, and had
intercourse-4aye, and those, too, who knew.
Eus; while they were unknown "a. us-eah
say, as they trace or name upon ab,se, ne, stone
which shall stand il The quiet cbprchyard !:
- There " no lie written tliesS IA was